A Hole In One!

Mike Williams · August 15, 2008

Pamela,
If the shooters were trained snipers, this would have been a one shot event. Oswald would have been fatally framed(if not actually guilty), and we would not even be discussing it.

What IS the correct amount of time? Yes it has been done by a man named Donahue during the CBS recreation, but that is beside the point. I suspect the reason more have not completed this event in the official time, is because the official time is flawed. The official timing of the shots was built from necessity, and not evidence.

re-writing assassination related evidence Sgt. Williams? Gotta' open & close the bolt, re-acquire the target and pull the trigger, twice, in 5.6 seconds.

What is not beside the point is simple, more than one known military sniper with "confirmed" kills says the alleged Oswald gig is impossible to re-create in fact, and recreation. Frankly if the Lone Nut-WCR purists thought they could re-create Oswald's shooting feat, they would of by know. We'd of seen the the results YEARS ago...

How many of the top NRA Expert Marksman tried this feat and failed? Forget the CBS nonsense....

What I see here is simple Sgt. Williams, you're attempring to sell 8-12 second scenario (instead of 5.6 seconds). If the WCR seems uncomfortable for some lone Nutters, let's invent a new time frame, that about sum it up? Do you have a cite for this 8-12 second scenario (I'm curious)? Reminds me of Gerald Ford moving an entrance wound 4 inches. oopsee

David,

Perhaps you can offer some proof that the shooting event DID happen in 5.6 seconds? There is only one shot that can be determined to a precise time. Of course it would not, and does not surprise me that you would be fooled by the WC time line. I expected as much from someone of your obvious knowledge.

I would suspect the reason many state it is impossible, is because they are holding to the old time frame. You are aware that this feat actually has been recreated aren't you?

One good thing to note though, it is actually good to see you say something that relates to the assassination, and not just yammering away about nothing at all.

Mike

Old time-frame? WCR "OLD" time frame? Explain to us when the WCR was amended with a "NEW" time frame, Sgt. Williams. And Sgt Williams, have you heard of the Zapruder film?

In the spirit of this thread Sgt. Williams, In simple terms, so even non-veterans AND military vet's can understand, IMHO, I forgot more about this assassination than you'll probably ever know... and Marine Sgt Williams unless you can deliver a factual accounting regarding any recreation that duplicated JFK's wounds, in the time alloted per the WCR, including proper heights, distances and wind conditions (not to mention the stress of shooter unknowables). I certainly hope you're not pinning all you hopes on the Australian connection regarding the "gaffer-tape shooting platform blowing around in the wind" re-creation, are you marine Sgt Williams?

What I see here is simple Sgt. Williams, you're attempting to sell a new 8-12 second scenario (instead of 5.6 seconds). Its long been apparent to us if that IF WCR findings seem a bit uncomfortable for certain Lone Nutters, they simply prefer to change or invent a new time frame, does that sum up your position? Do you have a cite for this 8-12 second scenario (I'm curious)? Reminds me of Gerald Ford moving an entrance wound 4 inches. oopse

Your experience shooting the manual bolt operated MC, please?

D. Healy

David,

Look into a man named Donahue for openers who recreated the shooting on a moving target for the CBS inquiry.

I would say first off that if you have me categorized as a lone nut, you know far less than you think you do. No real surprise there either.

I believe the HSCA changed the time frame, you have heard of them haven't you David? And even their assessment is just an opinion, as there are no final and assertive facts in regard to the shooting event which conclusively pin down each shot. So the WC HSCA and in fact everyone here is speculating.

Now as for an amended time frame from the WCR....Page 117 tells us that the shooting could have taken 7.6 seconds or more. I guess that was the part that you forgot....

MC experience, well I guess I have about 250 rounds down range with it now. Which when firing left handed operating the bolt with my right and not breaking the weld, I can get off 3 shots in under 5 seconds. With SOME degree of accuracy.

What was your experience with the Carcano again? Have you even held one?

Yes David I have heard of the Zapruder film, and should I desire to see it, I KNOW just who to petition, which is something obviously that eludes you. Have you finished that request yet?

If you insist on using my rank, please use it properly. It is Master Gunnery Sergeant Williams. But for ease in spelling (which you may require) you can call me Mike.

Now in regard to heights, the tower Donahue fired from was 60 ft., the distances equal to the limo travel in 5.6 seconds, being visible after coming out from the tree to the head shot. Windage.....is.....funny.....are you so uneducated that you really think windage would play a role in such a short distance of firing?

Just for the record, as it is apparent you know little about my thoughts, I believe the shooting event was in 6.4 seconds. I may also add that in listening to Tom Purvis, and some of what he says makes perfect sense to me, I maybe changing my position a bit.

Oh yes....if Mike is to difficult TOP is acceptable!

Now as for you forgetting more than I will ever know...I would ask you if the assassination you are referring to if that of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.....or John Frances Kennedy.

First and foremost one has to know WHOM was assassinated, which you apparently struggle with as well. (Thank you for that golden nugget news groups)

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.conspir...arch+this+group

Apparently one of the things you forgot what the Presidents middle name....nicely done. Mongolism must be difficult to overcome. However it is great to see that since you lack research ability and common sense that you can still offer us something in the way of comedic relief.

Mike

Edited August 15, 2008 by Mike Williams

Bill Miller · August 15, 2008

Mike,

As you know by now ... David Healy is merely a loud mouth who probably knows less than anyone one on this forum when it comes to JFK's assassination. This is a guy who has bitched for years that the Zapruder film was being kept from him so he couldn't show that it was altered. Only when pressed we found out the screwball had not so much as made a request to examine the film. Instead of working on his request, he blesses us with idiotic remarks about people who don't agree with him as being lone nutters, needing to get on the varsity, boys, sons, and other trolling remarks. When something comes up relating to the actual shooting of JFK - Healy will ask beginner questions like 'Duh ... how do we know when the first shot was fired in relation to the witnesses statements?' (end) If being a total boob when it comes to offering anything intelligent to say was a crime ... Healy would have been hung a long time ago.

Bill Miller

Mike Williams · August 15, 2008

Mike,
As you know by now ... David Healy is merely a loud mouth who probably knows less than anyone one on this forum when it comes to JFK's assassination. This is a guy who has bitched for years that the Zapruder film was being kept from him so he couldn't show that it was altered. Only when pressed we found out the screwball had not so much as made a request to examine the film. Instead of working on his request, he blesses us with idiotic remarks about people who don't agree with him as being lone nutters, needing to get on the varsity, boys, sons, and other trolling remarks. When something comes up relating to the actual shooting of JFK - Healy will ask beginner questions like 'Duh ... how do we know when the first shot was fired in relation to the witnesses statements?' (end) If being a total boob when it comes to offering anything intelligent to say was a crime ... Healy would have been hung a long time ago.

Bill Miller

Bill,

I suspect that this might be well the case, except for one flaw. It would have to be someone else who tied the knot. I am sure David is still peddling about in velcro shoes and wearing a digital watch. Complicated things such as shoe laces and clock hands probably befuddle him!

I just tried to give you a ring if you have time give me a call.

Mike

Don Jeffries · August 16, 2008

Mike,

I think you're swallowed the line that was first started by Gerald Posner, about the shots taking longer than 5-6 seconds. This is simply not possible, for a number of reasons. The original critics came up with the 5.6 second figure by slowing down the Zapruder film, calculating the number of frames per second and watching the reactions inside the limousine. While there is still debate about exactly when the first and second shots were fired, we are only taking about a second or less difference, and since we know that the shooting stopped at frame 313 (despite what a Tom Purvis might claim), we are left with a time frame that is very close to that 5.6 second figure.

I have heard others claim that they could get off 3 shots with "some accuracy" as well. On a particularly bad "Hard Copy" t.v. show back in the early 1990s, Lee's brother Robert Oswald was trotted out to make this exact claim (this was just one of the many attempts network television made at that time to counter the influence of Oliver Stone's "JFK"). What is clear is that neither you, nor Robert Oswald, nor the foremost experts the government could find (and yes, every shooter ever used in these recreations, by the government or CBS, possessed a level of proficiency with a rifle that Lee Harvey Oswald never came close to) ever have done what this "rather poor shot" is alleged to have done. If the shots are so easy, and the Mannlicher Carcano was not the old, unreliable and half-broken weapon the original critics said it was, then it ought to be simple to trot out some sharpshooters to accomplish exactly what Oswald allegedly did.

As for this Donohue guy you mention, I'm not sure what you're talking about. CBS performed tests designed to "recreate" the assassination during their 1975 special documentary. The conditions were not exact (shorter distance, as much time as needed for the first shot, and the shooters were all top experts), but still no one duplicated Oswald's fantastic performance. In fact, Walter Cronkite came up with one of the most memorable lines of all time in an effort to "explain" this failure. Cronkite acknowledged that none of CBS's shooters had done what Oswald purportedly did, but then closed with a bit of irrefutable logic; "This was not a normal circumstance- Oswald was shooting at a president" (may not be exact quote, but that was essentially what he said).

Pamela Brown · August 16, 2008

LHO was never seen shooting the M/C, much less practicing with it.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/wood_s.htm

Mr. LIEBELER. Now I want to show you another photograph which has not yet been marked, and ask you to look at it very carefully and tell me if any of the people in that picture look like the boy at the rifle range?

Mr. WOOD. Yes, sir.

w!

Let me rephrase -- the real LHO was never seen with ammunition for the M/C, nor was he seen practice shooting with it anywhere. There were, however, sightings of LHO imposters doing various things, including practicing at a firing range and calling attention to himself. These sightings should have been immediately evaluated as possible indicators of a conspiracy, but instead the WCR simply excused them.

Mike Williams · August 16, 2008

Mike,
I think you're swallowed the line that was first started by Gerald Posner, about the shots taking longer than 5-6 seconds. This is simply not possible, for a number of reasons. The original critics came up with the 5.6 second figure by slowing down the Zapruder film, calculating the number of frames per second and watching the reactions inside the limousine. While there is still debate about exactly when the first and second shots were fired, we are only taking about a second or less difference, and since we know that the shooting stopped at frame 313 (despite what a Tom Purvis might claim), we are left with a time frame that is very close to that 5.6 second figure.

Actually the WC even tells us the event could be longer WCR117. If the Willis photo is really at 202, and the shot was the cause of that photo, then some simple tests show that the shot was likely fired at 195. If the last shot were at 313 then that is 118 frames, or 6.44 seconds. Personally I believe this is the case. However as I said I am listening to what Purvis has to say, and much does make sense.

