The one-story, concrete building stood on an otherwise largely empty lot. It was often referred to as bunker-like in its appearance. Yet inside of it, there was the beat of a free-speech pulse, the presence of then-Philadelphia Talk powerhouse WWDB.

It was 1980, smack in the middle of presidential primary season. The guest later that day was to be George H. W. Bush, challenger to fellow Republican and eventual winner Ronald Reagan.

We members of the station’s team were assembled at our desks, as a large contingent of men in suits began to comb through the building. Those over two dozen agents were part of the United States’ Secret Service team, examining every crevice of the building and looking into the eyes of every worker. Far-removed from the last assassination of a public official over a decade earlier, the agents were still being extremely vigilant, knowing that there would be no surprises when Bush walked through the doors for his interview.

That was long ago, but came to mind after the attempted assassination on candidate and former president Donald Trump on Saturday. Somehow, a lone gunman with a high–powered rifle was able to avoid detection and gain a vantage point of just 150 yards from the dais. Thanks to a turn of Trump’s head the assailant’s bullet just pierced Trump’s ear.

How was this able to occur? One theory: contrasting this country’s 1980 era with today’s, a lack of responsibility is a missing piece. The fact is we have fewer adults who are detail-oriented and exacting in their missions. Stones are left unturned far too often.

How that building whose roof served as a firing zone for the shooter was unprotected is a mystery. And how a local police officer who spotted the would-be assassin did not take him out also needs much more explanation.

For sure, despite one’s distaste for either candidate, whether based on Trump’s repeated lying and embrace of election result denial and verbal threats to adversaries or President Biden’s apparent age-related ineptitude and poor choices while in office, no one deserves to be threatened with assassination.  It is purely un-American.

Likely, the head of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will roll. After all, the department’s top person is often the one to take the fall. But what about the overall absence of clear, adult thinking and precaution taking?

Back in 1980, my experience was in a very controlled building which the candidate entered. It was not in an open field, where far-reaches had to be considered. Still the thoroughness of the agents was a testament to the proper behavior of adults tasked with missions.

That is often missing these days. Let’s hope derelict personnel are exposed and that the vulnerability that existed for Trump’s rally is never repeated for any candidate.

Jeff Hurvitz (jrhurvitz@aol.com) is a freelance writer and native Philadelphian.