Reagan's Near Miss With Destiny

This week I started in on a new book, Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan, by Del Quentin Wilber, and I am loving the book already. No surprise there, since I'm a big fan of the Gipper. Wilber writes about the day when Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. in the early weeks of his first term.

The book alternates along three tracks as the story progresses. On one track is the President, Vice President Bush, the First Lady, and how the administration is settling in and taking on the reins of gov't. On another is John Hinckley Jr. and how his life is spiraling out of control. And last is Jerry Parr, the Secret Service agent who was head of Reagan's security detail and who was instrumental in saving the President's life.

The stories about Reagan, Parr, and how the Secret Service evolved over the decades between Kennedy and Reagan are fascinating to read. You read about Reagan's famous charm and his encounters with people behind the scenes. Here's one good story about Reagan and Agent Johnny Guy just after the election in California:

One afternoon, Reagan asked Guy if they could ditch the press and visit his tailor in Beverly Hills. Reagan was restless and did not like the idea of being stalked by a horde of reporters while being measured for a new suit. Guy didn’t think an “off-the-record” movement would be a problem, so he put a hat on Reagan and seated the president-elect next to him in the back of an unmarked and unarmored Secret Service sedan. Before they drove off, they stopped briefly at an encampment of reporters staking out Reagan’s house for news stories. Rolling down the window, Guy asked, “Can we get you guys some sodas or something?” No thanks, the reporters replied. As the car pulled away, Reagan laughed and clapped his hands. “That was just great,” he said. p. 32

There's a lot packed into this book about the significance of the events and the people involved that will probably preoccupy my mind long after I'm done with the book. I'll try to flesh some of that out in proper review, hopefully in a couple of weeks or so.

Here is a New York Times review that captures what the book is about:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/books/rawhide-down-the-near-assassination-of-ronald-reagan-by-del-quentin-wilber.html