I have heard others claim that they could get off 3 shots with "some accuracy" as well. On a particularly bad "Hard Copy" t.v. show back in the early 1990s, Lee's brother Robert Oswald was trotted out to make this exact claim (this was just one of the many attempts network television made at that time to counter the influence of Oliver Stone's "JFK"). What is clear is that neither you, nor Robert Oswald, nor the foremost experts the government could find (and yes, every shooter ever used in these recreations, by the government or CBS, possessed a level of proficiency with a rifle that Lee Harvey Oswald never came close to) ever have done what this "rather poor shot" is alleged to have done. If the shots are so easy, and the Mannlicher Carcano was not the old, unreliable and half-broken weapon the original critics said it was, then it ought to be simple to trot out some sharpshooters to accomplish exactly what Oswald allegedly did.
As for this Donohue guy you mention, I'm not sure what you're talking about. CBS performed tests designed to "recreate" the assassination during their 1975 special documentary. The conditions were not exact (shorter distance, as much time as needed for the first shot, and the shooters were all top experts), but still no one duplicated Oswald's fantastic performance. In fact, Walter Cronkite came up with one of the most memorable lines of all time in an effort to "explain" this failure. Cronkite acknowledged that none of CBS's shooters had done what Oswald purportedly did, but then closed with a bit of irrefutable logic; "This was not a normal circumstance- Oswald was shooting at a president" (may not be exact quote, but that was essentially what he said).

Actually that was for the 67 Documentary, a 4 night special. This was the one where they used the 60 foot tower and recreated the moving target rather exactly. A shooter named Donahue did in fact complete this feat.

I have said it before and I will say it again. The difficulty in the shots is the timing with which they try to cram them into. This is what causes the difficulty for all who have tried.

By the way I might add Oswald would have been a marginal shot by Marine standards, but better than average among the general population....so calling him a rather poor shot is not accurate.

By the way Simmons testimony about the rifle shows it to be quite consistent, for someone with Marine Marksmanship skills this would have been a sufficent weapon to complete the task.

If you would like a copy of that 67 documentary I would be glad to copy and send you one if you provide the mailing address and information, you can of course contact me privately about that.

MikeWilliams@JFKLancer.com

Edited August 16, 2008 by Mike Williams

Mike Williams · August 16, 2008

Let me then rephrase.....Just because he was never observed practicing does not mean he never did.

Hell I practice often....and am never observed.

Mike

William Kelly · August 16, 2008

Let me then rephrase.....Just because he was never observed practicing does not mean he never did.
Hell I practice often....and am never observed.

Mike

The fact that nobody saw him practice doesn't mean he never did, but still there is no evidence or even a witness to Oswald shooting a gun after leaving USSR.

The one man who did match the TSBD assassin's marks had plenty of practice.

It was never determined if the TSBD shooter used that rifle, used the scope, ever alligned the scope, ever practiced with any rifle, ever used the rifle before, where the ammo was obtained, what became of the rest of the box of ammo, and where the rifle's shoulder strap came from.

Determining the answer to any of those questions would be significant.

BK

Mike Williams · August 16, 2008

Let me then rephrase.....Just because he was never observed practicing does not mean he never did.
Hell I practice often....and am never observed.

Mike

The fact that nobody saw him practice doesn't mean he never did, but still there is no evidence or even a witness to Oswald shooting a gun after leaving USSR.

The one man who did match the TSBD assassin's marks had plenty of practice.

It was never determined if the TSBD shooter used that rifle, used the scope, ever alligned the scope, ever practiced with any rifle, ever used the rifle before, where the ammo was obtained, what became of the rest of the box of ammo, and where the rifle's shoulder strap came from.

Determining the answer to any of those questions would be significant.

BK

Bill,

I would whole heartedly agree with you. However the lack of answers to these questions carries the same circumstantial weight. The questions in whole, answered or not, would not convict nor acquit.

Donahue was given little practice before the event.

I have held for some time that all the tests were a bit askew. A proper test would allow some firing at still targets (as Marina alleges Lee did) , some cycling of the weapon(as Marina alleges Lee did) and then ONE SINGLE attempt at the event.

We can not replicate stress to the level needed so that of course would have to be waved.

I would then say, or dare say, that no one would ever complete the event in the alloted 5.6 seconds. However this does not point to a conspiracy, as the WC itself allows that there could have been up to 7.9 seconds even for a single shooter.

Now I see Bernice is posting so I may need to nap, and look for my digital bookmark to form the energy and accuracy for a reply!

Best to you Bill,

Mike

Edited August 16, 2008 by Mike Williams

Bernice Moore · August 16, 2008

For anyone who perhaps either disregards or turns a deliberate blind eye to

all Media control ..or is not informed.........of "Mockingbird"....

This is the information on the farce that CBS : ABC produced....

""The Feiman Report CBS : ABC News and the Lone Assassin theory ""

Neither the Donahue accomplishment nor the recreation was rather exactly......

The first in quotes gives the information pertaining to Donahue and the recreation........

Then

Below that is the Feiman Report in Full...........

""

CBS WAS NOT PERMITTED TO TEST THE

MANNLICHER-CARCANO RIFLE THAT THE

GOVERNMENT ALLEGES OSWALD USED TO

ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT. TO PROVE THAT

HE COULD HAVE FIRED THREE SHOTS WITHIN THE

TIME FRAME ALLOWED BY THE WARREN

COMMISSION, CBS OBTAINED ITS OWN

MANNLICHER-CARCANO AND SIMILAR AMMUNITION.

THEY BUILT A FIRING RANGE WITH MOVING

******************************************

TARGETS TO SIMULATE THE GEOMETRY OF DEALEY

*************************************************

PLAZA, EXCEPT THAT THE TRACK WAS STRAIGHT,

************************************************

NOT CURVED LIKE ELM STREET. THE TARGETS,

********************************************

SIMILAR TO STANDARD FBI TARGETS, FEATURED

*********************************************

OVERSIZE ORANGE SILHOUETTES ON A FOUR-BYFOUR-

******************************************

FOOT BLUE BACKGROUND. THEN THEY

*************************

HIRED ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SHARPSHOOTERS

**********************************************

OF THE DAY, RETIRED ARMY COLONEL EDWARD B.

