Bestselling political thriller/mystery author Brad Meltzer is claiming that President Ronald Reagan began carrying a gun almost everywhere he went after the 1981 assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr. in which he was seriously injured. Meltzer told MyFoxNY, on June 15th, that he learned about the gun's existence after speaking with a Secret Service employee at the security agency’s museum. Reagan carried the gun in his briefcase, even taking it on the presidential plane, according to Meltzer, who said that the president had reportedly explained it by saying, "I trust these [Secret Service] people around me, but if someone comes at me again, I want to be prepared."

I'll have an opportunity to question Mr. Meltzer on Monday, June 22, when he's my guest on the Phil Paleologos Morning Show. Would you have a more or less favorable view of a president if you knew he or she carried a gun or would it not affect your opinion?

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