# Why were the 60s The Golden Era of U.S. Assassinations (and why so few since)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 20, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880 "2007-09-20T17:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/21 "2007-09-21T01:05:50Z")
I know the OP refers to US attempts, but 1981 was a scary year for worldwide assassinations and attempts. Besides the attempt on Reagan, there was the May 1981 attempt on Pope John Paul II and the successful and horrifying October 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Sadat. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/22 "2007-09-21T01:33:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Clinton and Farrakhan and Phelps and Bush are just three figures who have passionate detractors and haters, but none had major attempts on their lives. Actually there have been serious attempts to kill Clinton, Farrakhan, and both Bushes. Plus Reagan, Carter, Ford, and Nixon. Don’t know about Phelps. ---
**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:** [September 21, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/23 "2007-09-21T01:36:04Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [/QUOTE] The fact that he keeps his heart locked in a box with no keyhole, atop a tower with no door. ---
**Author:** ![JohnnieEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@JohnnieEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnieEnigma)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/24 "2007-09-21T01:38:43Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [/QUOTE] we were talking about this on another forum… yeah, one big blow from a bullhorn would do him in. Don’t get me wrong. I like the guy… and I don’t wish anyone ill. But one big bullhorn honk and hello president pelosi … Holy crap!! ---
**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:** [September 21, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/25 "2007-09-21T02:01:45Z")
There was also the 1972 assasination attempt on presidential candidate George Wallace. It’s a long tradition that extends across ideological lines. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/26 "2007-09-21T03:54:28Z")
I think it’s the development of professional security firms & their practices. Also, I’m pretty sure that Clinton has been the target of a serious attempt or two. Didn’t someone crash a private plane into the White House in the 1990’s? ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/27 "2007-09-21T03:58:05Z")
Dear secret service employees who are reading this thread: I did it, and you’ll never catch me! Ha ha! Ha! Ha ha ha ha ha! ---
**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:** [September 21, 2007, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/28 "2007-09-21T12:15:40Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [/QUOTE] What stops Cheney from shooting other people? Nothing & Nobody ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/29 "2007-09-21T12:38:10Z")
If any CIA, FBI or Secret Service are monitoring this thread, they can suck my dick. Come and get me, you bunch of pussies! ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/30 "2007-09-21T12:49:08Z")
[QUOTE=foolsguinea] I think it’s the development of professional security firms & their practices. Also, I’m pretty sure that Clinton has been the target of a serious attempt or two. Didn’t someone crash a private plane into the White House in the 1990’s? [/QUOTE] Also, [Francisco Martin Duran](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Martin_Duran) fired 29 rounds at the WH from Pennsylvania Avenue. Apparently he was motivated by the recent assault weapons ban. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/31 "2007-09-21T13:29:07Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [/QUOTE] Well, I think you’re joking, but the serious answer is that they are almost never together, and Cheney is notoriously hard to find. It would be really difficult to off them both at once, or even in close enough succession that you ended with someone not of their choosing in the presidential seat. At minimum, you would need several people working on such a plan (and remember, most assassinations are by lone gunmen), and you would need an actual _plan_. Just getting a lucky shot wouldn’t be enough, because you’d have to take them both out at almost the same time, because once either Bush or Cheney was assassinated, the security around the other one would become virtually impenetrable. Which still doesn’t preclude the possibility of some lone nut taking taking one or the other out, but given the amount of screening that happens before anyone is allowed around the president (you can’t even get close if you have a nasty bumper sticker on your car) it’s really not surprising nothing has happened, even though people really really hate him. Now Clinton… given how many wacky militia types passionately wanted him dead, I’ve always been surprised he wasn’t the target of more attempts. ---
**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:** [September 21, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/32 "2007-09-21T13:33:45Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [/QUOTE] The Lesbian Mafia! Don’t you know anything? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/33 "2007-09-21T13:56:32Z")
[QUOTE=miss elizabeth] I I mean, look at the peace movement. Why assassinate Cindy Sheehan? She damages the cause by _staying alive_. Same with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton in the civil rights movement. .. [/QUOTE] Another example of what you’re on about is Ian Paisley,a very vehement Loyalist politician in N.Ireland who is pretty much loathed by a great many non Ulster Brit citizens{the small amount who actually could care less about anything at all in the island of Ireland, one way or the other that is ) even though he professes to be more British then “fish an chips” We always used to say that he could walk down the Falls Road (Republican area in Belfast ) unarmed and alone without being wacked cos he was such a great,though unwitting, propagandist for the Nationalist cause. (I’m English by the way } ---
**Author:** ![I-Carumba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@I-Carumba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-Carumba)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/34 "2007-09-21T16:20:39Z")
I believe there have been numerous _character_ assassination attempts on GWB. Unfortunately, you can’t kill that which doesn’t exist… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/35 "2007-09-21T16:53:12Z")
[QUOTE=I-Carumba] I believe there have been numerous _character_ assassination attempts on GWB. Unfortunately, you can’t kill that which doesn’t exist… [/QUOTE] But given untold aeons, even death may die… ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/36 "2007-09-21T17:50:18Z")
Why so few assassinations since the late 60s? Because LBJ finally got what he wanted! 😉 ---
**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:** [September 21, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/37 "2007-09-21T20:34:19Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But what protects Cheney? 😉 [/QUOTE] Lack of silver bullets. The Lone Ranger would be the first suspect! ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/38 "2007-09-21T23:08:40Z")
I think the answer is simple: modern security. If I can’t go to a football game without getting a gloved hand up my arsehole, then how am I going to get at the President? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880/39 "2007-09-22T00:50:02Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] If any CIA, FBI or Secret Service are monitoring this thread, they can suck my dick. Come and get me, you bunch of pussies! [/QUOTE] Has anybody seen or heard from [tashabot](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=420009) lately? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-60s-the-golden-era-of-u-s-assassinations-and-why-so-few-since/419880.md?page=1)