***********************************************

CROSSMAN. CROSSMAN WAS THE AUTHOR OF MANY

************

BOOKS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES FOR GUN

ENTHUSIASTS, WRITING UNDER THE PEN NAME

“COLONEL JIM CROSSMAN.”

§GRAPHIC: LISTER TO

MIDGLEY FEBRUARY 3,

1967

CBS ALLOWED CROSSMAN A FULL WEEK TO

FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH ITS COPY OF THE

MANNLICHER-CARCANO. THEN, AT THE END OF

JANUARY 1967, THEY GAVE HIM SIX CHANCES TO

DUPLICATE OSWALD’S ALLEGED FEAT. THIS

MEMO REPORTED THE RESULTS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 28

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: (EXTRACT OF

LISTER TO MIDGLEY

FEBRUARY 3, 1967)

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

LISTER TO MIDGLEY

FEBRUARY 3, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

CROSSMAN FAILED TO BREAK SIX-AND-ONEQUARTER

SECONDS. HE SCORED TWO OUT OF

THREE HITS IN ONLY ONE-HALF OF HIS

ATTEMPTS.

THE MEMO DESCRIBES CROSSMAN’S DIFFICULTY

WITH THE STICKY BOLT ACTION OF THE RIFLE.

CROSSMAN ALSO HAD TO COMPENSATE FOR A

FAULTY SCOPE. (THE FBI HAD FOUND IT

NECESSARY TO ALTER THE MOUNTING OF THE

SCOPE ON THE ALLEGED ASSASSINATION

WEAPON.)

§TEXT: RATHER

INTERVIEWS CROSSMAN

(CUT TO:)

-TEXT: RATHER

INTERVIEW CROSSMAN

DAN RATHER INTERVIEWED CROSSMAN ON FILM

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE TEST. CROSSMAN

DESCRIBED THE RIFLE AS “NOT VERY

ACCURATE.” HITTING THE TARGET WITH TWO

OUT OF THREE SHOTS, HE SAID, WOULD REQUIRE

A LARGE ELEMENT OF LUCK. CBS COMPLETELY

DISCARDED THE CROSSMAN TEST AND HIS

INTERVIEW, AND MADE NO MENTION OF THEM ON

THE AIR.

§GRAPHIC: MARKSMEN

TEST RESULTS

IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO PROVE THE LONE

ASSASSIN THEORY, CBS ASSEMBLED ELEVEN

EXPERT MARKSMEN. AFTER GIVING THEM AMPLE

TIME TO PRACTICE WITH THE RIFLE AT AN

INDOOR RIFLE RANGE, CBS FILMED THEM AT ITS

OUTDOOR MOCK-UP OF DEALEY PLAZA.

CBS-ABC Script Page 29

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHICS: INDIVIDUAL

MARKSMAN TEST RESULTS

(FADE IN AND DISSOLVE

TO NEXT)

V.O.

NARRATION:

TIME WAS RECORDED IN ONLY 20 OUT OF 37

ATTEMPTS TO FIRE THREE SHOTS AT THE MOVING

TARGET. IN THE OTHER 17 ATTEMPTS, EITHER A

BULLET JAMMED DURING THE BOLT-CYCLING

PROCESS, RESULTING IN NO TIME, OR THE

STICKY BOLT SLOWED THE RIFLEMAN SO MUCH

THAT THE TARGET COMPLETED ITS RUN BEFORE

HE COULD GET OFF HIS THIRD SHOT.

§GRAPHIC: DONAHUE

TEST RESULT

ONLY THREE OF THE ELEVEN MARKSMEN WERE

ABLE TO SCORE AT LEAST TWO HITS IN LESS

THAN 5.6 SECONDS. HOWARD DONAHUE SCORED

***************************

THE BEST ON HIS THIRD TRY, BUT ONLY AFTER

********************************************

HIS FIRST TWO ATTEMPTS FAILED COMPLETELY.

*********************************************

§GRAPHIC: RIFLE TEST

CONCLUSION

ALTHOUGH CBS CLAIMED AN AVERAGE RECORDED

TIME OF 5.6 SECONDS, THEY FAILED TO TELL

VIEWERS THAT THOSE 20 RESULTS AVERAGED

ONLY 1.2 OUT OF THREE HITS. STILL, CBS

PROVED THAT IT WAS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE FOR

THREE OUT OF A DOZEN EXPERT MARKSMEN TO

OPERATE A RIFLE SIMILAR TO THE

ASSASSINATION WEAPON WITHIN THE

COMMISSION’S TIME FRAME.

CBS-ABC Script Page 30

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MANNLICHERCARCANO

RIFLE

-VIDEO: ZOOM RIFLE

§GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

V.O.

NARRATION:

WHAT IS STRIKING ABOUT THE CBS RIFLE TESTS

IS NOT THE ACTUAL RESULTS, BUT HOW MANY

TIMES ITS MARKSMEN FAILED TO GET RESULTS;

BECAUSE, ANYTIME THE RIFLE WAS LOADED WITH

LIVE AMMUNITION, THE BOLT ACTION JAMMED

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. SOME OF THE RIFLEMEN

HAD TO TAKE THE RIFLE OFF THEIR SHOULDERS

BETWEEN SHOTS TO GET BETTER LEVERAGE ON

THE BOLT. THEN THE PROBLEM BECAME

REACQUIRING THE TARGET THROUGH THE SCOPE,

TRACKING IT, AND SQUEEZING OFF A SHOT.

