Vulnerable

Aside from the fact that one of his constituents tried to assassinate him, September has been a tolerably good month for Mr. Ford. But before considering the good, consider the bad.

Only the Lord and Charles Manson know where Lynette (Squeaky) Fromme’s idea came from. But we know where her .45 caliber automatic pistol came from—the U.S. Government. It was made at the armory at Rock Island, Illinois, and later sold from surplus in 1913 into the open market. A .45 caliber automatic is a heavy weapon; it will stop an Oldsmobile at ten paces. But it is a poor choice for an assassin, and it is an especially poor choice for a small lady assassin.

About the Author

George F. Will

George F. Will has been a columnist, beginning with National Review, since 1973.

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Aside from the fact that one of his constituents tried to assassinate him, September has been a tolerably good month for Mr. Ford. But before considering the good, consider the bad.

Only the Lord and Charles Manson know where Lynette (Squeaky) Fromme’s idea came from. But we know where her .45 caliber automatic pistol came from—the U.S. Government. It was made at the armory at Rock Island, Illinois, and later sold from surplus in 1913 into the open market. A .45 caliber automatic is a heavy weapon; it will stop an Oldsmobile at ten paces. But it is a poor choice for an assassin, and it is an especially poor choice for a small lady assassin.