2017—Learning his election will be investigated for Russian involvement, President Trump says, “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I’m [bleeped].” Sadly, no.
1987—Its weapons officer away from his duty station, its Phalanx gun operator absent “on personal business,” and its radar countermeasure system unarmed, the frigate USS Stark is hit by two Exocets from an Iraqi plane; 37 sailors die on the Gipper’s watch.
1976—R. Reagan, in Time: “Fascism was really the basis of the New Deal.”
1974—Six members of the Symbionese Liberation Army armed with full-auto M-1 carbines, holed-up in a small house in L.A., fire 4,000 rounds at 400 cops surrounding them. Hitting none, they all die, shot or burned.
1973—To help Continental Oil develop a new gas drilling technique, the AEC detonates three nuclear gizmos underground in western Colorado.
1968—Nine people break into Catonsville, Md.’s draft board and burn 600 files with homemade napalm.
1954—The Supreme Court rules in Brown v Board of Education that “separate but equal” is no good.
1954—Border Patrol agents begin deporting a million people from five states in “Operation Wetback.”
1954—President Eisenhower creates the notion of “Executive Privilege.”
1934—Thousands of Friends of the New Germany rally under a swastika in Madison Square Garden.