# What is the record number of assassination attempts on a US President/ Candidate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768 "2024-12-17T20:31:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/1 "2024-12-17T20:31:19Z")
I am not advocating violence. But, I grow to wonder–which President had the largest number of attempts on his life? Thwarted plots count. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/2 "2024-12-17T21:02:02Z")
My first guess is 2, with Gerald Ford. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/3 "2024-12-17T21:11:45Z")
And on a trivial note, he’s the only one with known attempts on him by women. All the other assassins or wanna-bes going after Presidents or wanna-bes were male. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/4 "2024-12-17T21:17:35Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > But, I grow to wonder–which President had the largest number of attempts on his life? > Thwarted plots count. Are you counting while they were a candidate. In any case, this page lists a large number of threats against Obama. I don’t know how far along you wanted to be before it becomes a plot. > **[Security incidents involving Barack Obama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_incidents_involving_Barack_Obama)** > > This is an accepted version of this page > > Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, was involved in multiple security incidents, including several assassination threats and plots, starting from when he became a presidential candidate in 2007. Secret Service protection for Obama began after he received a death threat in 2007, while serving as the junior United States senator from Illinois and running for president. This marked the earliest time a candidate received such protection b... ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/5 "2024-12-17T21:47:31Z")
Many presidents, of course, are tied for “fewest assassination attempts,” at zero. A few are tied at one successful attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/6 "2024-12-17T21:52:22Z")
[This Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_assassination_attempts_and_plots) lists 11 against Obama, eight against Trump, six against Lincoln (including a first attempt by Booth) and five against Bill Clinton. Granted, some of these were pretty inept attempts, but they all were taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/7 "2024-12-17T22:03:18Z")
Any precedents for the Iran efforts? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/8 "2024-12-17T22:20:05Z")
I have my doubts that they were all publicized–for security reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/9 "2024-12-17T23:09:55Z")
I don’t think we can make any headway until we define what counts as an “attempt”. Obviously we’re counting attempts that failed (else the record would be one), but failed at what stage? Some probably failed before there was ever any opportunity for anyone to learn about the attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Blaylock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_blaylock/32/3235_2.png) [@Bob\_Blaylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Blaylock)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/10 "2024-12-18T00:21:22Z")
  Gerald Ford lived in a strange time; that produced two unrelated instances of a woman that had it in her head that she needed to assassinate the President.  Nothing personal about Ford himself; it’s just that he happened to be President at the time these happened.   He also has the distinction of being, so far, the only President of the United States that got there without ever being elected either President or Vice-President.   Spiro Agnew was elected Vice-President, along with Richard Nixon as President.  But then some scandal arose concerning something he had allegedly done in a position he previously held, and it ultimately led to him resigning as Vice-President.   Ford was _appointed_, not elected, to take Agnew’s place as Vice-President.   And then Nixon got caught up in a scandal, unrelated to Agnew’s, which led to Nixon resigning as President, and Ford taking his place. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/11 "2024-12-18T04:02:14Z")
I suggest the arrest of the plotters, or at least an indictment. With the exception of the Iran Plotters, which is a State Run operation. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/12 "2024-12-18T19:44:13Z")
That wouldn’t count somebody who actually killed a President but was killed himself at the time. I realize this has not happened, but surely you’d want to count it if it did. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/13 "2024-12-18T20:03:13Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > Gerald Ford lived in a strange time Ford was also unique in that he was the only person to ever end up as president who never actually wanted the job. Strange times, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/14 "2024-12-18T21:25:18Z")
I seem to remember that when he ran for president in 1976 there was a “Committee to Re-Appoint the President”. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/15 "2024-12-18T23:00:58Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Ford was also unique in that he was the only person to ever end up as president who never actually wanted the job. With the possible exception of George Washington. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/16 "2024-12-19T02:21:28Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > > [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > > > Gerald Ford lived in a strange time > > Ford was also unique in that he was the only person to ever end up as president who never actually wanted the job. I don’t think that Trump expected or _wanted_ to win in 2016. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/17 "2024-12-19T05:21:17Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > Spiro Agnew was elected Vice-President, along with Richard Nixon as President. But then some scandal arose concerning something he had allegedly done in a position he previously held, and it ultimately led to him resigning as Vice-President. Not “some scandal arose”. Read Rachel Maddow’s book _Bagman_. Agnew started taking bribes for assorted jobs like paving contracts when he was a county official, continued collecting money when he was governor, and then even had some contractors drop off money to his VP office. The prosecutors went to Nixon, wo had his own troubles ( _something something Wate-something_ ) at the time, and he decided to cut Agnew loose. Agnew went into court and pled guitly and got no jail time on return for resigning. Maddow talked to the front-line prosecutors who started the case and saw it through at the time. ---
**Author:** ![EnolaStraight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-record-number-of-assassination-attempts-on-a-us-president-candidate/1011768/18 "2024-12-19T12:44:31Z")
I assume there has been _plenty_ of attempts that were thwarted by the Secret Service or the FBI or even some James Bond type character, and the news subsequently suppressed. No one _needs to know_ it might be relatively easy to take a pot-shot at a president.