March Madness: The Improbable Making Of An American Icon
Today’s entry is a special guest post by our friend & tour guiding colleague Larry Clark of Federal City Tours!
President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the Ford’s Theatre Gala on March 21, 1981
March 21, 1981, just 2 months after being sworn in as the 40th President, Ronald Reagan, an actor turned politician, found himself sitting in the front row of Ford’s Theatre, site of the nation’s first successful presidential assassination. Reagan was the main attraction for a fundraiser benefiting the historic landmark. Reagan would later write in his diary, “I looked up at the box above the stage where Abe Lincoln had been sitting and felt a curious sensation... I thought that even with all the Secret Service protection we now had, it was probably still possible for someone who had enough determination to get close enough to the president to shoot him.” Eerily, just nine days later, Reagan’s premonition came to pass.
Monday, March 30, 1981, the President’s morning consisted of an Oval Office phone call to German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt to discuss the looming Solidarity crisis in Poland. The President would rehearse remarks intended for the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Conference at the Washington Hilton. The speech was scheduled for 2pm. The president (Secret Service Code Name: Rawhide) would depart the White House (Crown) at 1:40pm, driving two miles to the Hilton in the armor-plated limousine, (Stagecoach).
Secret Service Agent Jerry Parr was head of Rawhide’s protective detail. Parr was a 19 year veteran of the Secret Service. At the last minute, Parr decided to replace the agent assigned to protect Reagan that day. Still transitioning from President Carter’s detail, Parr figured the routine visit to the hotel would provide an opportunity get to know Reagan better.
Parr had always wanted to be a Secret Service agent. When he was nine years old, he recalled seeing a movie that would change his life, called, The Code of the Secret Service – starring Ronald Reagan! While the film wasn’t considered Reagan’s best, the impression he made on the young boy would change history.
The mugshot of John Hinckley, Jr.
Another player in this story was 25 year old John Hinckley, Jr.. Born into an affluent family, he grew up in Dallas, TX. A loner in high school, he would stay in his room, playing Beatles records and writing music. After graduation, Hinckley sporadically attended college. Eventually he dropped out. He quickly descended into mental illness, unable to find effective treatment. His psychiatrist nonchalantly evaluated him as someone who was, “…lost, lazy and just needed to get his sh—together!”
In 1975, Hinckley traveled to Los Angeles to sell his music. His efforts met with crushing rejection. The following year, another film would play a role in the events of March 30, 1981: a psychological thriller called, Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro. Unlike The Code of the Secret Service, Taxi Driver was a box-office smash. Hinckley saw the movie at least 15 times and developed a fixation on Jodie Foster, who played a 12 year old sex worker in the film. He also identified with De Niro’s character - disaffected loner, named Travis Bickel.
Hinckley’s mental decline continued into the 1980s. He began stalking Jodi Foster; even relocating to New Haven, CT, where the young actress was attending Yale. He told his parents that he was taking a writing course, but the only thing he wrote were numerous letters and notes, slipping them under Foster’s dorm room door. He also found her phone number and called several times, recording each conversation. When she politely told him she was not interested and to please stop calling, the obsessive narcissist was undeterred. Hinckley would just have to find another way to ‘impress’ her. By March of 1981, he was at the end of his emotional rope.
The Washington Hilton Hotel in the Adams Morgan neighborhood where President Reagan was scheduled to address a conference on March 30, 1981
John Hinckley arrived in Washington, DC on March 28th. His plan was to see if the new president was in town. If not, he would continue to New Haven. This was his last ditch attempt to win Foster’s heart. If unsuccessful, he would kill her, then himself or just kill himself in front of her. He checked into a hotel near the White House. A week after the President’s visit, Hinckley ominously asked fellow tourists to take a photo of him in front of Ford’s Theatre. Less than 24 hours later, his plan changed after picking up a newspaper. The Washington Star had printed the President’s schedule: “2pm Address to AFL-CIO Conference at Washington Hilton”. He circled it in red ink. An hour before leaving for the Hilton, Hinckley wrote Foster for the last time, explaining what was about to happen. Realizing he would likely die in the attempt, he wrote, “Goodbye! I love you six trillion times! Don’t you maybe like me just a little? (You must admit I am different) It would make all of this worthwhile.” He printed his name: “JOHN HINCKLEY, of course!”
