The history of attempted and successful presidential assassinations in the United States is a stark reflection of the nation's turbulent political landscape and the extreme measures some people are willing to take. From the 19th century onwards, U.S. presidents have been targets of violence driven by a variety of motives, including political ideologies, personal vendettas, and mental instability.
▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 - Intro
01:09 - Early Attempts (1800s)
17:30 - Modern-Era Attempts and Plots
28:12 - Outro
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Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated in 1865, a tragic event carried out by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer. This marked the beginning of a series of assassination attempts and successes that would shape presidential security protocols for years to come. James A. Garfield fell victim to Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled office seeker, in 1881, and William McKinley was killed by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901. The assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald remains one of the most infamous and controversial events in American history, prompting widespread conspiracy theories and profound national mourning. In addition to these successful assassinations, numerous attempts have been thwarted thanks to improved security measures and the vigilance of law enforcement agencies.
For instance, the attempted assassinations of Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, Harry S. Truman in 1950, and Ronald Reagan in 1981 highlighted the ever-present danger facing the nation's leaders. Each incident has led to increased protective measures and a deeper understanding of the psychological and ideological factors driving these acts of violence. The ongoing threat necessitates constant vigilance and adaptation to new security challenges. This history underscores the precarious nature of democratic leadership and the relentless efforts required to safeguard those who hold the highest office in the land.
Every Presidential Assassination Attempt in History, Only 3 of Them Survived
▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 - Intro
01:09 - Early Attempts (1800s)
17:30 - Modern-Era Attempts and Plots
28:12 - Outro
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Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated in 1865, a tragic event carried out by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer. This marked the beginning of a series of assassination attempts and successes that would shape presidential security protocols for years to come. James A. Garfield fell victim to Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled office seeker, in 1881, and William McKinley was killed by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901. The assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald remains one of the most infamous and controversial events in American history, prompting widespread conspiracy theories and profound national mourning. In addition to these successful assassinations, numerous attempts have been thwarted thanks to improved security measures and the vigilance of law enforcement agencies.
For instance, the attempted assassinations of Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, Harry S. Truman in 1950, and Ronald Reagan in 1981 highlighted the ever-present danger facing the nation's leaders. Each incident has led to increased protective measures and a deeper understanding of the psychological and ideological factors driving these acts of violence. The ongoing threat necessitates constant vigilance and adaptation to new security challenges. This history underscores the precarious nature of democratic leadership and the relentless efforts required to safeguard those who hold the highest office in the land.
Every Presidential Assassination Attempt in History, Only 3 of Them Survived
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00:00Every presidential assassination attempt in history, only three of them survived.
00:05Reagan came within an inch, the bullet was lodged an inch from his heart.
00:10A split-second decision and a split second from dying.
00:13He lost more than half his blood that day.
00:15In light of the recent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump,
00:19it's a good time to look back through our nation's history
00:23at other plots and attempts on the lives of our presidents.
00:26The history of attempted and successful presidential assassinations in the United States
00:31reveals a sobering chronicle of violence and political turmoil.
00:35From the 19th century to modern times,
00:37U.S. presidents have faced numerous threats from individuals driven by ideological fervor,
00:43personal grievances, or mental instability.
00:46Four presidents, Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield,
00:50William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy, were tragically assassinated,
00:55while others narrowly escaped death thanks to quick-thinking security personnel and sheer luck.
01:00These events have profoundly shaped presidential security protocols
01:05and highlighted the constant vigilance required to protect the nation's leaders.
01:09Early Attempts, 1800s
01:11The history of presidential assassination attempts in the United States
01:15dates back to the early 19th century.
01:17One of the first recorded incidents
01:19was the attempted assassination of President Andrew Jackson on January 30, 1835.
01:25The attacker, Richard Lawrence,
01:27was a mentally unstable house painter who believed he was King Richard III of England
01:32and that Jackson's death would restore his lost wealth.
01:35Lawrence approached Jackson as he left a congressional funeral service at the Capitol
01:39and fired two pistols at point-blank range.