USING IT IN THIS ASSASSINATION WOULD HAVE

REQUIRED AN EXPERT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH (AND

PRACTICED ENOUGH) TO COMPENSATE FOR ITS

STICKY BOLT ACTION AND FAULTY SCOPE. AS

CROSSMAN SAID, AN EXPERT USING THIS WEAPON

*************************************************

HAD A REASONABLE CHANCE AT HITTING

***************************************

SOMETHING – NOT NECESSARILY PLACING HIS

*********************************************

SHOTS PRECISELY WHERE HE WANTED; SOMEONE

************************************************

WITH OSWALD'S ABILITY USING THIS WEAPON

********************************************

WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE A VERY LUCKY DAY.

***********************************************

EVEN IF HE WAS A HIGHLY SKILLED MARKSMAN,

**********************************************

THE WARREN REPORT OFFERED NO EVIDENCE THAT

*************************************************

OSWALD HAD FIRED ANY RIFLE – LET ALONE

*******************************************

PRACTICED FIRING THE ASSASSINATION RIFLE -

********************************************

- DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE THE

********************************************

CRIME. REGARDLESS, CBS CONCLUDED THAT

******************************************

OSWALD COULD HAVE FIRED ACCURATELY AND

**********************************************

FAST ENOUGH.

***************

CBS-ABC Script Page 31""

********************************************************************************

********

Total information posted below........

CBS-ABC Script Page 1

(-MORE-)

Date: 4/7/05 Writer: Roger Bruce Feinman

Title: CBS News, ABC News, and

the Lone Assassin Theory

Producer: Roger Bruce Feinmam

Subject: Segment: Part I: CBS

The Media and the

Kennedy assassination Medium: Web & CD-ROM

Time: Draft: Revision 9

VIDEO AUDIO

LINEUP #1 (OPENING)

§TE XT: COPYRIGHT

WARNING AND "NEXT"

BUTTON

(SILENT)

§TE XT: DISCLAIMER

(SILENT)

§TEXT: AUDIENCE

SUITABILITY

(SILENT)

§GRAPHIC: (FADE IN)

ROGER FEINMAN

(DISSOLVE TO:)

-GRAPHIC: CONFERENCE

PROGRAM MONTAGE

V.O.

NARRATION:

HELLO, MY NAME IS ROGER FEINMAN. THIS IS

THE WEB VERSION OF MY PRESENTATION TO A

CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., ON SUNDAY,

SEPTEMBER 19 , 2004. THE CONFERENCE WAS

CALLED "T HE WARREN REPORT AND ITS LEGACY."

IT MARKED THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

WARREN COMMISSION REPORT ON PRESIDENT

K ENNEDY's ASSASSINATION. MY TOPIC WAS

“CBS NEWS, ABC NEWS, AND THE LONE ASSASSIN

THEORY.” THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO PARTS.

I SINCERELY HOPE YOU WILL FIND THIS

PRESENTATION INFORMATIVE AND WORTHWHILE.

§ TEXT(SALANT QUOTE) (SILENT)

CBS-ABC Script Page 2

(-MORE-)

§VIDEO: CRONKITE SET

(ZOOM IN)

(FADE OUT/FADE IN)

-GRAPHIC: CBS NEWS

INQUIRY TITLE

V.O.

NARRATION:

IT WAS THE COSTLIEST TELEVISION

DOCUMENTARY OF ITS TIME. IT WAS SO BIG

THAT IT FILLED FOUR HOURS IN PRIME TIME ON

CONSECUTIVE EVENINGS. IT WAS SO

COMPLICATED THAT IT TOOK SEVEN MONTHS TO

PRODUCE. IN JUNE 1967, CBS NEWS JOINED

THE DEBATE OVER THE WARREN COMMISSION'S

REPORT ON PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S

ASSASSINATION. BUT WAS IT IMPARTIAL

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, OR DID IT

REFLECT FAVORS AMONG POWERFUL FRIENDS?

FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVIDENCE NEVER BEFORE

MADE PUBLIC PROVIDES THE ANSWER.

§GRAPHIC: MAIN TITLE

(FLY-DOWN/FADE OUT)

(MUSIC: CBS REPORTS THEME EXCERPTED FROM

“APPALACHIAN SPRING”)

LINEUP #2

§GRAPHIC: GOODMANSCHWERNER-

CHANEY

MEDIUM(APPEAR ONE-BYONE.

. . THEN QUICK

CUT TO)

-VIDEO: GOODMAN

SCHWERNER & CHANEY

CU(PAN LEFT-TO-RIGHT)

V.O.

NARRATION:

(MUSIC: GHOSTLY RUBATO UP AND UNDER)

JANUARY 2005. MORE THAN FORTY YEARS AFTER

THE MURDERS OF THREE CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS

IN NESHOBA COUNTY, MISSISSIPI, A SUSPECT

IS ARRESTED AND CHARGED. THE FORMER

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER

SAYS, "THE CASE IS JUST AS CURRENT NOW AS

IT WAS THE NIGHT THE MURDERS WERE

COMMITTED, LEGALLY AND MORALLY."

§GRAPHIC: TITLE:

"NEWSWORTHINESS"

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

CBS-ABC Script Page 3

(-MORE-)

§VIDEO: HEADLINES

SUPERED OVER JFK

(FADE IN AND DISSOLVE

TO NEXT)

V.O.