Stagecoach arrived at the Hilton at 1:50pm. The Secret Service would usually have Rawhide wear a bullet proof vest for such occasions, but this day was different. Since this was his only public appearance of the day and his exposure would be minimal, no vest was required.
Entering through the Hilton’s T Street, VIP entrance, Reagan and his entourage proceeded down the Presidential Walk to an elevator that would take him to the ballroom. Although, not necessarily a friendly crowd, Reagan reminded the group that he was the only President to hold a lifetime member Union card, as President of the Screen Actors Guild. The speech was not particularly memorable and polite applause accompanied the President’s exit from the ballroom – Rawhide’s was on his way to Stagecoach. It was 2:25pm.
Ronald Reagan walking out of the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981 — Secret Service Agent Jerry Parr can be seen on Reagan’s right wearing the white trench coat
A handful of spectators and reporters had gathered behind the Secret Service rope line on the sidewalk in front of the hotel, about 30 feet from the VIP entrance. Hinckley was standing here, 2 or 3 feet behind the press, unobtrusive and unobserved. The would-be assassin concealed a Röhm RG-14 .22 caliber pistol in his pocket. The revolver was loaded with so-called ‘Devastator’ bullets, containing small explosive charges, designed to explode upon impact. As the presidential entourage exited the T Street entrance, Deputy Chief of Staff, Michael Deaver motioned Press Secretary, Jim Brady toward the rope line to field questions from the press. Rawhide emerged from the Hilton at 2:27pm, with Agent Parr behind.
On his way to the limo, a smiling Reagan acknowledged the crowd across T Street to his right. A woman standing near the reporters at the hotel entrance called out, “Mr. President! Mr. Reagan!” The President turned to his left and waved. John Hinckley quickly drew his pistol, stepped forward and - from a distance of 5 yards - fired off two shots. He rapidly fired four more. Six shots were fired in 1.7 seconds. To grasp how quickly the attack unfolded, it takes the same amount of time to say, “One point seven seconds” as it did for Hinckley to empty his gun. At the sound of the first shot, Jerry Parr grabbed Rawhide and pushed him into the open door of Stagecoach. Parr landed on top of the president with such force, Reagan initially felt as though Parr had knocked the wind out of him.
The first shot struck Jim Brady in the head. The second shot hit DC police officer Thomas Delahanty in the neck. Delahanty collapsed, almost atop the wounded Brady. A civilian standing near Hinckley and a nearby Secret Service agent pounced on the would-be assassin. As he squeezed off four more rounds, the third shot errantly hit the building across T Street. Agent Tim McCarthy had opened Stagecoach’s right rear door for the President. Upon hearing the shots, McCarthy instinctively turned toward the sound, assuming a ‘large stance’. By shielding the President in this way, Agent McCarthy took the fourth bullet in the chest.
A chaotic scene ensued as shots were fired at the president, who by the time this photo was taken was luckily able to get away in the Stagecoach with a number of his Secret Service detail
The fifth shot struck Stagecoach’s bulletproof window. The sixth and final shot hit the right rear quarter panel of the armor-plated limousine. The charge from the bullet exploded, sending a piece of shrapnel (about the size of a dime) ricocheting off the limo. The projectile sailed between the body of the limo and its open door – a space of 4-7 inches. Just as Jerry Parr shoved Reagan inside, the bullet struck the President in his left side, about five inches below the armpit.
It took an excruciating 3 or 4 seconds before another agent shut the door and Parr exclaimed, “Let’s get out of here!” Agent Drew Unrue, the driver of Stagecoach, heard the shots and saw McCarthy fall to the ground. McCarthy was so close to the limo that Unrue was fearful he would run over his friend in the mad dash to evacuate the Reagan.