01:42Miraculously, both pistols misfired,
01:45and Jackson, known for his fiery temper, confronted Lawrence with his cane.
01:49Lawrence was swiftly subdued by bystanders,
01:52including Davy Crockett, who was also present.
01:55This incident underscored the vulnerability of the president
01:59and the need for better security measures,
02:01although it would be many years before such measures were significantly enhanced.
02:05Another early plot that could have changed the course of American history
02:09was the Baltimore Plot in 1861.
02:13As President-elect Abraham Lincoln prepared to assume office,
02:16tensions between the North and South were at a peak.
02:19Detectives from the Pinkerton National Detective Agency
02:22uncovered a conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln
02:25as he passed through Baltimore, en route to his inauguration in Washington, D.C.
02:30The conspirators planned to kill Lincoln during a public appearance at the Calvert Street station.
02:35To thwart the plot,
02:36Lincoln's security team devised a plan for him to travel secretly through Baltimore at night.
02:41Disguised and under heavy guard,
02:43Lincoln's covert passage through Baltimore was successful,
02:47allowing him to reach the Capitol safely and assume the presidency.
02:51This early threat highlighted the perils facing the nation's leaders
02:55even before the Civil War began.
02:57These early assassination attempts
02:59revealed the intense political and social divisions in the United States
03:03and the extreme measures some individuals were willing to take to achieve their goals.
03:07In both instances,
03:09quick thinking and a bit of luck prevented the tragic loss of life.
03:13The attempts on Jackson and Lincoln's lives
03:15also served as early warnings of the dangers faced by those in the highest office
03:20and hinted at the need for more structured and reliable protection for U.S. presidents.
03:24Successful assassinations.
03:27It's hard to believe that
03:30Lincoln not only saw John Wilkes Booth perform in a play,
03:34but saw him at Ford's Theater,
03:36which would become the scene of Booth's final act,
03:40and Lincoln's final act, the assassination.
03:42The assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865
03:46remains one of the most significant events in American history.
03:49John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer,
03:53shot Lincoln at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865.
03:59Booth's motivations were rooted in his deep support for the Confederate cause
04:03and his anger over the South's defeat in the Civil War.
04:06As Lincoln watched the play, Our American Cousin, from his presidential box,
04:10Booth slipped in and fired a single bullet into the back of Lincoln's head.
04:14Booth then leapt onto the stage, allegedly shouting,
04:19a Latin phrase meaning,
04:21thus always to tyrants,
04:22which is also the state motto of Virginia.
04:25Lincoln was carried to a nearby boarding house
04:27where he succumbed to his injuries the following morning.
04:30His death plunged the nation into deep mourning
04:33and significantly altered the course of Reconstruction.
04:36Booth was tracked down and killed 12 days later,
04:39and his co-conspirators were captured and executed or imprisoned.
04:44Talk about presidents have been assassinated,
04:47but some of presidents like James Garfield
04:49got injured and lived on for months and months.
04:52The assassination of James A. Garfield in 1881 was equally tragic
04:57and underscored the lack of effective medical care for wounded presidents at that time.
05:02Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled office seeker
05:05who believed he was owed a political appointment,
05:07shot Garfield on July 2, 1881
05:11at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington.
05:14D.C. Guiteau fired twice, hitting Garfield in the back and arm.
05:18The president was taken to the White House,
05:20where doctors attempted to treat him,
05:22but their efforts were hampered by poor medical practices,
05:26including the use of unsterilized instruments.
05:28Garfield lingered for 11 weeks,
05:31suffering from infections and internal complications,
05:34before dying on September 19, 1881.
05:38Guiteau was arrested immediately after the shooting and declared,
05:41I am a stalwart of the stalwarts.
05:43Arthur is president now,
05:45referring to Vice President Chester A. Arthur.
05:49Guiteau's trial was sensational,
05:51and he was eventually convicted and hanged.
05:53Garfield's assassination led to public outcry over the spoils system,
05:57and his death was a catalyst for the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act,
06:01which sought to curb corruption and patronage in government appointments.
