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30 Wake Forest L. Rev. 437 (1995)
The Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Dealing with Presidential Disability

handle is hein.journals/wflr30 and id is 449 raw text is: THE TWENTY-FIFTH AMENDMENT: DEALING WITH PRESIDENTIAL DISABILITY Birch Bayh* Former Senator Bayh considers the Twenty-fifth Amendment with re- gard to its sufficiency in light of the criticisms of the amendment to meet the needs of a changing society. We, as Americans, give little thought to the dangers which continu- ously threaten the lives and health of our Presidents. However, events occasionally remind us that, in addition to the slings and arrows of politi- cal adversaries and media critics, U.S. Presidents also face a constant threat from demented individuals who, given the slightest opportunity, are prepared to assassinate them. The events of the past year have served as frightening reminders of the President's vulnerability. Despite the variety of security systems which protect the White House, on September 12, 1994, Frank Corder succeeded in crashing a stolen Cessna perilously close to the White House.1 On October 29, 1994, Francisco Duran was arrested after firing at least 29 rounds from his semi-automatic rifle at the White House.2 Again, on December 17, 1994, an anonymous marksman was successful in firing several shots at the White House.3 On February 7, 1995, Ronald Barbour was arrested and charged with threatening President Clinton.' Barbour, a thirty-nine year old Army Reserve veteran, had lain in wait along the President's favorite jogging route for a week during January, armed with a .45 caliber automatic.5 Although we tend to view our Presidents as physical supermen, his- tory reminds us that they are not immune to death from natural causes, as well as from the more dramatic causes which remain foremost in our memories. Throughout the 219 year history of the United States, we have been served by forty-two Presidents. Of this number, eight have died * Birch Bayh is a partner with the law firm of Bayh, Connaughton & Malone, P.C. in Washington, D.C. He served three terms as a United States Senator from Indiana. As Chair- man of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, he was the principal congressional author and sponsor of the Twenty-fifth Amendment. 1. White House Has Not Been Impenetrable, Security Breached on Many Occasions, WASH. POST, May 21, 1995, at A14. 2. Robert Jackson, Gunman Fires on White House, LA Tmrs, Oct. 30, 1994, at 1. 3. Toni Locy & Pierre Thomas, Shots Fired, Bullets Found on White House Grounds, Clintons Were Home But Not Endangered, WASH. POST, Dec. 18, 1994, at Al. 4. Florida Man Jailed After Threat to Kill Clinton, MIAuu HERALD, Feb. 19, 1994, at 6A. 5. Id.

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