Archive Report
Archive Report
Election-year return of gun question
Action on Candidate Safety During Campaign
A special fear haunts the campaign for the American presidency in 1972. It is a fear that somewhere on the campaign trail, when least expected, another shot will flash and once more a contender for high office will be transformed in an instant from a smiling champion to an inert, bleeding body. The horror of such an event goes beyond the personal tragedy to the victim and the loss to the nation of a political leader. Fear of assassination threatens the American way of choosing elected officials. It erects unwanted barriers between candidates and the electorate and it can discourage some potential leaders from running for office.
Security measures cannot guarantee political personages absolute safety from ...