50 Years Later - The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

[songbirdsong]

I just watched an interesting JFK documentary called Dark Legacy. Has anyone seen it? Basically George (HW) Bush was involved in the assassination.
It was an interesting take.

I just watched it for the first time (I love Netflix Instant Streaming). Stupid me, I didn't even realize he had been shot more than once. Now it makes sense why Jackie said he looked "puzzled." Not gonna lie, this thread kick-started a Jackie O obsession for me.

Oh...and the Bush thing... says it best.

[M Joy]

You need to watch JFK (the Movie)

[PunkerDuckie]

My mom remembers this day like it was yesterday. They made an announcement over the speakers of her school when it happened. She still tears up talking about it.

Ironically, I was at the same school on 9/11 watching live video of the WTC collapse at about the same age she was when Kennedy died.

[TupeloHoney]

My mom remembers this day like it was yesterday. They made an announcement over the speakers of her school when it happened. She still tears up talking about it.

Ironically, I was at the same school on 9/11 watching live video of the WTC collapse at about the same age she was when Kennedy died.

My mom and I were talking about this yesterday, and she still gets teary about it, too. She was in band class (10th grade) when the announcement was made that JFK was dead. The band director led the kids out to a hill behind the school and they played The Star-Spangled Banner.


She also told me, as she has before, what it was like when her high school was first "integrated" (meaning they put one lonely black girl into the school so they could say, "See! We integrated!"). My mom went to Atlanta City Schools and my dad went to DeKalb County Schools, so both were in segregated schools until high school. I guess I could share it in the That's Racist thread.

[puzzld]

My folks ran an auto repair shop. They were returning a customers car to her. When they got to the house, the customer was crying and told them the president was dead. She tells me they were so upset, they almost left me (I was 3) in the customers car.

I can vaguely remember the funeral on TV and I can also remember being upset that the Mickey Mouse Club wasn't on.

[M Joy]

My folks ran an auto repair shop. They were returning a customers car to her. When they got to the house, the customer was crying and told them the president was dead. She tells me they were so upset, they almost left me (I was 3) in the customers car.

I can vaguely remember the funeral on TV and I can also remember being upset that the Mickey Mouse Club wasn't on.

That reminds me of the guy I was dating when 9/11 happened. He was upset that the world series was delayed/canceled (don't remember which). Except this guy was old enough to know better

[PCP777]

You need to watch JFK (the Movie)

Did you check iut Dealey Plaza when they were filming that? It was cool, they had done everything up 60's style down to the street signs.

I agree, the 6th Floor Museum is awesome.

It's also a trip to view the street from the grassy knoll.

[M Joy]

Did you check iut Dealey Plaza when they were filming that? It was cool, they had done everything up 60's style down to the street signs.

I agree, the 6th Floor Museum is awesome.

It's also a trip to view the street from the grassy knoll.

I've only been to dealy plaza and the museum once - about 8-9 years ago. When they were filming JFK I didn't know about it, unfortunately.

[biggie]

Never bought into the grassy knoll and multiple shooters. I am buying into Oswald acted alone, hit Kennedy with one of 3 shots. Then the Secret Service guy, in the car behind Kennedy, raised up with the armed AR-15 in order to exchange fire. When the driver stepped on the gas pedal, he accidentally squeezed off the fatal shot as he fell back in the seat. No conspiracy, just a cover-up of bumbling Secret Service Agents. The Oswald rifle wouldn't make that mess of Kennedy's head but the AR-15 would.

[Miller22]

I've been watching a lot of documentaries and anniversary shows lately. Its all very interesting to say the least. I toohave a lot of respect for Jackie.

This isn't the right thread for it, but when Lennon's assassination anniversary came around Husband and I got into a great discussion. That same discussion reignighted a few nights ago. Both Lennon. And Kennedy have a lot of strong emotion, memories and opinions tied to their death - admittedly Kennedy more than Lennon. Who, if anyone, in today's world could get such reaction (nationally or globally) if assassinated? We considered when Princess Di died, but it didn't have the same impact (though Im sure in England it did - from news reports.)

Happy to start a new thread if anyone would want to discuss and feels this isn't the right one.

[TupeloHoney]

I was thinking about Lennon's death the other day, too, Miller. Lennon was killed and Ronald Reagan was shot within just a few months of each other, and I was only 6, but I remember both events well. Mostly I remember being unable to understand why, and my parents trying, repeatedly, to explain it to me. (Particularly the whole Jodie Foster thing. I could not wrap my head around someone trying to kill the president to impress the girl from Freaky Friday.)

[puzzld]

I was 3 when JFK was shot. 7 when MLK JR. and RFK were shot. Probably too young to really take in the horror. Actually, the one that really stands out is Leo Ryan. (I was 17) Between the shooting and then the mass suicide. Very troubling.

BTW
CBSNews.com will stream CBS News' historic broadcast coverage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination to mark the 50th anniversary of the shooting. The extensive online offering will feature the minute-by-minute CBS News broadcasts in real time as they were delivered during the four-day period following the assassination.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-...22fbrecT%22%5D

[*crickets*]

CBSNews.com will stream CBS News' historic broadcast coverage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination to mark the 50th anniversary of the shooting. The extensive online offering will feature the minute-by-minute CBS News broadcasts in real time as they were delivered during the four-day period following the assassination.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-...22fbrecT%22%5D

Is that the one with Cronkite? Either way I'll be watching. I love the old news footage with the TV newscasters getting the details over the phone and the local news guy interviewing Zapruder and chain smoking the entire time. It was a whole other world back then.

