# Squeaky Fromme, or The Squeakshank Redemption **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 6, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496 "2009-08-06T02:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/21 "2009-08-07T02:38:19Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The most surprising thing to me about her release is that in all of her (relatively few admittedly) interviews she always seemed the least repentant, the most remorseless, and the biggest Manson groupie of the bunch. She’s the Bellatrix Lestrange of the group- you half imagine her running through Lafayette Park singing "_I almost killed Gerald R. Ford…"_. I don’t picture her freedom lasting long and just hope she doesn’t hurt anybody while she’s out. I agree. I’m sorry for coming in this late in the thread and saying so, but this is really scary. I don’t have any ill will toward any members of the Manson family; I just don’t want Manson or Fromme to be out in the world again. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/22 "2009-08-07T04:33:14Z")
I didn’t think you got out if you tried to off a prez. But I guess she never actually got a shot off, so who know? But yeah. Bat-shit! ---
**Author:** ![ThirdOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@ThirdOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThirdOne)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/23 "2009-08-07T04:46:22Z")
Eew… I wish I hadn’t come in here. I’d no idea any of them would ever be released. I remember that time back then. It was very scary. They’d been in the area where I lived. Not to tromp on anyone’s fun, but I can’t find anything amusing about her being released. I just hope she stays far, far away from anyone I know and doesn’t hurt anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/24 "2009-08-07T06:57:24Z")
Interestingly though probably only coincidental, Arthur Bremer- the man who shot presidential candidate George Wallace (not fatally but leaving him paralyzed, impotent, and in great pain for the rest of his life) was paroled after 35 years also. He was sentenced to 63 years rather than life, but effectively the same sentence for most people over 20. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/25 "2009-08-07T07:23:55Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I didn’t think you got out if you tried to off a prez. But I guess she never actually got a shot off, so who know? Sara Jane Moore got out two years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/26 "2009-08-07T13:35:14Z")
However, the people she helped murdered are still dead. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/27 "2009-08-07T14:33:16Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > And for romance of course is where the reality show comes in: perhaps TAKING A SHOT AT LOVE. Or pair her up in an ‘opposites attract’ show with Willie Aames (unless you can get Sanjaya) ala Brigitte and Flava Flav. Or since Sara Jane Moore is also out, pair them for a whacky sitcom. (Inspired by Mo Rocca in ‘I Love the 70s’ calling Squeaky Fromme and Sara Jane Moore “the Laverne and Shirley of presidential assassins”) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/28 "2009-08-07T15:59:06Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > Or since Sara Jane Moore is also out, pair them for a whacky sitcom. (Inspired by Mo Rocca in ‘I Love the 70s’ calling Squeaky Fromme and Sara Jane Moore “the Laverne and Shirley of presidential assassins”) “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 schlemiel/schlemazel/botched assassinations incorporated!” Some trivia about Sara Jane Moore assassination attempt for those who don’t know is that it’s oft cited (with good reason) in gay history books and that I was surprised wasn’t mentioned in the movie _MILK_: Fromme had an uncocked gun, so either through incompetency or insanity Ford was never in real danger. (Certainly there was no way of knowing that at the time and when dealing with women in red monk’s robes brandishing firearms it’s best not to take chances). Moore, who was not a Manson family member had a pretty wild and odd past herself; the musical _Assassins_ portrays her as a befuddled housewife seeking counter culture relevance, but actually she was divorced five times by her early forties and old enough to be the mother of most of the hippies she wanted to join but turned FBI informant on. Unlike Fromme her gun was locked and loaded andthus her attempt on Ford came much closer to fruition. However, an ex Marine named Oliver Sipple who was standing next to her saw the gun just in time to[knock it off target](http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/01/01/7saramoore_lead_wideweb__470x289,0.jpg)so that it hit a local cabdriver instead (he wasn’t seriously injured). If it hadn’t been for Sipple it’s very possible she’d have killed Ford or at least one of the Secret Service. Oliver Sipple had been severely wounded by shrapnel in Vietnam and spent months in VA hospitals, but his main problems were psychological. By 1975, the year he stopped Moore from shooting at Ford, he was honorably discharged and received full disability for psychological and physical reasons. Sipple was gay and connected in a “lay line” to Harvey Milk- they shared an ex-lover with whom both remained friends after their breakup (not one of the two from the movie but an earlier one in NYC) so they knew each other and were 2nd or 3rd tier friends (i.e. they socialized but weren’t constant buds). Sipple was openly gay _in the Castro_, but not outside. His family and his military buddies and even some of his friends in San Francisco had no idea he was gay- _until_ he became an overnight celebrity for saving the president and was outed in the media. Sipple obviously wasn’t thrilled when reporters who wanted to tell the story of the hero of the hour not only learned he was gay but printed it all over the media. Some did so strictly for sensationalism to sell copy, others because it was objective truth, and gay papers and gay journalists because it helped dispel the notion that gays were swishy passive weaklings. Whatever the motivations it was soon known by everyone including his conservative religious family who disowned him and, long story short ([here’s his wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Sipple)for