It's because many people saw him as fighting for the everyman.

You wonder why people care if the president of our country was assassinated by some other group?

That's what I said.

you have to remember this "elites vs the rest of us" is not a universal narrative, I wasn't around back then but I get the sense that a significant portion of the population believed that the government was actually doing work on behalf of the people, not in opposition..

"I’m from the government and I’m here to help." wasn't said til 1986

You weren't around back then but you “get a sense”?

This was the Civil rights movement era. But I guess you'll say that normies didn't care about that.

> "I’m from the government and I’m here to help." wasn't said til 1986

Yes, we mustn't forget the pioneer of populism and anti-elitism Ronald Reagan.

He was loved by the people.

And he had ambition to deeply change the country.

And let us not forget that one famous speech about a certain "conspiracy".

This was during the Civil rights movement. The March on Washington—involving over 200K people—happened under him.

Maybe I'm cherry-picking? But this narrative that he was just swoons loved by the people and everyone got along seems like some rose-tinted glasses.