[*crickets*]

Never bought into the grassy knoll and multiple shooters. I am buying into Oswald acted alone, hit Kennedy with one of 3 shots. Then the Secret Service guy, in the car behind Kennedy, raised up with the armed AR-15 in order to exchange fire. When the driver stepped on the gas pedal, he accidentally squeezed off the fatal shot as he fell back in the seat. No conspiracy, just a cover-up of bumbling Secret Service Agents. The Oswald rifle wouldn't make that mess of Kennedy's head but the AR-15 would.

Now that's one I have not heard...where did you get it from?

[J a d e]

That poor woman. :(

[puzzld]

Is that the one with Cronkite? Either way I'll be watching. I love the old news footage with the TV newscasters getting the details over the phone and the local news guy interviewing Zapruder and chain smoking the entire time. It was a whole other world back then.

Yes. Uncle Walter.

[Monter]

This may sound random but, its been in my brain so im sharing it with you freaks

My boy last spring got cast in his dream role in a Sondheim show called "Assassins" . Its very dark, and not done often. It follows all the different assassins from John Wilkes Boothe on, as if they are all kind of stuck in time somewhere. Bizarre little show. Id never seen it before, this one was well done, and there is a narrative character that in this produciton was an old guy dressed like uncle Sam and acting like a carnival barker(creepy). The idea is that in the book depository that day, all the assassins converge on Oswald and talk him into shooting Kennedy. After the shot rang out, they showed the zapruder footage, and there is this song, sung by the ensemble reacting to it, called "something just broke" I tried to find a decent youtube vid but couldnt. Growing up having my parents talk about how this was such a defining moment in history- I watched this show, and this song - a very measured, short song that ends with the girl who sings standing front stage center, and someone puts the pink hat on her head, and you realize she is dressed like jackie....holy shit. Talk about powerful - it was as close to that feeling as i could imagine coming to for someone who didnt live through it.

[emmy_dreamy]

My father turned 14 the day the assassination occurred. He said it was the suckiest birthday ever. His party was canceled because everyone was watching the news and crying. I still have a hard time believing that a single bullet can bounce around as much as the Warren Commission concluded.

[biggie]

Now that's one I have not heard...where did you get it from?

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Sh...nt=5&#comments
This clown says that it couldn't have happened that way. One of his 'reasons' is that it's too much of a freak accident. Like it couldn't ever happen. Check out the picture. Now that tells a story.

[biggie]

My father turned 14 the day the assassination occurred. He said it was the suckiest birthday ever. His party was canceled because everyone was watching the news and crying. I still have a hard time believing that a single bullet can bounce around as much as the Warren Commission concluded.

That part is true. It went straight as an arrow once you understand the position of Connolly in the car. That bullet is also meant to pierce without fragmenting. However the AR-15 bullet is meant to disintegrate upon impact to create damage. Thus the massive damage to Kennedy's head. Also, the diameter of the wound in the back of Kennedy's head measured 6 mm and the Oswald bullet is 6.5 mm. So it's impossible for it to be from Oswald's gun.

[debk589]

Good video at this link with Secret Service Agent Clint Hill (the guy who jumped on the back of the car after the shooting)

http://www.today.com/video/today/535...msnhp#53589187

Edit: that image of Jackie crawling on the back of the car: I always assumed she was just trying to escape, I had no idea she was actually collecting pieces of his skull and brain. How horrific.

[kevansvault]

There's a book out written by someone I happen to have met in my profession called Nightmare in Dallas by Beverly Oliver. She was a dancer at Ruby's club and she had some very interesting things to say about the way things were back then. Very interesting (and very sweet) lady, and a good read.

In fact, while they were filming JFK, it wasn't uncommon for the producers and director to visit her in the hospital where I worked. The staff got to meet and talk to some of the people involved in making the film. By all accounts it was very cool.

[songbirdsong]

Edit: that image of Jackie crawling on the back of the car: I always assumed she was just trying to escape, I had no idea she was actually collecting pieces of his skull and brain. How horrific.

Oh, wow. So sad.

[queenaevadamthng]

I have always thought that JFK was pretty plausible. But as stated in the movie the whole assassination of JFK is an enigma inside of an enigma.

The movie had some of the greatest lines...which I borrowed one of the best ones ...see siggy line below.

[debk589]

Hard to believe today was the day. Here's a pretty intense audio with the story behind it:

President Kennedy was a transformational leader, and it's hard to imagine what it felt like to hear of his assassination 50 years ago today. Kennedy was shot as the Boston Symphony Orchestra was about to begin its regular Friday afternoon concert. When word of his death reached the hall a few minutes later, the audience was already seated, oblivious to the world-changing events happening in Dallas.

In a powerful — and stunningly level-headed — decision, the orchestra's music director, Erich Leinsdorf, sent librarian William Shisler to get the music for the funeral march from Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony. Shisler quickly distributed the music onstage, letting the musicians know what had happened.

This recording, from WGBH in Boston, begins when Leinsdorf takes the stage to announce the terrible news to the audience and captures the BSO's heart-rending performance of the Beethoven symphony — a work they found out they were playing only minutes before.