As Stagecoach turned the corner onto Connecticut Avenue, Parr asked the President if he were OK and the president replied, “Yes”, but that his left side hurt. He said, “Jerry, I think you may have cracked a rib!” Parr checked the President, running his hands under Reagan’s coat, front and back, as well as through his hair – no blood. Parr determine the White House would be the safest place to go, radioing the follow up cars, “Rawhide is OK, Rawhide is OK – heading back to Crown.” A minute later the President complained about trouble breathing and began coughing. Parr was concerned the 70 year old might be having a heart attack. As the President dabbed his mouth with a handkerchief there appeared bright red blood. “I think I cut my lip…” Realizing Rawhide was not OK, Parr made the split-second decision to take Reagan to George Washington University Hospital, a few blocks away.
Stagecoach arrived at GW at 2:30pm, three minutes after the shooting. The President got out of the limo, hitched up his pants (almost by habit) and walked into the Emergency Room, flanked by Parr and another Agent. Once inside, the President’s knees buckled and he collapsed on the floor. The ashen-faced President was rushed back to a trauma room in an attempt to stabilize him. Dr. Joseph Giordano, head of the trauma team was immediately paged to the Emergency Room, which was unusual. When he arrived, the ER was already packed with doctors, nurses and Secret Service agents. Giordano quickly pieced together the unfolding circumstances - which were confirmed when he saw the patient. Michael Deaver was approached by a hospital worker. Deaver was asked about the patient: “Last Name?” “Reagan - R E A G A N”, Deaver said. “First name?” “Ronald”, came the reply. “Address?” “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue…” The admissions clerk looked up and said, “You mean…” “Yes – you have the President of the United States on that table!”
The President’s vital signs were erratic. Giordano soon found a small slit on the side of the president’s chest, realizing, “Until then, no one knew that the president had been shot.” Most who saw the President did not expect him to survive. Thoracic surgeon Dr. Ben Aaron knew that there was significant internal bleeding that must be stopped. Within thirty minutes of arriving, the patient was stabilized and prepped for surgery.
President Reagan thanking the GW Hospital surgical team that saved his life
At the same time the President was being wheeled into surgery, the suspect, John Hinckley was transferred to DC Police Headquarters. En route, the expressionless assailant complained about the handcuffs being, “too tight”, then, blurted out, “Does anyone know the scores” of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, known as “March Madness”. Agent Danny Spriggs was stunned by the question.
The bureaucratic complacency within the Secret Service which led to the shooting could fill another blog post. Luckily, Jerry Parr’s training and split second decisions saved Reagan’s life twice that day (decisions literally & figuratively made under fire).
There was also the miraculous work of the trauma and surgical teams at GW. By all accounts, Reagan was very close to death, losing 50% of his blood volume. Not knowing exactly who was being rushed to her hospital or in what condition, ER Nurse Kathy Paul Stevens made the critical decision to call ALL heads of every department, in case their specialty was required at a moment’s notice. A separate airing of the grievances could be written about the Constitutional faux pas caused by Secretary of State, Al Haig’s ‘cerebral flatulation’: “As of now, I’m in charge, here…”
President Reagan during his recovery with First Lady Nancy Reagan by his side
But the events of March 30, 1981 are truly extraordinary because of Ronald Reagan. The President was adept at putting people at ease - despite his condition, both staff and doctors were amazed with Reagan’s humility and desire to calm those around him: “Honey, I forgot to duck…” he told his wife, Nancy. Upon seeing his closest advisors, James Baker, Edwin Meese & Michael Deaver, Reagan quipped, “Who’s minding the store?” Then, before surgery, the President famously joked, “I hope you are all Republicans!” When the President’s comments were shared with the press, a jittery public was suddenly reassured that everything would be OK. Reagan’s uncanny ability to laugh in the face of death connected him to the American people like nothing else. Whether you agreed with his policies or not, most Americans gained tremendous respect for a man who was often dismissed as merely a ‘B’ movie actor. He thrived when people underestimated him. As Reagan consistently ranks as a Top Ten Great President, surviving the assassination attempt cemented his persona as a tough, vital leader. The President certainly lived up to his code name Rawhide on that day in March - the day Ronald Reagan became an American icon.
About the Author: Over the years, Larry Clark has built a solid reputation for fun, engaging and historically accurate tours. Now in his third decade of sharing his passion, Larry has entertained well over 100,000 guests with his highly acclaimed storytelling tours of DC, as well as the surrounding DMV area. You can learn more about him and his fellow tour guides at Federal City Private Tours. Check out their tour catalog here!
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