The St. Francis became the hotel where Republican presidents stayed when in San Francisco, while Democratic presidents usually stayed at the Fairmont. President Gerald Ford was almost shot while leaving the hotel on September 22, 1975 by a woman named Sara Jane Moore. A former Marine, Oliver Sipple, moved her hand so that Ford was not hit. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan were guests of the hotel. The St. Francis also hosted many world leaders, including Queen Elizabeth II and Emperor Hirohito of Japan.