PBS Murder of a President is the story of James Garfield

[elmac]

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In case you missed the premiere, one of the best American Experience episodes I have seen. Full video can be found here

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/garfield/player/

[monmouth4]

1. I enjoyed this so much. AE is always a superb show...n/t

[elmac]

2. I have an old book about deadly volcanoes published in the 1800's

and inside is a news clipping of President Garfields funeral. I never really knew much about him and found this show fascinating. It seems that he may have been the first true liberal president.

[monmouth4]

4. That, and I never knew much about the shooter. Very interesting...n/t

[deathrind]

3. That was very good.

I had no idea just how crazy Charles Guiteau was...wow.

Another mind blowing part of the show was just how Presidentail security was handled or lack of security I should say. Given that Lincoln had just been assassinated a few years earlier one would think the Presidents security would have been of a higher importance. The show said that the Lincoln assassination was looked at as an anomaly because of the war but still...wow.

[elmac]

5. Yes, Charles Guiteau reminds me so much of modern day assassins

or mass shooters. Mental illness + guns was a problem then as it is now.

Another fascinating topic of this program was the strange politics of the late 1800's, how he became president is like winning the lotto, being in the right place at the right time.

[deathrind]

6. Very true,

"strange politics of the late 1800's"

It was a strange system. I had not heard the term "machine politics" until watching last nights program.

[Fuddnik]

7. I dvr'ed it last night.

Another great one was last weeks "Mine Wars". Must see.

[area51]

9. I had heard how he needn't died after he was shot.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-doctors-killed-president-garfield/