06:05The assassination of President William McKinley in 1901
06:09marked another dark chapter in American history.
06:12McKinley was attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York,
06:16when he was shot by Leon Czolgosz,
06:18an anarchist who believed that McKinley was a symbol of oppression.
06:22On September 6, 1901,
06:24Czolgosz approached McKinley during a public reception at the Temple of Music,
06:28concealing his gun in a handkerchief.
06:31As McKinley extended his hand to greet him,
06:33Czolgosz fired two shots into the president's abdomen.
06:37Despite initial optimism about his recovery,
06:40McKinley's condition worsened due to gangrene caused by the bullet wounds,
06:44and he died on September 14, 1901.
06:48His assassination led to a swift response from law enforcement,
06:51and Czolgosz was executed by electric chair later that year.
06:55The public outcry following McKinley's death
06:58spurred significant changes in the Secret Service,
07:01transforming it into the full-time protective agency for the president that it is today.
07:06Theodore Roosevelt, who succeeded McKinley,
07:09famously remarked on the vulnerability of public figures, saying,
07:13It is not the critic who counts.
07:15The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.
07:18Nearly 50 years after those shots rang out in Dealey Plaza,
07:21there was now mere silence when people see that car,
07:24where it now sits, at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
07:28The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas,
07:34remains one of the most scrutinized and debated events in U.S. history.
07:38Kennedy was riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza
07:41when he was struck by two bullets fired by Lee Harvey Oswald from a nearby building.
07:45Kennedy's head and neck injuries were fatal,
07:48and he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
07:52The assassination was broadcast on television,
07:55leaving an indelible mark on the American psyche.
07:58Oswald was arrested, but was shot and killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby two days later,
08:04before he could stand trial.
08:06The Warren Commission was established to investigate the assassination,
08:10and concluded that Oswald acted alone, though many conspiracy theories persist.
08:16Kennedy's death had profound implications for the nation,
08:19affecting civil rights legislation and the Cold War.
08:23His widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, poignantly reflected the nation's grief when she said,
08:28he didn't even have the satisfaction of being killed for civil rights.
08:31It had to be some silly little communist.
08:34The assassination led to extensive reforms in presidential security,
08:38including the increased use of bulletproof vehicles and more rigorous Secret Service protocols,
08:4320th century attempts and plots.
08:45During President William Howard Taft's term,
08:48there was a significant assassination attempt in 1909 during his summit
08:52with Mexican President Porfirio Diaz in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
08:58This was the first meeting between a U.S. and Mexican president,
09:01and involved unprecedented security measures,
09:04including thousands of U.S. and Mexican troops, Secret Service agents,
09:08and a private security detail led by Frederick Russell Burnham.
09:12On the day of the summit, a man named Julius Bergersen was apprehended
09:15with a concealed palm pistol just a few feet from Taft and Diaz.
09:20The intense security ensured the summit proceeded without incident,
09:23but the plot underscored the constant threats faced by presidents.
09:27Herbert Hoover also faced a significant assassination plot shortly after he was elected president.
09:33In 1928, during a goodwill tour of Central and South America,
09:38Hoover's train was targeted by Argentine anarchists,
09:41led by Severino di Giovanni.
09:43The plan was to blow up the train as it crossed the Andes Mountains.
09:47The plotters had detailed information about Hoover's itinerary,
09:50but their plan was thwarted when the bomber was arrested before he could place the explosives.
09:55Hoover, known for his calm demeanor, downplayed the incident,
09:59even tearing off the front page of a newspaper that reported the plot to prevent his wife from worrying.
10:05Hoover's successful tour and his handling of the threat
10:09demonstrated his resilience and the importance of vigilance in presidential security.
10:13A dastardly act.
10:15The entire country is shocked at the attempted assassination of ex-president Roosevelt in Milwaukee Monday night.
10:21Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 assassination attempt remains a remarkable story of resilience and determination.
