On this day in 1981, 69 days after taking office, US President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest
outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.
Hinckley, who had a history of mental illness, was
the son of an oil industry associate of George H. W.
Bush's. His motivation wasn't political, but seems to
have been based on an obsession with the movie
Taxi Driver, and a misguided wish to impress the
film's star Jodie Foster. He had originally stalked
President Jimmy Carter.
Shortly before surgery to remove the bullet, which barely missed
his heart, Reagan purportedly remarked to the operating doctor,
"I hope you're a Republican." The head surgeon, liberal Democrat
Joseph Giordano, purportedly replied, "Mr. President, today we are
all Republicans." Reagan recovered quickly, despite being 70 years
old, and was able to continue his presidential duties.
At the same time, a press conference was underway in the White
House. One reporter asked deputy press secretary Larry Speakes
who was running the government, to which Speakes responded "I
cannot answer that question at this time." Upon hearing Speakes'
remark, Haig rushed to the press room, where he made the following
controversial statement:
"Constitutionally, gentlemen, you
have the president, the vice president
and the secretary of state, in that order,
and should the president decide he wants
to transfer the helm to the vice president,
he will do so. As of now, I am in control
here, in the White House, pending the
return of the vice president and in close
touch with him. If something came up,
I would check with him, of course."
In actual fact, the Secretary of State
was (and is) FOURTH in line of succession.
Tip O'Neill and Strom Thurmond were both
ahead of Haig in 1981.
Later when First Lady Nancy Reagan arrived at GWU
Hospital, President Reagan jokingly explained, "Honey,
I forgot to duck" (borrowing boxer Jack Dempsey's line to
his wife the night he was beaten by Gene Tunney).
Reagan had been scheduled to visit Philadelphia on the day
of the shooting. He told a nurse, "All in all, I'd rather be in
Philadelphia," a reference to W.C. Fields' apocryphal epithaph.
Reagan, of course, recovered to preside over an era driven by greed,
harsh rhetoric, a massive arms buildup, Voodoo Economics (aka Reagan-
omics), the Iran-Contra scandal, and the invasion of Grenada. During his
presidency, the national debt quadrupled, and catsup was considered a
vegetable in school lunches. However, since he was in office during the
fall of the Soviet Union, he is remembered by deluded right-wing dead-
enders as The Greatest American President Ever.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity
and has remained confined to a psychiatric facility
ever since.
Born This Day:
Francisco Goya
Seán O'Casey (Seán Ó Cathasaigh)
Paul Verlaine
Vincent van Gogh
Sonny Boy Williamson I
Eric Clapton
Died This Day:
Beau Brummel
Maxfield Parrish
St. James Cagney
