When I arrived home and I will never forget this. Dan Rather saying James Brady was dead. Never like him after that. He was so focused on being first, he got it wrong. James Brady as we know was alive. The fact that James became a gun control advocate not withstanding.
Also I remember Alexander Haig, pronouncing that he was in charge. I believe VP Bush was out of town. I also remember that VP Bush refused to take executive power and rather, just minded the store until President Reagan was back on his feet.
President Reagan made several jokes at the hospital. He also walked into the hospital if I recall correctly.
Haig said “I am in charge, here, at the White House” leading some to wonder if he thought he was President now; no, he meant he was in charge of operations at the WH only for time being. Punk band Dead Kennedys did an updated version of their song California Uber Alles called We’ve Got a Bigger Problem now: “you close your eyes, can’t happen here/ Alexander Haig is near!” When Haig spoke at my college I did a promo for the event for my college radio station that began with “Alexander Haig is near!”
Do you remember the second term Republican convention when Reagan was giving a speech? Someone in the audience popped a balloon and “POW”! Reagan never broke stride. He simply said..”Missed me” and continued with his speech.