On This Day In 1987, repub Politician Budd Dwyer Killed Himself On Live TV

[SoCalDavidS]

An AP reporter was there to cover the story, and after it got reported, the AP switched to color photos for all it's stories.

Oh, and he was a true repub criminal. Before he put the bullet through his head, he professed his innocence, and how he was looking out for his family.

Since he died while still in office, he was going to be sentenced the next day, his wife was able to collect his full pension. He would have had to resign the next day, and then lost it. The evidence against him was overwhelming.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Budd_Dwyer

[Botany]

1. A product of Meadville, PA ... and just like Trump he blamed others for what he had done himself.

"Appearing nervous and agitated, Dwyer again professed his innocence and accused acting U.S. Attorney James West, FBI agents, U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm Muir, the media and others for tarnishing the justice system and ruining him."

[Turbineguy]

3. That might be a method that trump choses. That way he gets

some attention. His rubes can film it and play it over again for their enjoyment.

[Botany]

8. Sorry but after 14 million dead world wide from C-19, his helping Putin to invade Ukraine, and

.... 1/6/21 the man needs to "a Warden Norton moment."

[badhair77]

2. I remember that. We were home on a snow day

and my 8 year old son was watching “Webster” on tv. The local news broke in with Dwyer’s press conference and he pulled the gun from a Manila envelope. Lots of kids saw it live, including my son. It was horrible.

[EYESORE 9001]

4. I've seen the recording

Wish I hadn’t.

[Ilsa]

5. I think I blotted the story out.

I would have been at home watching the news, which wouldn't have played the entire thing. But I remember the bit about him pulling the gun from a manilla envelope. I just don't remember anything else about it.

[cyclonefence]

7. "Nice Shot" is a song about this

To sum up previous assertions; 1: The song is and always has been about Budd Dwyer. The band has discussed this in numerous interviews and innumerable publications. 2: It is not, nor has it ever been, about Cobain. Though the album came out in '95, after Cobain's '94 suicide, the idea for the song precedes it. The band has always denied any correlation to Cobain. To speculate a bit on the "wish I could've met you" line. Dwyer was well respected and liked by his peers and constituents and his conviction was controversial and suspect. His reasons for suicide were rather noble as apposed to selfish. Due to a loophole Dwyer was aloud to keep his Treasurer position until sentencing, which was to occur the next day. His family's finances were in tatters due to the cost of legal fees. Dwyer knew that killing himself before being forced to resign would entitle his family to his pension and insurance, to the tune of 3.9 million dollars(in 1984 exchange rates) which would ensure a decent life for his wife and kids. Proclaiming his innocence till the end, Dwyer showed great conviction in claiming his own life. https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/5238/

Part of the lyrics:

I wish I would've met you
Now it's a little late
What you could've taught me
I could have saved some face
They think that your early ending
Was all wrong
For the most part they're right
But look how they all got strong
That's why I say man, nice shot
What a good shot man
That's why I say man, nice shot
What a good shot man

[PCIntern]

9. You're almost not going to believe this

But I was returning home from my honeymoon in Hawaii. I got back to Philly, literally turned on the TV to channel 6, and watched this guy blow his brains out on live TV. I said to my new wife, “well, we’re back”

[Liberal In Texas]

10. I was working at a TV station in Dallas and I'm not sure if I saw it live

or saw it on one of the numerous news feeds that played on several of the monitors in the news room. Somebody said at the time, if you watch this it'll change your life forever. Well, what young hot dog like me wouldn't want to see this after that to prove I was no shrinking violet? it was pretty horrific but there have been many horrific things we've seen since.

[lame54]

11. Take that G.G. Allen

[dsc]

12. I grew up in far north east Ohio meaning we got Erie PA tv

so I vividly remember this.