Review of Rawhide Down by Del Quentin Wilber

Rawhide Down by Del Quentin Wilber is a harrowing account of the failed assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan by a disenfranchised young man. While the ordeal only lasted a few seconds, the book recounts everything surrounding the life and times of the characters involved. Wilber does a magnificent job of depicting the would-be assassin, John Hinckley Jr., portraying him as more than just a shooter. The narration allows the reader to understand the human processes that continued to evolve in the mind of Hinckley as he descended into the madness that would eventually lead him to this horrid crime. The author also highlights the actions taken by members of the Secret Service in order to protect the president and shows that their heroic acts were responsible for his safety and survival. The Secret Service was also instrumental in recent news to remove a gun from a Trump rally. 

Hinckley, as Wilber portrays him, was an affluent child growing up in the suburbs of Denver and Dallas. As a child, he was apathetic towards education and spent time after high school with no direction. He eventually developed a somewhat ludicrous infatuation with the then teen actress Jodie Foster, and after unsuccessful attempts at courting her, decided the only way to truly win her heart was by becoming a historical figure himself. His moment in the spotlight would be when he gunned down President Reagan.

The story is a carefully organized description of the events that took place on March 30th, 1981. What is most critical to analyze, though, is the reaction by both Jerry Parr and Timothy McCarthy, both members of the Secret Service, with Parr acting as the leader of the division. As Hinckley pulls out his .22 caliber revolver and begins to fire in the direction of the president, Jerry Parr reacts with lightning ferocity and throws himself atop Reagan, collapsing with him into his armored vehicle. Hinckley manages to fire six shots, all of them missing their intended target. One of the bullets entered the head of James Brady, the Press Secretary under Reagan. The fourth shot was fired in the direction of the president but came in contact with Secret Service member Timothy McCarthy after he threw himself in front of Reagan in order to protect his life. This speed and quick action inevitably led to the eventual survival of Ronald Reagan, as only one bullet made contact with him after a ricochet, and was successfully removed after surgery.

Del Quentin Wilber is not the only author to portray this story in such a heroic manner. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell, and James W. Clarke, in his book Defining Danger: American Assassins and the New Domestic Terrorists, also outlines the story of this failed assassination attempt. When describing the event, he claims that the president was spared any direct hits “due to the quick and courageous actions by McCarthy and Parr.” (2007, p. xi) While it’s impossible to say what the eventual outcome would have been without the protection from the Secret Service, it is likely that the President would have suffered a far worse fate.

While the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan was a despicable action fueled by jealousy and hate, it is the superhero-like actions taken by the members of his Secret Service detail that deserve praise and fame. Del Quentin Wilber does a magnificent job outlining these acts of bravery by Jerry Parr and Timothy McCarthy that allowed for the President to continue on serving out his term and leading his beloved nation.

Reference

Clarke, J. W. (2007). Defining danger: American assassins and the new domestic terrorists. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers.