It was January 10th 1984 when President Ronald Reagan was assassinated.
He was no stranger to attempts, just 69 days into his presidency some nut in love with an actress had tried to shoot him, had gotten his then Press Secretary permanently disabled. However that didn't leave him in fear, that was for his wife to do. And besides if it helped with his reelection so be it.
Nothing was going to stop Reagan be reelected, even god wanted him to be President. Even Democrats could see the writing on the wall, the only serious candidates were: a beaten Vice President, some senator who knows were, and a black man. These were the people expected to beat him, Reagan could only laugh. These liberal peace-nicks would never understand the american people and there hatred of big government. Only strong conservative values could protect the people from internal and external threats. These Liberals would never win the White House. He had revolutionised the economy, supply side economics was taking the world by storm and was the future. The government was smaller that it had ever been. All the while Democrats in the House had been hounding him. He had had a lot to deal with over the past four years, starting with low poll numbers and a low economy, but that had all been turned around. He was even getting drugs of the street. All in all he wouldn't be surprised if he was considered the greatest president since FDR.
Still, Nancy was concerned, she was still talking to that crackpot astronomer or something, and begged him to take on more bodyguards. He acquiesced his wife, besides he thought, what could the harm be.
As he climbed into the car that cold January afternoon, he could not have suspected that his wife's own concerns would kill him.
He was offered a drink of water, and took several sips as the car left the White House.
He was fine for the meeting, and the walk back to the car, maybe a shortness of breath, but that was to be expected, he was old. When he sat down in the car he began to feel a tightness in his chest and arm.
As the car pulled out, one of his bodyguards turned to him and saw the President, breathing heavily, sweating, clutching his chest.
"Are you alright sir," he asked.
"I can't, I can't breathe," the President responded, before collapsing in his seat from a heart attack.
He was pronounced dead forty-five minutes later at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center surrounded by Nancy, the Vice President, the Second Lady and several Secret Service Agents who could not stop apologising to a crying Nancy.
George Bush Sn left the room while this spectacle was on going. His wife, Barbara followed soon after. She found him just outside in the waiting room.
"What are we going to do now Barbra?" he said looking out of the window as the snow began to fall.
"What do you mean?" his wife asked.
"I mean, I'm President now."
"Oh, yes of course you are," in all the craziness that had happened she had nearly forgotten that with Ronald dead, her husband was now President. "Don't they have to swear you in?"
"Yeah I've just had a call from Shultz, they've got it all ready back at the Oval office. Better there than here you know."
"Of course," his wife answered slowly.
"There's going to be a lot to think about, for myself and the party."
"What do you mean?" she asked. Then it dawned on her. "You plan of running for re-election don't you, in Ron's place?"
"I feel it's my duty Barb."
"Well I couldn't agree more." He turned to look at his wife as she placed a hand on his shoulder and hugged him. I can't think of anyone better to take his place."
"But what if I can't Barb?" he asked beginning to cry.
"Now you listen to me George Herbert Walker Bush," his wife said breaking their hug. "Do you remember when you lost the Senate race to Bentsen."
The new President nodded, how could he forget the worst defeat of his political life, how it had crushed him both politically and mentally. If it hadn't been for Nixon he probably never would have gotten as far as he did. Becoming an Ambassador, Director of the CIA and eventually gaining enough political capital to run for President.
"I remember," he said, drying his eyes.
"Your father told me, 'watch out for him Barb, he may have lost this one, but just you watch'. Well I'm ready to watch you go."
"But what if I can't live up to his legacy?"
"You will, I know you will. There's no one else big enough to fill Ron's boots than you, trust me."
As the snow fell outside the window, on that cold winters afternoon, as a crowd of people began to gather outside the hospital to hold a solemn vigil. None of them could know what was to come in the next few months. The stage was set for the most volatile Presidential election in American history.
He was no stranger to attempts, just 69 days into his presidency some nut in love with an actress had tried to shoot him, had gotten his then Press Secretary permanently disabled. However that didn't leave him in fear, that was for his wife to do. And besides if it helped with his reelection so be it.
Nothing was going to stop Reagan be reelected, even god wanted him to be President. Even Democrats could see the writing on the wall, the only serious candidates were: a beaten Vice President, some senator who knows were, and a black man. These were the people expected to beat him, Reagan could only laugh. These liberal peace-nicks would never understand the american people and there hatred of big government. Only strong conservative values could protect the people from internal and external threats. These Liberals would never win the White House. He had revolutionised the economy, supply side economics was taking the world by storm and was the future. The government was smaller that it had ever been. All the while Democrats in the House had been hounding him. He had had a lot to deal with over the past four years, starting with low poll numbers and a low economy, but that had all been turned around. He was even getting drugs of the street. All in all he wouldn't be surprised if he was considered the greatest president since FDR.
Still, Nancy was concerned, she was still talking to that crackpot astronomer or something, and begged him to take on more bodyguards. He acquiesced his wife, besides he thought, what could the harm be.
As he climbed into the car that cold January afternoon, he could not have suspected that his wife's own concerns would kill him.
He was offered a drink of water, and took several sips as the car left the White House.
He was fine for the meeting, and the walk back to the car, maybe a shortness of breath, but that was to be expected, he was old. When he sat down in the car he began to feel a tightness in his chest and arm.
As the car pulled out, one of his bodyguards turned to him and saw the President, breathing heavily, sweating, clutching his chest.
"Are you alright sir," he asked.
"I can't, I can't breathe," the President responded, before collapsing in his seat from a heart attack.
He was pronounced dead forty-five minutes later at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center surrounded by Nancy, the Vice President, the Second Lady and several Secret Service Agents who could not stop apologising to a crying Nancy.
George Bush Sn left the room while this spectacle was on going. His wife, Barbara followed soon after. She found him just outside in the waiting room.
"What are we going to do now Barbra?" he said looking out of the window as the snow began to fall.
"What do you mean?" his wife asked.
"I mean, I'm President now."
"Oh, yes of course you are," in all the craziness that had happened she had nearly forgotten that with Ronald dead, her husband was now President. "Don't they have to swear you in?"
"Yeah I've just had a call from Shultz, they've got it all ready back at the Oval office. Better there than here you know."
"Of course," his wife answered slowly.
"There's going to be a lot to think about, for myself and the party."
"What do you mean?" she asked. Then it dawned on her. "You plan of running for re-election don't you, in Ron's place?"
"I feel it's my duty Barb."
"Well I couldn't agree more." He turned to look at his wife as she placed a hand on his shoulder and hugged him. I can't think of anyone better to take his place."
"But what if I can't Barb?" he asked beginning to cry.
"Now you listen to me George Herbert Walker Bush," his wife said breaking their hug. "Do you remember when you lost the Senate race to Bentsen."
The new President nodded, how could he forget the worst defeat of his political life, how it had crushed him both politically and mentally. If it hadn't been for Nixon he probably never would have gotten as far as he did. Becoming an Ambassador, Director of the CIA and eventually gaining enough political capital to run for President.
"I remember," he said, drying his eyes.
"Your father told me, 'watch out for him Barb, he may have lost this one, but just you watch'. Well I'm ready to watch you go."
"But what if I can't live up to his legacy?"
"You will, I know you will. There's no one else big enough to fill Ron's boots than you, trust me."
As the snow fell outside the window, on that cold winters afternoon, as a crowd of people began to gather outside the hospital to hold a solemn vigil. None of them could know what was to come in the next few months. The stage was set for the most volatile Presidential election in American history.
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