The son of former President Ronald Reagan told Newsmax TV Wednesday his father would have supported a judge's decision to release his would-be assassin because he forgave the shooter a long time ago.
Michael Reagan told host J.D. Hayworth on "Newsmax Prime" the former president didn't believe in holding onto feelings of anger.
"I don't think he would agree with the [The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute]," Reagan said. The foundation issued a statement Wednesday condemning John Hinckley's release from a psychiatric hospital.
"My father not only could say the Lord's Prayer, but lived the Lord's Prayer because of his forgiveness of John Hinckley," said Reagan, whose book, "Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan," is available now.
"He wanted to see and visit John Hinckley and tell that to him himself. But his doctors would not allow him to."
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Reagan was shot during the March 30, 1981 assassination attempt in Washington, D.C. and underwent immediate surgery. Three others were shot, including a Secret Service agent who stood between the president and Hinckley's bullet, a D.C. police officer, and Reagan's press secretary James Brady.
"As my father taught me, if you want to live with anger all of your life, you're gonna be very unhappy," Michael Reagan told Hayworth. "You've gotta learn to forgive and get on with your life and go forward, instead of looking back and being angry all the time.
"I think my father was able to accomplish so much of what he did because he never was angry."
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