Rawhide Down, The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan by Del Quentin Wilber

I had been interested in this book after hearing about its forthcoming publication a few months ago. The book, a short one, gives a very detailed description of of the events of March 30, 1981, the day that John Hinckley attempted to kill the President.

I remember this day vividly. I was in high school, sophomore year, and not a fan of Reagan at all. However it was a huge moment. I remember the controversy that took place because the NCAA chose to play the championship game that night rather than postpone it.

Del Quentin Wilber tells us many details that we did not know, but the inescapable fact through the whole book is how very close the President was to death. We hear from the doctors and nurses, agents and members of the administration and we also learn a bit of a backstory on Hinckley and hear his actions on that fateful day.

As the 30th anniversary has come this month there has been much talk about Hinckley and his unsupervised releases from the mental facility in which he has lived for the last 30 years. I am unsure how I feel about this controversy. If he was truly mentally ill or incapacitated when he made the decisions that led to the assassination attempt by law once deemed cured he is to be released. It is likely had he shot John Smith and been found insane he would have been released already. However like Sirhan Sirhan and Mark David Chapman he is finding that the notireity sought when killing a world famous figure is often harmful to any chance for release that otherwise might be received later in life.

Reagan comes across as likable and genuine in this book. Not being a fan of his policies I have felt for years and certainly since having read Lou Cannon's biographies of Mr. Reagan it has been easy to see why he was so well liked even by his political adversaries. We have heard the stories of he and Tip O' Neil battling all day and then having drinks after six. The appeal of that sort of a professional, adult relationship is long missing in Washington.

Reagan was an actor, so he knew how to present himself in an appealing light. Even so it is a rare politician today that could make you like him while disagreeing with him. Reagan was one who could.

A very worthwhile book.