history as he is of everything else. Others have mentioned several U.S. presidents who were assassinated or who barely escaped assassination attempts.
Mass. Sen. Charles Sumner was beaten within an inch of his life on the senate floor:
Preston Smith Brooks (August 5, 1819 – January 27, 1857) was an American politician and Member of the US House of Representative from South Carolina, serving from 1853 until his resignation in July 1856 and again from August 1856 until his death.
Brooks, a Democrat, was a fervent advocate of slavery and states' rights. He is primarily remembered for his May 22, 1856 assault upon abolitionist and Republican Senator Charles Sumner; Brooks beat Sumner with a cane on the floor of the United States Senate in retaliation for an anti-slavery speech in which Sumner verbally attacked Brooks' second cousin,[1][2] Senator Andrew Butler. Brooks' action was applauded by many Southerners and abhorred in the North.[3] An attempt to oust him from the House of Representatives failed, and he received only token punishment in his criminal trial. He resigned his seat in July 1856 to give his constituents the opportunity to ratify his conduct in a special election, which they did by electing him in August to fill the vacancy created by his resignation.
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Here's another cane vs. fire tong attack, this time on the floor of the House of Representatives:
http://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1700s/Representative-Roger-Griswold-of-Connecticut-attacked-Matthew-Lyon-of-Vermont-on-the-House-Floor/
Representative Roger Griswold of Connecticut attacked Representative Matthew Lyon of Vermont on the House Floor (then located in Philadelphia’s Congress Hall). Incensed that the House failed to expel Lyon for spitting tobacco juice at him on January 30, 1798, Griswold sought justice against the “gross indecency” by caning Lyon on the House Floor. Lyon defended himself with a pair of fire tongs. Both Members were separated, and a resolution to expel them was defeated handily, 73 to 21. One contemporary cartoon depicted both Members jousting with cane and tongs in what the cartoonist described as “royal sport.” The episode revealed emergent political factionalism in the House at a time when formal parties had yet to fully form. Underlying the Lyon-Griswold incident was Griswold’s support for the John Adams administration’s hard-line diplomacy toward France and military preparations in the event of hostilities. Lyon believed that preparations for war would eventually precipitate war.
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Button Gwinnett, signer of the Declaration of Independence, died as a result of a duel with a political opponent:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/georgia-patriot-button-gwinnett-receives-fatal-wound-in-duel
British-born Georgia Patriot and signer of the Declaration of Independence Button Gwinnett receives a bullet wound in a duel with his political rival, Georgia city Whig Lachlan McIntosh. Three days later, Gwinnett died as a result of the gangrenous wound. McIntosh was also shot in the duel, but the wound was not fatal.
Button Gwinnett was born in Down Hatherly, Gloucestershire, England, and was baptized in Gloucester in 1735. He was married and began a career in trading while still in Britain. In the 1760s, Gwinnett moved first to Charleston, South Carolina, then to Savannah, Georgia, where he had established himself as a trader by 1765. Entering politics in 1769, he was elected to the Commons House of Assembly. Taking up residence on St. Catherine’s Island, Georgia, in 1770, Gwinnett left commerce for farming. His politics were deeply influenced by his contempt for the wealthy and powerful city Whigs of Savannah. Gwinnett’s political base of country Whigs consisted of less prosperous coastal dwellers like himself and backcountry farmers. When first made commander of Georgia’s Patriot forces, Gwinnett was forced to resign by the outcry of city Whigs. He went on to win election to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia and became a signatory of the Declaration of Independence.
Gwinnett returned to Georgia immediately after signing the declaration to find city Whig Lachlan McIntosh commanding Georgia’s nascent military efforts. Determined to take control of Georgia politics, Gwinnett became speaker of the legislature, guided the Georgia Constitution of 1777 into existence and took over as governor when Archibald Bulloch died suddenly in office.
Gwinnett then wanted to lead an expedition to secure Georgia’s border with Florida. A dispute between McIntosh and Gwinnett over who would command the effort ultimately led to their duel and Gwinnett’s death.
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And Donald, what about the Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton duel? Count yourself lucky that you live in such tame times. You couldn't have handled it back then. Come to think of it, you can't handle it now.
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