US Secret Service foiled attack on President Ronald Reagan during visit to Ireland

I was, and am, repulsed by Reagan's policies, esp. economic "trickle down", outsourcing industry and war, corrupt dealings with Iranian arms dealers, Central American fascists, and cocaine dealers, etc., but he had incredible charisma, performed as President magnificently, and was victimized as much by Bush Disease as he was by Alzheimer's Disease. I detest assassinations of Presidents, esp., by Bush-crony Hinkley. Ireland's history is full of misdeeds by autocrats every bit as bad as Reagan's.

Him and Maggie war criminals and union busters.

Byethebay -check your history-Gorbachev was totally bluffed by Reagan in Rekayvek about Star Wars,went back and increased military spending to the point it broke the Russian economy-FACT!!!

What a load of bull By this O'Shea person.

Those Americans confused about World History -- Gorbachev's policies brought about the downfall of Communism. Poor Reagan was told what to do by Nancy and didn't hear her directions about that in his bad ear.

Someone was going to assassinate Reagan in Ireland with a piece of broken glass in his hand? And this nut is linked in the article to Irish who were protesting his policies in Latin America. Talk about a load of tripe. Reagan was far safer in Ireland than he was in the USA.

The hundreds of thousands of people who turned out for Obams's visit to Ireland last year negate the nasty comments of those whose comments don't matter. Ireland gave him a brilliant welcome and would welcome him back as well. Too bad some people are too thick to understand it.

I only post this because someone couldn't help bringing up an irrelevant topic (Obama) below...but when Obama was in Ireland last year, it was probably the most embarrassing spectacle I've ever seen -- people lauding him excessively just to prove they weren't racists (come on, now...we all know that was the root reason), and even sticking an apostrophe after the 'O' in that Kenyan African name just to make it look 'Irish.' That plus playing up his white Irish roots (which he didn't even know or care about until just months beforehand), when any other time (beyond a photo op with white guilters) you'd never even know the man HAD a white half (just read his book; he clearly doesn't like that fact). It was all rather awkward and over the top, to say the least. But thankfully that -- like Obama's overinflated hype -- is over, now. I know that saying all of this won't endear me to his die-hards, because it says everything they know up front and out loud, but that doesn't really matter, does it?

MrSinatra-You hit the nail on the head,he was a damn good poker player-Bluffed Gorbachev with a fake star wars causing collapse of Russian might!

i love Reagan and wish he were still around, charming the world and being underestimated forever by his enemies.

When Obama was in Ireland last year the Secret Service couldn't get a foot in for the crowds who had Obama hold their children, shake hands with everyone, talk to everyone. In Dublin where over 100,000 people heard Obama's speech at College Green, one of the crowd had Obama speak to her mother on her mobile phone.

Mail boxes weren't removed, manhole covers were not welded shut during Reagan's 1984 visit to Ireland. He didn't have a motorcade. He visited Ballyporeen, Tipperary where his ancestors originated. Bush came to Ireland in 2004 and needed substantial security because he was hated in Ireland for his illegal war in Iraq.

The President of the United States is the most closely and heavily guarded person on the planet. He moves inside an invisible security bubble, choreographed by the Secret Service well in advance of his arrival anywhere. Man hole covers were welded shut, windows closed, and mail boxes were removed along the route of President Reagan's motorcade in Ireland. 7,000 members of the Irish Army and Garda surrounded Dromoland Castle, along 700 armed U.S. Secret Service agents, when President George W. Bush stayed there. At least a week before the President comes to Los Angeles we see a pair of Chinook helicopters fly up the coast from a Marine base with special equipment they use to secure the area around which Air Force One is parked. A flock of identical green and white helicopters, any one of which could be the real "Marine One", as the craft carrying the President is designated, fly out of LAX when he moves to a local engagement. If he travels to a fundraiser in some swanky part of town, streets on the whole west side of Los Angeles get shut down. It is amazing and newsworthy, even long after the event,to hear of cases where this elaborate system is breached!