WAS KENNEDY LURED TO TEXAS

On Jun 20, 3:22�pm, bigdog <jecorbett1...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Jun 20, 10:39�am, Robert <robcap...@netscape.com> wrote:
>
> > On Jun 20, 7:22�am, Gil Jesus <gjjm...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> > > "Connally came to Washington to see Mr. Kennedy just three days before
> > > Bobby Baker resigned. His main purpose was to urge the President to
> > > come to Texas to help bring the feuding factions together.
>
> > > After he left I remember what Mr. Kennedy said, `He sure seemed
> > > anxious for me to go to Texas......" --- Evelyn Lincoln
>
> > IF he wasn't lured to Texas, he was certainly talked into extending
> > the Texas trip AND including a motorcade through Dallas! �He was told
> > it would be a snub IF he left Dallas out. �Originally I believe he was
> > only going to vist Houston and San Antonio.
>
> Are we supposed to believe that JBC was in on this plot? Did he lure
> JFK into an ambush knowing he would be sitting just a few feet away?
> In the line of fire!!! Do CTs ever think things through.
>
> The original plan was for JFK to do a one day visit to the four major
> cities. The White House wanted to do a motorcade. JBC objected because
> he knew the time constraints of a four city, one day trip would make a
> motorcade impractical. He withdrew his objection when the White House
> agreed to extend the visit to two days. At that point, JBC was charged
> with determining the location of the second day luncheon and the plans
> for the motorcade route.


CONNALLY TOLD FOUR DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING HIS
OCTOBER 4TH MEETING WITH JFK

From Joe Backes:


FIRST VERSION

the Warren Commission version. "Finally in the fall of 1963 it was
decided that he definitely should come, or should come in the fall of
last year (`63) as opposed to waiting until this year, (`64) when his
appearance might have more political overtones.

"So I came up, I have forgotten the exact date (October 4th) around
the middle of October and talked to him about it, discussed the
details, asked him what he would like to do.

"He said he would like to do whatever he could do that was agreeable
with me: it was agreeable with me that he more or less trust me to
plan the trip for him, to tell him where he would like to go. About
that time some thought was being given to having four fund raising
dinners. His attitude on that was that he wouldn't prefer that. He
felt that the appearance would not be too good, that he would much
prefer to have one if we are going to have any. I told him this was
entirely consistent with my own thoughts. We ought not to have more
than one fund raising dinner. If we did it ought to be in Austin. If
we could do it, I would like for him to see and get into as many areas
of the state as possible while he was there."

Notice how Connally is vague about who proposed the fund raising,
there is just "some thought" being given to it. Notice how this story
is told. Notice how first JFK rejects the four fund raising dinners
idea and Connally agrees with JFK's rejection.

On the same page Connally admits, "He on his own, had made a
commitment to go to the dinner for Congressman Thomas, which was being
given the night of the 21st in Houston."

SECOND VERSION

LIFE magazine November 24, 1967 where Connally is prominently
displayed on the cover. The headline, "A Contribution To History,
Governor Connally sets the record straight on the fateful visit, WHY
KENNEDY WENT TO TEXAS."

"How about those fund raising affairs in Texas, John?"

"Mr. President, I said, we can have four separate affairs, but I think
it would be a very serious mistake." He didn't answer immediately and
I went right on. "In the first place I don't think four will raise
appreciably more money than one properly organized affair-certainly
not enough for the political cost to you. You haven't made a real
visit to Texas-except El Paso-since you became President. You've made
no speeches and no appearances. If you come down there and try to have
fund raising affairs in four cities in one trip, they are going to
think that you are trying to rape the state." I used just those words

"I'm inclined to agree with you, " the President said.

Notice again the passive voice.

"Mr. President," I said, "what really do you want to do on this
trip?"

Connally goes on to say that Kennedy wanted to meet the people that
had opposed him so sharply."

Now we have a change from Connally's Warren Commission version of the
October 4th meeting. Now it is JFK who wants the fund raising,
Connally who first objects, then JFK agrees with Connally's objection.
Notice the reversal? Connally cleverly alters the story of Kennedy's
desire to meet the people to Kennedy wants to meet the people who
opposed him, who coincidentally would be the people voting for
Connally.

Connally tells LIFE magazine, "I had a strong conviction that if the
business community of Texas could see President Kennedy in the flesh
and talk to him, it would find quickly enough that he was no
extremist"

THIRD VERSION

this time to James Reston jr. in "Lone Star".

"The president still had his heart set on four or five fund raisers.
Apparently, Lyndon Johnson had made no effort to dissuade him.
Connally was prepared.

"Mr. President, I think that is a mistake," he said emphatically. "We
want the money, yes, but we also need to position you in such a way
that you are going to politically benefit from it, and it doesn't look
like all you're interested in is the money of the state. Frankly, if
you come down and we try to get on five fund raising events in the
principal cities of Texas, people are going to think that all you are
interested in is the financial rape of the state."

Again, Kennedy is in the passive voice.

The dates are set, yet Connally uses the phrase, "if you come down".
There is no iffyness about it.

Connally also takes great pleasure in using the word "rape" in
recounting this story.

Johnson is mentioned although in passing. LBJ is now given the role of
having to dissuade JFK from the fund raising idea. Does Connally think
Johnson is going to take orders from him? Who gave Johnson this role?
Connally is getting a little carried away with the passive voice.

Connally also uses this false fund raising story to make Kennedy sound
like a complete idiot incapable of organizing, hosting, or even
showing up at a political event without Connally's expert ,
professional, political judgment to guide him.

Makes you wonder how JFK ever became President in the first place


This version, as well as most of the whole article, is repeated nearly
verbatim in Connally's autobiography "In History's Shadow".

FOURTH VERSION

The Connally story of the October 4th meeting changes again in the
book "Death of a President" by William Manchester. Remember, according
to the last version LBJ was to "dissuade" JFK against the fund
raising. "At first the Vice President was an enthusiastic advocate of
fund-raising. Recently a Massachusetts banquet had raised $680,000 for
the party. His pride in Texas has been challenged, and despite
emphatic denials from the White House the rumor persisted that Kennedy
would cut him from the `64 ticket. Johnson's own radar had picked up a
few alarming blips. Determined to prove that his determination was
still strong, he had proposed four Texas banquets where the faithful
would demonstrate their loyalty to Kennedy and Johnson by emptying
their pockets into next year's war chest."

So finally we have someone who proposed the fund raising, Johnson,
though we were told it was Kennedy, but Kennedy's "attitude" was
against it, according to Connally's original Warren Commission
testimony and Connally agreed with JFK's "attitude", but Lyndon at
Connally's request was to "dissuade" Kennedy who was for it, so
Connally at LBJ's urging had to meet Kennedy on October 4th, after
meeting with the Dallas Citizen's Council on the 2nd, and the Texas
Congressional delegation in Washington on the 3rd to object to the
fund raising plans and Kennedy agreed while Connally was there to
originate the idea that Kennedy should come to Texas in the first
place.

MORE:

http://spot.acorn.net/jfkplace/09/fp.back_issues/32nd_Issue/jfk_texas.html