On March 30 , 1981 ( early into the administration ) , Reagan was shot and seriously wounded by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington , D.C. Bush was in Fort Worth , Texas , and immediately flew back to Washington D.C. because he was next in line to the presidency . Reagan 's cabinet convened in the White House Situation Room , where they discussed various issues , including the availability of the " nuclear football " . When Bush 's plane landed , he was advised by his aides to proceed directly to the White House by helicopter as an image of the government still functioning despite the attack . Bush rejected the idea , responding , " Only the president lands on the South Lawn . " This made a positive impression on Reagan , who recovered and returned to work within two weeks . From then on , the two men would have regular Thursday lunches in the Oval Office
Reagan was shot
Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush