The first US President to be shot and survive was President Theodore Roosevelt. On October 14, 1912, while on the campaign trail in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Roosevelt was shot in the chest by a would-be assassin. The bullet was slowed down by the speech manuscript and eyeglass case in his breast pocket, preventing it from penetrating too deeply into his chest.
President Roosevelt insisted on continuing with his scheduled speech, telling the crowd, "It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose." Despite his injuries, he spoke for over an hour before seeking medical attention. The incident only served to enhance Roosevelt's reputation as a tough and resilient leader.
The attempted assassination of President Roosevelt was carried out by John Flammang Schrank, a mentally unstable man who believed he was on a mission from God to kill the former President William McKinley's assassin. Schrank was immediately apprehended by the crowd and handed over to the authorities.
The shooting of President Roosevelt had a significant impact on American politics and security measures for future presidents. The Secret Service, which was responsible for protecting the President, increased its efforts to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
Despite his brush with death, President Roosevelt went on to finish his campaign and continue his political career. He eventually lost the election to Woodrow Wilson but remained an influential figure in American history.
To learn more about the assassination attempt on President Theodore Roosevelt and its aftermath, you can visit the following links:
The shooting of President Theodore Roosevelt is a reminder of the dangers faced by those in positions of power and the resilience they must possess to overcome such challenges.
Gertrude Caroline Ederle
Theodore Roosevelt
Venus de milo
Citius, altius, fortius
Titanic
Sir Jimmy Saville
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