the longer account) it was a significantly less than welcome and highly traumatic experience that caused him to have a complete collapse. The rest of his life is sad- descent into paranoid schizophrenia, substance abuse, suicide attempts and morbid obesity. He died of a heart attack at 48 in a one room apartment that was basically described as “early modern schizoaffective” by one account- scrapbooks and loose clippings of his hour in the sun of course, but also piles of newspaper clippings cut for no obvious reasons and bizarre stuff that made sense for a moment to a severely disturbed mind. Anyway, Gerald R. Ford signed a thank you letter to Sipple but never met with him. Sipple prized the thank you letter above all other belongings. Many have claimed that the lack of a meeting was homophobia- that Ford was too afraid of the Anita Bryant lovers to shake the hand of the man who saved his life. For denied this as recently as 2004. Some claim his notoriety and rejection by Ford sent Sipple over the edge but I think most who believe(d) that didn’t understand the nature of serious mental illness. Schizophrenia can certainly be affected or episodes worsened by traumatic experiences but it’s not caused by them, it’s as physiological as diabetes, so I give the press a pass on that one- it was a legitimate thing to report, though I personally wouldn’t have without his consent, but it didn’t _cause_ his tragic ending, and like most flashbulb celebrities (those who become world famous in a flashbulb moment) his fame went away after a few weeks, and the damage done by the exposure really wasn’t anybody’s fault. As to whether I think the fact he was gay had anything to do with Ford not meeting with him… oh hell yeah. Who doesn’t shake the hand of the person who saved your life? (I’ve wondered if the [probably true] gay rumors about Ford’s son Steven played any role, or if Ford even knew of the rumors.) But if it weren’t for Oliver Sipple “we’d have been left bereft of” G.R.F.. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/29 "2009-08-07T16:26:33Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I thought Ford was in good shape compared to Chrysler and GM. Which Ford, the dead President or the car company? Come to think of it, it doesn’t matter; they’re _both_ in good shape relative to GM. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/30 "2009-12-12T15:20:58Z")
Perhaps Squeaky will be the new side kick on Glenn Beck’s show? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/31 "2009-12-12T16:14:42Z")
Thanks **Sampiro** , I knew none of that. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/32 "2009-12-12T16:33:02Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Sipple was gay and connected in a “lay line” to Harvey Milk I will be stealing this term for my personal use. Thank you. (I’ve previously used the terms “exes-in-law” or “exes once removed”.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/33 "2009-12-12T16:36:33Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I will be stealing this term for my personal use. Thank you. It’s not original to me, but it is a great term. It can be fun to make celebrity lay lines also- connecting Rex Harrison to Ashton Kutcher or whatever through lays instead of film credits. Since the thread has been bumped: per wiki and a couple of news articles Squeaky’s living in Marcy, NY, a town of about 10,000 people, and apparently has been low key so far. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/34 "2009-12-12T17:01:01Z")
So far, but have any presidents traveled through the neighborhood yet? She might want to ‘talk’ to them. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/35 "2009-12-12T18:50:04Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > So far, but have any presidents traveled through the neighborhood yet? She might want to ‘talk’ to them. I’m guessing if Lord Obama ever goes anywhere near Marcy, NY, they’ll make sure that Squeaky is in her crate that day. ---
**Author:** ![Cort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/77aa72/32.png) [@Cort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cort)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/36 "2009-12-12T21:42:26Z")
> [@runnerpat](#): > > First, she finishes the job on Ford, then opens a diner specializing in potato dishes. Names it “Taters”. I laughed in spite of myself. That was hilarious 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/37 "2009-12-13T02:08:19Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Since the thread has been bumped: per wiki and a couple of news articles Squeaky’s living in Marcy, NY, a town of about 10,000 people, and apparently has been low key so far. Low key Squeaky? ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/38 "2009-12-13T02:20:18Z")
As a native West Virginian, I propose that Charles Manson, Sarah Jane Moore, and Squeaky Fromme become the spokespersons for the next WV tourism campaign. Manson spent part of his youth in WV, Moore is a native of Charleston, WV (my hometown), and Squeaky spent the early years of her imprisonment at the federal women’s prison in Alderson, WV. Gee, maybe we could get Martha Stewart to join them, since she was imprisoned at Alderson, too! ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/39 "2009-12-13T14:29:31Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The most surprising thing to me about her release is that in all of her (relatively few admittedly) interviews she always seemed the least repentant, the most remorseless, and the biggest Manson groupie of the bunch. She’s the Bellatrix Lestrange of the group- you half imagine her running through Lafayette Park singing "_I almost killed Gerald R. Ford…"_. I don’t picture her freedom lasting long and just hope she doesn’t hurt anybody while she’s out. Yeah. This. Remember when she escaped the last time? She’s in New York, too. This is gonna get ugly. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496/40 "2009-12-13T17:58:34Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > However, the people she helped murdered are still dead. She was not along on those 2 nights so i do not think she ‘helped’ murder them in any way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squeaky-fromme-or-the-squeakshank-redemption/505496.md?page=3)