10:29On October 14, 1912, while campaigning for a third term as president under the Progressive Party,
10:36Roosevelt was shot by John Schrenk,
10:38a saloon keeper who claimed he was instructed by the ghost of William McKinley
10:42to prevent Roosevelt from seeking another term.
10:45The bullet struck Roosevelt in the chest after passing through a steel eyeglass case
10:50and a 50-page copy of his speech, which he was carrying in his coat pocket.
10:55Despite the injury, Roosevelt insisted on delivering his scheduled speech before seeking medical attention,
11:01famously beginning with,
11:12He spoke for 90 minutes with the bullet lodged in his chest, demonstrating his unyielding spirit.
11:18Roosevelt survived the assassination attempt and Schrenk was found insane
11:23and committed to an asylum for the rest of his life.
11:26The assassination attempt on Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933
11:30highlights the dangers presidents face even before taking office.
11:34On February 15, 1933, just weeks before his inauguration,
11:39Roosevelt was delivering a speech from the back of an open car in Miami, Florida.
11:44Giuseppe Zangara, an unemployed bricklayer with anarchist leanings, fired several shots at Roosevelt.
11:50Although he missed the president-elect, he struck five other people,
11:54including Chicago Mayor Anton Czermak, who was standing near Roosevelt.
11:58Czermak was severely wounded and later died from his injuries.
12:02Zangara's motive was his hatred for capitalists and all government officials,
12:07whom he blamed for his suffering.
12:09Upon being arrested, Zangara expressed no remorse, stating,
12:19Zangara was swiftly tried, convicted of murder, and executed in Florida's electric chair.
12:25The incident underscored the constant threat faced by national leaders
12:29and reinforced the importance of maintaining robust security measures,
12:33even during seemingly routine public appearances.
12:36The assassination attempt on President Harry S. Truman in 1950
12:40is a dramatic episode that underscores the risks faced by presidents
12:45even within the relative safety of their residences.
12:47On November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists,
12:52Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, attempted to storm Blair House,
12:57where Truman was staying during renovations at the White House.
13:00Their goal was to draw attention to the Puerto Rican independence movement
13:04by killing the president.
13:05Torresola approached from the west and engaged in a gunfight with a guard,
13:09mortally wounding him before being killed by another officer.
13:13Collazo, approaching from the east, was injured and subdued by Secret Service agents.
13:18Truman was napping upstairs at the time of the attack,
13:21hearing the gunfire, he looked out the window but was quickly ushered away to safety.
13:26The bravery of the Secret Service agents in thwarting the attack was widely praised,
13:30and Truman later stated,
13:32a president has to expect these things.
13:34The incident led to increased scrutiny and improvements in presidential security protocols.
13:39Richard Nixon's presidency saw several assassination plots,
13:43one of the most notable being the bizarre scheme orchestrated by Samuel Bick in 1974.
13:49Bick, a former tire salesman with a history of mental illness,
13:54planned to hijack a commercial airliner and crash it into the White House.
13:58Bick believed that killing Nixon would solve the economic problems he blamed on the administration.
14:03On February 22, 1974, Bick attempted to execute his plan
14:08by storming a plane at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
14:12He killed an airport policeman and forced his way onto the plane,
14:16but the aircraft never left the ground.
14:18Bick was shot by police through the cockpit window and later died from his wounds.
14:23Bick's elaborate and desperate plan highlighted the lengths to which some would go
14:28to express their discontent with the government,
14:30and it underscored the necessity for rigorous security measures at all times.
14:35Nixon, who had faced numerous threats during his tenure,
14:39once reflected on the dangers of the presidency, saying,
14:42if you want to make beautiful music, you must play the black and the white notes together.
14:46His statement metaphorically addressed the need to handle both the good and bad aspects of public service,
14:52including the inherent dangers.
14:54The presidency of Gerald Ford experienced two assassination attempts within a month,
14:59highlighting the turbulent and dangerous political climate of the 1970s.
15:03The first attempt occurred on September 5, 1975, in Sacramento, California,
15:09when Lynette Squeaky Frum, a follower of Charles Manson,
15:13aimed a Colt .45 at Ford as he walked through a crowd.
