Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! In this installment of our special mini-series, we’re joined by Dr. Mirelle Luecke, curator of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, to revisit the infamous attempts on President Ford’s life in 1975.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford survived two assassination attempts in California, both carried out by women connected to radical movements.

On September 5, 1975, in Sacramento, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, aimed a pistol at Ford as he greeted supporters outside the state capitol. The gun did not fire because there was no round in the chamber, and she was quickly subdued by Secret Service agents.

Just 17 days later, on September 22, 1975, Sara Jane Moore attempted to shoot Ford outside a San Francisco hotel. She fired one shot, which missed the president, before a bystander, Oliver Sipple, grabbed her arm, preventing further shots.

Both women were arrested and sentenced to life in prison. The incidents highlighted the tense political climate of the 1970s and led to tightened presidential security measures.

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