# The Day Reagan was shot **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2003, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364 "2003-07-18T11:26:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/21 "2003-07-19T00:17:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jackelope \* > \*\ ***Shodan** , didn’t you get the memo? People with different values _deserve_ to get shot. \*\* I think you have it wrong. When people in the public eye are hurt or killed, no matter how many bad decisions they’ve made or how much suffering they’ve caused, their own injury or death _makes_ them better people, and much more worthy of our time and mourning than, say, ailing family and friends or those victims of violence who suffer without media attention. ---
**Author:** ![Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muldoon_s_Squishiness)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/22 "2003-07-19T00:26:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\*Hell, I remember the day clearly. > > Junior year in college, I was in the ABC soap opera lounge in the student union, ready to watch the nuptials between Luke and Laura. When they were pre-empted by this! > > Not to diminish the significnce of the event, but that was a high water mark in the annals of newsmaking in terms of **We have absolutely nothing new to tell you, so we will just reshow the same film clip over-and-over, interspersed with a talking head looking somber and endlessly rephrasing the same 5-10 sentences.** > > \*\* Grow up.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/23 "2003-07-19T01:17:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\* > Not to diminish the significnce of the event, but that was a high water mark in the annals of newsmaking in terms of **We have absolutely nothing new to tell you, so we will just reshow the same film clip over-and-over, interspersed with a talking head looking somber and endlessly rephrasing the same 5-10 sentences.** > > \*\* I’ll never forget when SNL parodied this with the “Buckwheat Has Been Shot” series of skits. Priceless! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/24 "2003-07-19T01:22:21Z")
Didn’t see the movie, but I still remember that day very well. Indiana University 63, North Carolina 50. Isaiah Thomas was absolutely magnificent and he had plenty of help from Ray Tolbert, Landon Turner, Jim Thomas, Ted Kitchell, and Randy Whitman. And of course, The General was coaching the Hoosiers. No. 4; how sweet the memories are. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/25 "2003-07-19T01:29:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BogieBlanca \* > \*\*Grow up.:rolleyes: \*\* That’s ironic, **Bogie** – you seem like the one who’s not old enough to remember the phrase _“More news when it happens”_. There definitely has been a sea-change since then. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/26 "2003-07-19T01:31:53Z")
Got distracted from the OP-- This thread caught my eye because I was actually considering bringing this home yesterday, but judged from the box that it smelled of low-budget TV drama. Is it worth watching or not? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/27 "2003-07-19T01:49:36Z")
Hey, **Dins** , I was a junior in college at that time, too! I heard the news wafting out of a window on a radio program, and blundered into the first residence with a teevee that I came across, which happened to be occupied by Henry Kissinger’s knucklehead son. He and his cronies were perturbed by my hoots of raucous laughter. I rolled out in high spirits and immediately ran into my good friend Bird…we picked up a bottle of wine, found a comfortable corner near the Cross Campus, and she and I regaled the stunned passersby with a high-spirited rendition of that grand old Lennon-McCartney tune, “Ronnie Raccoon.” “But Johnny was hot…he drew first and shot…and Ronnie…collapsed…in the corner…OoooooooOOOOOOh…!” …Oh, yeah. I don’t give a flying shit whether or not you felt bad about Kennedy or not. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/28 "2003-07-19T01:58:43Z")
> [@](#): > > **Dinsdale** : Junior year in college, I was in the ABC soap opera lounge in the student union, ready to watch the nuptials between Luke and Laura. When they were pre-empted by this! I cut class to see the wedding which took place over a two day period. That is embarrassing to admit since I was the teacher. Anyway, according to _TV Guide_, Luke and Laura were married on November 17, 1981. President Reagan was shot on March 30, 1981. So much for remembering it clearly! 🙂 I didn’t like President Reagan at all. But I would not be indifferent to _any_ violent attack on the Presidency. Now, _verbal_ attacks are something else! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/29 "2003-07-19T03:26:41Z")
I was way too little to remember (Not even three years old yet!) But as much as I hate and despise Reagan, I think my main reaction would be fear, because that’s a pretty creepy thing to see. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/30 "2003-07-19T12:10:09Z")
I often think of that day. As was said before, Ron handled it well. I was also impressed that the Secret Service guy acted so well. I wonder what became of him. A lady in the background screamed “It’s happening!” I guess that is what I thought. “It’s happening, again.” Of course the press secretary was very badly wounded. Regan kept him on the payroll as press secretary for the rest of his time in office. That is class. He did not suport the Brady Bill, that was not class. Brady was damaged in a part of the brain that controls the control of emotion. A public man has been crippled in that he can never be in public service again. John H was locked up in Saint Elizabeth’s. His wealthy family tries to get him out. The evidence seems to be he is still obsessing about Jodie Foster. He is never getting out I guess. Sad day all around. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/31 "2003-07-19T20:08:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Shodan_ > Is this just politicians, or people in general? It’s just politicians. Laughing at the misfortunes of actual people would be tacky. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/32 "2003-07-19T21:52:38Z")