15:18The gun failed to discharge and Secret Service agents quickly subdued her.
15:22Frum later explained that her motive was to bring attention to environmental issues
15:27and the plight of the Redwoods.
15:28She famously said during her trial,
15:31I stood up and waved a gun for a reason.
15:33This attempt shook the nation,
15:35but even more startling was the second attempt on Ford's life just 17 days later.
15:41On September 22, 1975, in San Francisco,
15:45Sarah Jane Moore, a political radical, fired a shot at Ford from a distance of 40 feet.
15:51A bystander named Oliver Sipple intervened, deflecting her aim,
15:55and the bullet narrowly missed the president.
15:58Moore later expressed regret, saying,
16:00I'm very glad I did not succeed.
16:03These back-to-back attempts underscored the ongoing threats faced by sitting presidents
16:08and led to significant changes in the way the Secret Service protected the president,
16:12including increased use of metal detectors
16:15and tighter control over crowds at public events.
16:18Jimmy Carter's presidency also faced a potential assassination plot
16:23that was thwarted before it could be carried out.
16:25In 1979, two men, Raymond Lee Harvey and Osvaldo Ortiz,
16:30were arrested in Los Angeles after claiming they were involved in a plan to kill Carter.
16:34Harvey, a drifter with a history of mental illness,
16:37alleged that he and Ortiz had been hired by a group of Central American hitmen
16:42to assassinate the president during a campaign rally.
16:45Harvey claimed that the plot involved using starter pistols
16:48to create a diversion while the real assassins carried out the attack.
16:53Both men were found in possession of starter pistols,
16:56but no other weapons were discovered,
16:58and authorities were skeptical of the plot's feasibility.
17:01Nevertheless, the incident served as a reminder of the ever-present dangers faced by presidents
17:07and the lengths to which individuals would go to harm them.
17:10Carter, known for his calm and pragmatic demeanor,
17:13took the threat in stride and continued with his schedule.
17:16Reflecting on the incident, Carter remarked,
17:18I have complete confidence in the Secret Service.
17:21They do an extraordinary job under difficult circumstances.
17:24This episode highlighted the importance of vigilance and preparedness
17:28in ensuring the safety of the nation's leaders.
17:30Modern Era Attempts and Plots
17:33John Hinckley was charged with 13 crimes, later acquitted by reason of insanity.
17:38I was the most scrutinized mental patient in America.
17:43Even my judge said that.
17:45The assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981
17:50was one of the most alarming and closely watched events of the modern era.
17:54John Hinckley Jr., motivated by an obsessive desire to impress actress Jodie Foster,
18:00fired six shots at Reagan as he exited the Washington Hilton Hotel after giving a speech.
18:05One of the bullets ricocheted off the presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest,
18:10puncturing a lung and causing severe internal bleeding.
18:14Despite his critical condition, Reagan managed to walk into George Washington University Hospital,
18:20where he famously quipped to the medical staff,
18:22I hope you're all Republicans.
18:25The quick actions of the Secret Service and the medical team saved his life,
18:29and Reagan was able to make a full recovery.
18:32Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to a mental institution.
18:37Reagan's near-death experience had a profound impact on his presidency,
18:42emphasizing the resilience and determination of the American leader.
18:46Reagan later reflected on the incident, saying,
18:48I have learned that one cannot fashion a credible deterrent out of an incredible action.
18:53The 1993 assassination plot against former President George H.W. Bush
18:59underscored the international dangers that U.S. leaders face.
19:03During a visit to Kuwait to commemorate the coalition victory in the Gulf War,
19:07Kuwaiti authorities foiled an attempt by Iraqi intelligence agents to assassinate Bush using a car bomb.
19:14The plot was orchestrated in retaliation for his role in the Gulf War,
19:18which had led to the defeat of Iraqi forces.
19:21The Kuwaiti security forces discovered the explosives
19:24and arrested the conspirators before they could carry out their plan.
19:28President Bill Clinton, who was in office at the time,
19:31responded by ordering a cruise missile strike on the Iraqi intelligence services headquarters in Baghdad.
