Shots in the Dark: A History of Assassination Attempts on U.S. Presidents and Candidates

  The office of the President of the United States, arguably one of the most powerful positions in the world, has not been without its per...

 

The office of the President of the United States, arguably one of the most powerful positions in the world, has not been without its perils. Throughout American history, sitting presidents, candidates for the presidency, and former presidents have been targets of assassination attempts. These incidents have stemmed from a wide array of motives ranging from political dissent to mental illness, reflecting the turbulent and sometimes violent political climate in the United States.
The assassination of a president or a presidential candidate is not merely a crime against an individual; it is an attack on the very essence of democratic governance. These attempts have profound impacts, shaking the foundations of societal norms and government stability, and they invariably lead to a re-evaluation of security protocols and measures. This blog post delves into the history of these critical moments, offering a detailed look at each known attempt on the lives of U.S. leaders. From Andrew Jackson's miraculous survival in 1835 to the more recent threats against modern presidents, these incidents demonstrate the constant and dangerous intersection of leadership and vulnerability in American political life.

U.S. Presidents

Andrew Jackson (1835)

 

Attempt: Richard Lawrence, an unemployed house painter, attempted to shoot President Jackson with two pistols, both of which misfired. Jackson was unharmed and is said to have beaten Lawrence with his cane.
Motivation: Lawrence believed he was owed money by the U.S. government.

Abraham Lincoln (1865) 

 

Assassination: John Wilkes Booth fatally shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre during a play. Lincoln died the following morning.
Motivation: Booth was a Confederate sympathizer and aimed to revive the Confederate cause. 

 

 

James A. Garfield (1881)

 

Assassination: Charles J. Guiteau shot Garfield at a Washington, D.C. train station; Garfield died several weeks later due to infections.
Motivation: Guiteau was delusional and upset about being denied a political appointment.

 

 

 

 
 William McKinley (1901)

 

Assassination: Leon Czolgosz shot McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition; McKinley died a week later of gangrene caused by the wounds.
Motivation: Czolgosz was an anarchist who believed McKinley was the head of a corrupt government.

 

 
  

Theodore Roosevelt (1912)

 

Attempt: Shot by John Schrank during a campaign stop. The bullet was slowed by a speech manuscript and glasses case in Roosevelt's pocket; he delivered his speech before seeking medical attention.
Motivation: Schrank believed Roosevelt seeking a third term was an attempt to become a dictator.

 

 

 

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933)

 

Attempt: Giuseppe Zangara shot at Roosevelt in Miami but missed and killed Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead.
Motivation: Zangara's motives were unclear, but he expressed hatred for politicians.

 

 

 

 Harry S. Truman (1950)

 

Attempt: Two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to shoot Truman at the Blair House. Truman was unharmed.
Motivation: The nationalists sought Puerto Rico's independence from U.S. rule.

 

 

 

John F. Kennedy (1963)

 

Assassination: Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy from a building as the presidential motorcade passed through Dallas. Kennedy was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Motivation: Oswald's motives remain subject to debate, with theories including political disillusionment.

 

 

 

Richard Nixon (1974)

 

Attempt: Samuel Byck planned to hijack an airplane and crash it into the White House but was killed before taking off.
Motivation: Byck was disgruntled with Nixon's government and suffering from mental illness.

 

 

 

 

Gerald Ford (1975)

 

Attempts: Survived two attempts within three weeks by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme and Sara Jane Moore. Both were quickly subdued.
Motivation: Fromme was a follower of Charles Manson and Moore was a political radical.

 

 

 

Jimmy Carter (1979)

 

Attempt: Raymond Lee Harvey was arrested with a starter pistol before Carter was to give a speech.
Motivation: Part of a bizarre plot but not well-formulated.

 

 

 

Ronald Reagan (1981)

 

Attempt: John Hinckley Jr. shot Reagan and three others outside a Washington D.C. hotel. Reagan recovered after several surgeries.
Motivation: Hinckley was attempting to impress actress Jodie Foster.

 

 

George H. W. Bush (1993)

 

Attempt: Kuwaiti authorities foiled a plot by Iraqi operatives to assassinate Bush during a visit to Kuwait.
Motivation: Retaliation for the Gulf War.

 

 

Bill Clinton (1994 and 1996)

 

Attempts: Includes a plane crash-landing on the White House lawn and shots fired from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Motivation: The perpetrators in these cases were described as mentally unstable.

 

 

George W. Bush (2001 and 2005)

 

Attempts: A live grenade thrown towards Bush in Georgia was a dud; another involved a car speeding towards the White House.
Motivation: The motives ranged from political dissent to mental instability.

 

 

 

Barack Obama (2011 and 2013)

 

Attempts: Includes shooting at the White House and mailing a ricin-laced letter.
Motivation: Motives included racial hatred and political disagreement

 

 

Donald Trump (2020)

 

Attempt: A woman was arrested for sending ricin in a letter.
Motivation: Political dissatisfaction.

 

 

 

Presidential Candidates

Robert F. Kennedy (1968)

 

Assassination: Shot by Sirhan Sirhan in Los Angeles after winning the California Democratic primary; died the next day.
Motivation: Anger over Kennedy's pro-Israel views.

 

 

George Wallace (1972)

 

Attempt: Shot by Arthur Bremer while campaigning; survived but was paralyzed.
Motivation: Bremer was seeking fame and had no political motive.