NARRATION:

THESE ARE HEADLINES FROM NEWS STORIES

WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS. WE

FREQUENTLY HEAR OF OLD MURDER CASES

REOPENED -- SOME EVEN PROSECUTED TO A

GUILTY VERDICT. BUT WHENEVER PRESIDENT

KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION IS BROUGHT UP,

SOME PEOPLE – INCLUDING THOSE IN THE NEWS

MEDIA – SAY, "IT'S NO LONGER NEWS," OR "IT

HAPPENED SUCH A LONG TIME AGO," OR "IT'S

TOO MESSY, TOO INCONCLUSIVE." RIDICULE AND

DERISION CONTINUE TO PLAGUE STUDENTS OF

THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION. THE MAINSTREAM

PRESS EITHER IGNORES THEM OR MARGINALIZES

THEM AS "CONSPIRACY THEORISTS" AND

"BUFFS". PERHAPS THAT’S BECAUSE THEY

FAILED IN THEIR WATCHDOG ROLE. INSTEAD OF

RAISING QUESTIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO

ANSWER, THE AMERICAN NEWS MEDIA TRIED TO

REASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT THE WARREN

COMMISSION GOT IT RIGHT – THAT LEE HARVEY

OSWALD ACTED ALONE WHEN HE ASSASSINATED

PRESIDENT KENNEDY.

(FADE OUT GHOSTLY RUBATO MUSIC)

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TWO PRIME EXAMPLES:

CBS AND ABC.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #3

INTRO: "THE POSTMAN

ALWAYS RINGS TWICE"

(MUSIC: GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

CBS-ABC Script Page 4

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

-GRAPHIC: ANOTHER

ROGER FEINMAN

V.O.

NARRATION:

FIRST, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW MY BIAS.

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW WHERE I STAND SO

THAT YOU CAN JUDGE FOR YOURSELVES HOW MUCH

WEIGHT YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE TO WHAT I'M

ABOUT TO TELL YOU. TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS

AGO, ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1976, I WAS FIRED BY

CBS NEWS FOR SENDING MEMOS TO ITS SENIOR

EXECUTIVES. I HAD WORKED AT CBS FOR

SEVERAL YEARS. IN THOSE MEMOS, SPREAD

OVER A NINE-MONTH PERIOD, I RAISED

QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER TWO MAJOR

DOCUMENTARIES ON THE WARREN REPORT

VIOLATED CBS'S OWN STANDARDS AND

PRACTICES. THE FIRST WAS BROADCAST IN

JUNE 1967; THE SECOND IN NOVEMBER 1975.

§GRAPHIC: THUMBNAILS

OF DECEMBER 1, 1975

MEMO TO RICHARD S.

SALANT

I STARTED BY WRITING TO THE PRESIDENT OF

CBS NEWS, RICHARD S. SALANT, ON DECEMBER

1, 1975.

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPTS

FROM DECEMBER 1, 1975

MEMO TO RICHARD S.

SALANT

IN THAT MEMO, I URGED SALANT TO APPOINT A

COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THOSE DOCUMENTARIES

FOR FAIRNESS AND ACCURACY. SALANT

DECLINED MY SUGGESTION AND AFFIRMED HIS

CONFIDENCE IN THE BROADCASTS.

§GRAPHIC: THUMBNAIL

OF AUGUST 18, 1976

LETTER TO BILL SMALL

I ENDED BY WRITING A LETTER TO THE SENIOR

VICE PRESIDENT OF CBS NEWS, BILL SMALL.

CBS-ABC Script Page 5

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPTS

FROM AUGUST 18, 1976

LETTER TO BILL SMALL

CUT TO:

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT

FROM AUGUST 18, 1976

LETTER TO BILL SMALL

V.O.

NARRATION:

HERE, I MOVED BEYOND RAISING QUESTIONS TO

PROTESTING WHAT I BELIEVED THEN AND STILL

BELIEVE WERE VIOLATIONS OF JOURNALISTIC

ETHICS IN THE CREATION OF THOSE

DOCUMENTARIES.

§GRAPHIC: WESTON

EXCERPT FROM AUGUST

18, 1976 LETTER TO

BILL SMALL

ONE OF MY COMPLAINTS CONCERNED DAN

RATHER'S INTERVIEW WITH DOCTOR JAMES

WESTON, A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST WHO WAS

ASKED BY CBS NEWS TO EXAMINE THE KENNEDY

AUTOPSY PHOTOGRAPHS AND X-RAYS IN THE

NATIONAL ARCHIVES. CBS HYPED THIS AS AN

INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION. THE VIEWING

AUDIENCE NEVER KNEW THAT, WHEN THE

INTERVIEW WAS TAPED, CBS PROVIDED DOCTOR

WESTON WITH VISUAL AIDS PREPARED BY A

UROLOGIST, DR. JOHN K. LATTIMER, WELLKNOWN

AS A LONGTIME DEFENDER OF THE WARREN

COMMISSION'S LONE ASSASSIN CONCLUSION.

§GRAPHIC:: EMERSON

STONE FILE MEMO

ALONG THE WAY, THE EXECUTIVES OF CBS NEWS

MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WANTED ME TO

LEAVE. THEIR ONLY HESITATION IN FIRING ME

WAS THAT I WAS COVERED BY A UNION

CONTRACT. THIS IS A FILE MEMO WRITTEN BY

MY BOSS, EMERSON STONE, WHO WAS THE VICE

PRESIDENT FOR RADIO NEWS.

(PAUSE)

CBS-ABC Script Page 6

(-MORE-)

V.O.

NARRATION:

I OBTAINED THIS MEMO FROM THE CBS LAW

DEPARTMENT DURING DISCOVERY PROCEEDINGS IN

LATER LITIGATION. YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE

MORE OF THOSE ITEMS AS WE GO ALONG.

§GRAPHIC: MEMO TO

ARTHUR TAYLOR

(CUT TO:)

FINALLY, AS THE END OF MY TIME AT CBS DREW

NEAR, I WENT OUTSIDE THE NEWS DIVISION.