19:37The incident highlighted the ongoing threat posed by international actors
19:42and the measures taken to protect former presidents.
19:45Reflecting on the foiled plot,
19:47Bush expressed his gratitude for the swift actions of the Kuwaiti and U.S. intelligence services,
19:52noting, I'm grateful for the protection and vigilance that prevented a terrible tragedy.
19:57This attempt underscored the global reach of threats against U.S. leaders
20:01and the importance of international cooperation in ensuring their safety.
20:06Fourteen men believed to be working for Saddam Hussein
20:09smuggled explosives into Kuwait to assassinate him with car bombs
20:13during a visit to Kuwait University as revenge for defeating Iraq in the Gulf War.
20:19The plot was foiled when Kuwaiti officials found one of the bombs and arrested the suspected assassins.
20:25The presidency of Bill Clinton saw multiple threats and assassination attempts,
20:29reflecting the heightened security challenges of the 1990s.
20:33On October 29, 1994, Francisco Martin Duran fired a total of 29 shots
20:39with a semi-automatic rifle at the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue.
20:43Duran, who had a history of mental illness,
20:46believed he was on a mission to save the world from an alien invasion.
20:50His shots hit the White House,
20:52but President Clinton was inside watching a football game and was unharmed.
20:56Secret Service agents and tourists tackled Duran, preventing further violence.
21:01Duran was later convicted of attempted assassination and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
21:06This incident highlighted the persistent threat of individuals with delusions
21:10or extreme beliefs taking drastic actions.
21:12Reflecting on the event, Clinton remarked on the need for constant vigilance
21:17and the effectiveness of the Secret Service, stating,
21:20I am deeply grateful to the men and women who protect me and my family every day.
21:25In 1996, another plot against Clinton was uncovered, this time involving a plane crash.
21:30On September 12, 1994, Frank Eugene Corder, a troubled truck driver,
21:36stole a Cessna 150 and crashed it into the south lawn of the White House,
21:40intending to hit the presidential residence.
21:43Clinton and his family were not at the White House at the time,
21:46as they were staying at Blair House.
21:48Corder was killed in the crash, which caused only minor damage to the building.
21:53This incident highlighted the vulnerabilities in airspace security around the White House
21:57and led to stricter regulations and enhanced radar systems to prevent similar attacks.
22:02Clinton, reflecting on this event, reiterated the importance of addressing all potential threats,
22:07no matter how unconventional they might be.
22:10The combination of these two incidents during Clinton's presidency
22:14underscored the evolving nature of threats to the president
22:17and the ongoing need to adapt security measures to new and emerging dangers.
22:22The FBI says it has foiled an ISIS plot to assassinate former president George W. Bush.
22:28The Justice Department has charged an Iraqi citizen living in Ohio with aiding and abetting the plot
22:33by planning to smuggle four ISIS operatives into the country to kill the former president.
22:38George W. Bush faced several assassination attempts during his presidency,
22:43illustrating the persistent and varied threats to American leaders in the 21st century.
22:49One of the most notable attempts occurred on May 10, 2005, in Tbilisi, Georgia.
22:54During a public speech in Freedom Square, a man named Vladimir Arutyunyan
22:59threw a live grenade towards the podium, where Bush and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili were standing.
23:05The grenade landed within 100 feet of the president's,
23:09but failed to detonate due to a faulty handkerchief wrapped around it.
23:13Arutyunyan was later apprehended and sentenced to life imprisonment.
23:17Bush, reflecting on the incident, expressed his gratitude for the quick actions of security personnel and local authorities.
23:25This attempt underscored the dangers of public appearances and the need for constant vigilance.
23:30Another significant threat during Bush's presidency involved Richard Reed, also known as the Shoe Bomber.
23:37In December 2001, Reed attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes
23:42on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.
23:46His plan was foiled by the vigilance of passengers and crew members,
23:49who subdued him after noticing his suspicious behavior.
23:53Reed's failure highlighted the ongoing risks of terrorist plots targeting American interests
23:58and the importance of rigorous security protocols in aviation.