I wept, I cried until I found out Reagan was going to live after all. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/33 "2003-07-20T00:25:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Paul in Saudi \* > \*\* > I was also impressed that the Secret Service guy acted so well. I wonder what became of him. > > \*\* Agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the stomach, which can’t be pleasant, but all things considered he recovered very nicely after surgery to remove the bullet. He returned to active duty with the Secret Service, and retired in the mid-1990s. There was an [interesting article](http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/04/allen.htm) in the Atlantic Monthly, with the same title-- the Day Reagan Was Shot – that came out about the same time as a film. ---
**Author:** ![flal1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@flal1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flal1a)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/34 "2003-07-20T03:58:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > \*\*I was 20 at the time. And John Hinckley didn’t “miss”; he put an explosive bullet in the President’s chest. Fortunately it didn’t explode. \*\* Please provide more details on this. I am a firearms enthusiast, and would love to know where I can get “exploding” bullets for my .22 revolver. P.S. Don’t work too hard seeking a source. What you posted is nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![joshmaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a587f6/32.png) [@joshmaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joshmaker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/35 "2003-07-21T00:04:19Z")
Well, despite flal1a your rude attack on Baldwin I just finished watching the movie “The Day Reagan Was Shot” and they clearly state it was an exploding bullet. So I did a web search. > [@](#): > > P.S. Don’t work too hard seeking a source. What you posted is nonsense. Don’t worry. Finding a source online was easy. Apparently he used a “Devastator bullet composed of a lacquer-sealed aluminium tip with a lead azide centre designed to explode on impact". Here are some sites: [http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists\_spies/assassins/john\_hinckley/2.html?sect=24](http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/assassins/john_hinckley/2.html?sect=24) [http://jcp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/56/4/254](http://jcp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/56/4/254) [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hinckley/hinckleyaccount.html](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hinckley/hinckleyaccount.html) Anyway, getting back to the OP, does anyone who saw the movie have any thoughts as to its accuracy? ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/36 "2003-07-21T04:07:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Intaglio \* > \*\*Yes, but because of Hinkley, Law-Abiding Americans who own Fire-Arms have to deal with James Brady and his Wife, who want to Outlaw Guns, because some Nut-Case tried to Shoot and Kill Reagan - but didn’t get the Job Done, and unfortunately Shot Brady, which made him Brain Damaged, and ruined his Life. \*\* [Tinfoil Hat ON] Don’t Forget the Computer Chip Implanted in Hinkley’s Butt, to be Triggered by the Illuminati Conspiracy to Make Him go off so They can Pass More Restrictive Anti-Gun Legislation. Just Like the Chip planted In The butts of Mark ChapMan, TiMothy McVeigh, John MohaMMed WilliaMs, etc… [Tinfoil Hat OFF] Umm…what was I gonna say? Oh, yeah… My favorite part of the movie was when the Secret Service guy had to explain how the “football” worked. I liked it because it was clearly a bit of exposition intended solely for the audience, so you know what’s going on. But they worked it into the story in a way that matched the plot – i.e., Ronnie’s so absent-minded, he even needs reminding how to put on his pants every morning. 😃 As for accuracy…well, according to “At Reagan’s Side” (a short documentary that Showtime would often play after the movie) there was NO missile test, or aggressive Soviet military maneuvers, or even any cursing in the “Situation Room”. That stuff was made up. But it was true that the White House went great lengths to obscure just how bad Reagan’s condition really was. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/37 "2003-07-21T15:50:15Z")
**Ukelele Ike** , thank you. I no longer feel so guilty about going out and getting completely smashed the night Nixon died. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/38 "2003-07-24T10:42:39Z")
Let me get this straight. Only me and **KGS** actually _saw_ the film? Weird. BTW **Eve** , what scene were in in _Deathtrap_? I have it on video. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/39 "2003-07-24T13:27:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*BTW **Eve** , what scene were in in _Deathtrap_? I have it on video. \*\* I’m an invisible extra in the theater scenes that open and close the film. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364/40 "2003-07-24T14:34:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Paul in Saudi \* > \*\* > John H was locked up in Saint Elizabeth’s. His wealthy family tries to get him out. The evidence seems to be he is still obsessing about Jodie Foster. He is never getting out I guess. > > \*\* I wonder why you include the “wealthy” to describe the family. What does that matter? IF they were poor would you include that tidbit? I was in HS when RR was shot. I didn’t like his policies as president but I didn’t want him to die at the hands of a mad man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-reagan-was-shot/189364.md?page=3)