ATTACHED TO THIS MEMO, I SENT A COPY OF MY

SMALL LETTER TO ARTHUR TAYLOR, WHO WAS AT

THAT TIME THE PRESIDENT OF CBS, INC., THE

PARENT CORPORATION.

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MEMO TO ARTHUR TAYLOR

NOTICE THAT I TOLD TAYLOR I WAS PREPARED

TO BACK UP MY ALLEGATIONS WITH PROOF.

DURING THOSE NINE MONTHS, I HAD PREPARED

TO DO EXACTLY THAT. SO NOW, I'M GOING TO

TAKE YOU BEYOND YOUR TV SCREEN, BEHIND THE

CAMERAS, AND THROUGH THE DOORS OF

EXECUTIVE OFFICES THAT YOU, THE VIEWING

AUDIENCE, NEVER GET TO SEE.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #4

INTRO: "IN THE

HIGHEST PUBLIC

INTEREST"

(MUSIC:GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

§GRAPHIC: MANNING TO

SALANT, AUGUST 12,

1966

(CUT TO:)

BY THE SUMMER OF 1966, SEVERAL BOOKS AND

MAGAZINE ARTICLES CHALLENGED THE WARREN

REPORT'S CONCLUSIONS AND THE ADEQUACY OF

ITS INVESTIGATION INTO PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S

MURDER. CONTROVERSY MUSHROOMED THROUGHOUT

THE WORLD.

CBS-ABC Script Page 7

(-MORE-)

(MANNING PHOTO

FLASHES)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

AUGUST 12, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

IN AUGUST, GORDON MANNING, THEN A CBS NEWS

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, RECEIVED A

SUGGESTION FROM BILL SMALL, THEN CHIEF OF

CBS'S WASHINGTON BUREAU, AND DANIEL

SCHORR, ONE OF CBS'S TOP WASHINGTON

CORRESPONDENTS. THEY PROPOSED A CBS NEWS

SPECIAL REPORT TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT

KENNEDY'S DEATH. HERE, MANNING RELAYS THE

IDEA TO THE PRESIDENT OF CBS NEWS, RICHARD

SALANT. SALANT REJECTED IT. BUT AS THE

CONTROVERSY INTENSIFIED, MANNING

PERSISTED.

§GRAPHIC: THUMBNAILS

OF MANNING TO SALANT,

OCTOBER 5, 1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPTS OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

OCTOBER 5, 1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPTS OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

OCTOBER 5, 1966

OCTOBER 5, 1966. MANNING PROPOSED A

TELEVISED DEBATE BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES

OF THE WARREN COMMISSION AND THEIR

CRITICS. IT WOULD BE CALLED "THE WARREN

REPORT: A JUDICIAL REVIEW." ALTHOUGH

MANNING'S PROPOSAL DID NOT INVOLVE ANY

JUDGES, THE DEBATE WOULD BE MODERATED BY

THE DEAN OF A PROMINENT LAW SCHOOL, OR

MAYBE THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN BAR

ASSOCIATION. MANNING SEEMS TO HAVE HAD AN

OPEN MIND ABOUT THE WARREN REPORT. BUT

HIS MEMO REFLECTED SKEPTICISM AT CBS ABOUT

GIVING THE PROMINENT CRITICS OF THE DAY A

PLATFORM. HE REFERS TO EARLIER CONTACTS

WITH JOHN J. MCCLOY, A FORMER MEMBER OF

THE WARREN COMMISSION, WHO REFUSED TO

DEBATE WITH CRITICS SUCH AS MARK LANE,

EDWARD JAY EPSTEIN, AND LEO SAUVAGE.

CBS-ABC Script Page 8

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: LIFE

MAGAZINE COVER

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: MANNING TO

SALANT, NOVEMBER 29,

1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPTS OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

NOVEMBER 29, 1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

NOVEMBER 29, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

LIFE MAGAZINE WAS VERY WIDELY READ AND

INFLUENTIAL DURING THAT ERA. IN LATE

NOVEMBER, LIFE PUBLISHED EXTENSIVE STILLS

FROM THE ZAPRUDER FILM, AND AN INTERVIEW

WITH TEXAS GOVERNOR JOHN CONNALLY, WHO WAS

RIDING IN PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S LIMOUSINE

WHEN HE WAS ASSASSINATED. CONNALLY

DISPUTED A KEY FINDING OF THE WARREN

COMMISSION, THAT HE AND KENNEDY WERE BOTH

WOUNDED BY A SINGLE BULLET. LIFE URGED

THAT THE ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION BE

REOPENED. ON NOVEMBER 29, MANNING AGAIN

PRESSES FOR A SPECIAL REPORT, TO BE CALLED

"THE TRIAL OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD." HERE, A

PANEL OF LAW SCHOOL DEANS WOULD EVALUATE

THE EVIDENCE IN A MOCK COURTROOM SETTING

---

--- INCLUDING EVIDENCE THAT THE WARREN

COMMISSION IGNORED. THE POINT TO REMEMBER

ABOUT MANNING'S CAMPAIGN FOR A CBS NEWS

SPECIAL: HE FAVORED GIVING SPOKESMEN FOR

BOTH SIDES OF THE DEBATE OVER THE WARREN

REPORT A CHANCE TO BE HEARD.

CBS-ABC Script Page 9

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: LESLIE

MIDGLEY

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY TO

SALANT, NOVEMBER 30,

1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY TO

SALANT, NOVEMBER 30,

1966, CONTINUES

V.O.