24:02Bush, responding to the heightened threats post-9-11,
24:05emphasized the need for international cooperation in combating terrorism.
24:10Reflecting on the Shoe Bomber incident, Bush noted,
24:13we must be vigilant and resolute in the face of such threats
24:16to ensure the safety and security of our nation and its people.
24:20These incidents during Bush's tenure illustrated the diverse and complex nature of threats against U.S. presidents
24:26and the critical need for comprehensive security measures.
24:30In October 2008, about two months after Barack Obama became the official Democratic nominee for president,
24:35police arrested 19-year-old Paul Schlesselman of Arkansas
24:38and 21-year-old Daniel Cowart of Tennessee for plotting his assassination.
24:43Cowart and Schlesselman, both self-described white supremacists,
24:46were apprehended while driving a truck that had the words
24:48"'Honk if you love Hitler' written on the hood."
24:51During Barack Obama's presidency, several significant assassination plots were uncovered,
24:57underscoring the persistent threats against U.S. leaders.
25:00In 2008, Jerry Blanchard from North Carolina and Raymond H. Geisel from Miami
25:06were arrested for making threatening statements against Obama,
25:09both motivated by extremist beliefs.
25:12Another serious plot in Denver involved three men planning to assassinate Obama
25:17during the Democratic National Convention, but they were apprehended before they could act.
25:22Additionally, Paul Schlesselman and Daniel Cowart, white supremacists,
25:26planned a killing spree that included Obama, but were arrested and sentenced for their crimes.
25:32These incidents highlighted the constant vigilance required to protect the president.
25:37Reflections and Analysis
25:39The history of assassination attempts on U.S. presidents
25:42reveals recurring themes and insights into the motivations of those who commit such acts.
25:48Common motivations include political extremism, personal vendettas,
25:53mental instability, and a desire for notoriety.
25:56These assassins and would-be assassins often view their actions
26:00as a means to disrupt or change the political landscape.
26:03For instance, John Wilkes Booth saw Abraham Lincoln's assassination
26:07as a way to avenge the South's defeat in the Civil War.
26:11Similarly, Leon Cholgos viewed William McKinley as a symbol of capitalist oppression.
26:16The evolution of presidential security has been significantly influenced by these attempts and plots.
26:22The early days of American presidencies saw relatively lax security,
26:26which evolved drastically following high-profile assassinations.
26:30The Secret Service, initially established to combat counterfeiting,
26:34was eventually tasked with protecting the president after McKinley's assassination.
26:39The protective measures have grown increasingly sophisticated,
26:42incorporating advanced technology and rigorous protocols to counter various threats.
26:48These assassination attempts also profoundly impact the political climate and public perception.
26:54Successful assassinations, such as those of Lincoln and Kennedy,
26:58led to national mourning and significant political and social changes.
27:02Lincoln's death affected the Reconstruction era's trajectory,
27:05while Kennedy's assassination shifted the momentum of the civil rights movement
27:10and intensified the Cold War's dynamics.
27:12Each incident forces a re-evaluation of how the nation protects its leaders
27:16and the balance between security and the president's accessibility to the public.
27:21The reflections on these incidents often come from those who directly experience the threats.
27:26Ronald Reagan's resilience following his near-fatal shooting,
27:30demonstrated in his humor and determination,
27:33exemplifies how presidents often personally cope with such dangers.
27:37Reagan once said,
27:39What I'd really like to do is go down in history
27:41as the president who made Americans believe in themselves again.
27:45His recovery and continued leadership helped bolster public confidence during a turbulent time.
27:50Overall, the history of presidential assassination attempts
27:54underscores the fragile nature of democratic leadership
27:57and the relentless efforts required to safeguard it.
28:00This ongoing vigilance reflects the broader societal commitment
28:05to protecting not just the person of the president,
28:07but the stability and continuity of the nation's democratic institutions.
28:12Now it's time to hear from you.
28:14Which of these attempts was most surprising to hear about?
28:18Let us know in the comments section below.