James Brady, Reagan’s press secretary who was shot in the head by John Hinckley during his assassination attempt, has died.
Certainly one of, if not the, largest figure in the gun control debate over the past 50 years. Like him or not, he had one hell of an impact.
I still remember that all too brief window when we were first just getting to know Brady for his quick wit and acumen prior to the shooting(s). Some of that still managed to eek through afterwards, but what riveted me most was the constrained frustration he couldn’t help but exhibit as he struggled to find the words and make his points in interviews after the tragedy, something he had done with aplomb before.
He, and his wife equally as much, suffered more from that assassination attempt than anyone else involved. R.I.P, James.
So now that he’s died, are there any prominent Republicans left who are in favor of gun control?
Had he had better luck (or ducked), he would have been James Watt or Howard Baldrige ---- certainly well behind Al “I’m in charge” Haig or Doc Koop in our collective memory. He just didn’t have enough “it” to stand out in the gloss of the Teflon Presidency.
Control? Almost every one, I would think. What constitutes “gun control” is what makes this usually more of a debate between the two Parties. I have long been curious though – how much of the “Brady Agenda” was his wife more than him? Had he taken a hit more like Reagans would there have ever been a “Brady Bill”?