Gerald Ford Shooter Admits "Serious Error"

(AP)  The woman who fired a gun at President Gerald Ford in 1975 and spent the next 32 years in prison said in an interview Thursday that she believed the country would change only through a violent revolution.

Sara Jane Moore told NBC's "Today" that she now realizes that her actions were "wrong ... a serious error."

The appearance was Moore's first TV interview since she was released on parole in late 2007, NBC said.

In September 1975, Moore, then around 45, fired on Ford as he waved to a crowd in San Francisco. A man near her knocked the pistol out of her hand and the shot went astray. It was the second failed attempt on Ford's life in less than three weeks.

Moore was sentenced to life in prison but released on parole in December 2007. She has lived in an undisclosed location since then.

It was during the long years in prison, she said, that "gradually I began to realize that I had let myself be used. ... I definitely think that it was wrong. I think I was misled. I think I was mistaken. I think I made a serious error."

Moore, who had been loosely associated with leftist groups in California, said she "wasn't prepared" for the things she learned about the extent of poverty and other problems.

"It was a time that people don't remember. You know, we had a war ... the Vietnam War, you became - I became - immersed in it," Moore said Thursday.

"We were saying the country needed to change. The only way it was going to change was a violent revolution. I genuinely thought that (shooting Ford) might trigger that new revolution in this country."

On politics, she said she now knows she was hearing only one side of the story. "We thought San Francisco was the world, and it wasn't."

Asked by NBC's Matt Lauer why she was doing the interview now, she said, "I think that one gets tired of being thought of as a kook, a monster, an alien, something like that. ... There has been a lot of curiosity. I thought, OK, let's do it."

As for the people in the town where she's now living, who would learn about her past through the interview, "I hope they're OK with it."

[jincstress]

" I was misled", "I was used"...lol THERES accountability for you.Meh- she did her time I guess.

[rhs648]

I was in college during the Viet Nam war. Most of us would never consider assassinating the president. Her excuses are lame at best. There is no excuse for her to attempt to take a president's life.

[rhs648]

It's incredibly ironic that a brief and harmless President like Ford---someone who never even ran for office and didnt even want the job--someone with no political enemies---was targeted twice for assasination.

It makes one almost assume that anyone who happened to ne Prez back then would have gone thru the same thing.
Posted by TonySerts41

The same risks exist today. That is why the secret service exerts so much effort protecting the president.

[jcdugger1234]

Here's a great question for Republicans! Let's say science (I know science is something you don't believe in, but bear with me) could tell us whether a baby will become born gay or not (an idea becoming near reality actually). I know how much you guys are against abortion and gays. So...which would it be? Allow a gay to be born and sin all his/her life and therefor go your imaginary hell that you call Hell. OR...would you rather back an abortion in this case?! Now that's a heck of a question right there!! :) JD.

[jcdugger1234]

Haaaa! War-mongering Republicans trying to rip on Liberals on violence....Haaaaaaaa! Now that's a good one! That would be like Rupaul trying to rip on LeBron James and his basketball skills! OMG!!! :)

[Mixolydian8X11]

I thinks Sara Jane presents an excellent lesson for young people everywhere: beware of convincing yourself that thinking for yourself is doing what somebody else tells you is "thinking for yourself."

[observer2020]

That was the only way she could get out of prison....of course, she would say 'I made a mistake.' Duh!

[YCantWeAllGetAlong]

Well, I still think she's a kook, so if she thought this interview would change that, she failed, epically.

[rsmik]

Oops, I just made a serious error!

[babooph]

Of all the choices on shooting someone-Ford seemed to be a great guy ,who did not really want to be president..