NARRATION:

NOW, MANNING IS JOINED BY AN EXECUTIVE

PRODUCER NAMED LESLIE MIDGLEY. IN 1964,

THE DAY THE WARREN REPORT WAS MADE PUBLIC,

MIDGLEY WAS IN CHARGE OF TRANSLATING IT

INTO A TWO-HOUR TELEVISION NEWS BROADCAST.

MIDGLEY NOW SUGGESTS, INSTEAD OF PUTTING

LEE HARVEY OSWALD ON TRIAL, THAT CBS PUT

"THE WARREN REPORT ON TRIAL" HERE, HE

SUBMITS AN OUTLINE FOR A MAJOR

INVESTIGATIVE REPORT TO CONSUME THREEHOURS,

POSSIBLY ONE HOUR ON THREE

CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS. ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS

WOULD BE DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO WITNESSES

WHOM THE WARREN COMMISSION EITHER

DISCOUNTED OR TOTALLY IGNORED. THE THIRD

NIGHT WOULD FEATURE A PANEL OF LAW SCHOOL

DEANS OR STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, WHO

WOULD GIVE THEIR VERDICT.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #5

INTRO: "SLEEPLESS,

UNEASY THOUGHTS"

(MUSIC:GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

CBS-ABC Script Page 10

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: SALANT TO

SCHNEIDER, DECEMBER

1, 1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT

FROM SALANT TO

SCHNEIDER, DECEMBER

1, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

THE POWER TO DEVOTE TIME ON THE AIR FOR A

CBS NEWS SPECIAL REPORT DID NOT REST WITH

SALANT. CBS PRESIDENT FRANK STANTON MADE

THOSE DECISIONS, WITH THE CONSENT OF

CHAIRMAN WILLIAM S. PALEY. THE NEXT DAY,

SALANT PROPOSES THE PROJECT TO THE

PRESIDENT OF THE CBS BROADCAST GROUP, JOHN

SCHNEIDER. HE SAYS HE MAY ALSO ASK

PERMISSION FROM THE "C-N-E-C" FOR CBS NEWS

TO STATE ITS OWN CONCLUSIONS. "C-N-E-C"

STOOD FOR "CBS NEWS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE."

LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE WORKINGS OF THIS

COMMITTEE, BUT ITS EXISTENCE, AND SALANT'S

ROLE IN IT, INDICATE HOW CBS NEWS WAS

MANAGED. TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

TO THE MANNING-MIDGLEY IDEA OF AN EVENHANDED,

TWO-SIDED DEBATE OVER THE

ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY, WE

NEED TO PUT SALANT’S MEMO INTO CONTEXT.

§GRAPHIC: PHOTO OF

SALANT

WHO WAS RICHARD S. SALANT? A SON OF

PRIVILEGE AND A PRODUCT OF EXETER ACADEMY,

HARVARD COLLEGE, AND HARVARD LAW SCHOOL,

SALANT WAS A VERY BRIGHT LAWYER WITH A

SARDONIC AND OFTEN SCATHING WIT. IN 1952,

STANTON HAD RECRUITED HIM TO LEAVE PRIVATE

PRACTICE AND JOIN CBS AS A VICE-PRESIDENT

AND GENERAL EXECUTIVE, FOCUSING ON

LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 11

(-MORE-)

V.O.

NARRATION:

SALANT BECAME STANTON'S PROTEGE, RIGHTHAND

MAN, AND CLOSE FRIEND.

(PHOTO OF STANTON

APPEARS)

(SUPER NAME CAPTIONS)

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: MURROW

(SUPER: “EDWARD R.

MURROW”)

STANTON, THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING

OFFICER OF CBS, WAS SECOND IN AUTHORITY

ONLY TO ITS FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, BILL

PALEY. HE WAS ALSO A CLOSE FRIEND AND

CONFIDANT OF PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON, WHO

OWNED CBS-AFFILIATED RADIO AND TELEVISION

STATIONS IN TEXAS. JOHNSON REPORTEDLY

ONCE OFFERED STANTON A POST IN HIS

CABINET.

IN DECEMBER 1960, EDWARD R. MURROW'S ERA

AS THE STAR AND PUBLIC SYMBOL OF CBS NEWS

RAPIDLY NEARED ITS END. SALANT WAS

INSTRUMENTAL IN FORMING A MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE CALLED THE CBS NEWS EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE (C-N-E-C), WHICH HE INITIALLY

CHAIRED. IT INCLUDED PALEY, STANTON,

SCHNEIDER, AND SIG MICKELSON, THE

PRESIDENT OF CBS NEWS (WHOM SALANT WOULD

SOON REPLACE).

CBS-ABC Script Page 12

(-MORE-)

-GRAPHIC: MURROW

FIRST (MCCARTHY

BROADCAST)

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: PHOTO

MONTAGE: SALANT,

STANTON, PALEY

(SUPER CAPTION PALEY)

V.O.

NARRATION:

THIS COMMITTEE TOOK CHARGE NOT ONLY OF

POLICY-MAKING FOR, BUT ALSO THE OPERATIONS

OF CBS NEWS. IT WAS A RESPONSE TO THE

VARIOUS CONTROVERSIES IN WHICH MURROW HAD

CONTINUED TO EMBROIL THE COMPANY LONG

AFTER HIS CONFRONTATION WITH SENATOR

JOSEPH MCCARTHY.

AS PALEY ONCE FAMOUSLY SAID TO MURROW AND

HIS PARTNER, FRED FRIENDLY, "I DON'T WANT

THIS CONSTANT STOMACH ACHE EVERY TIME YOU

DO A CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT."

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF C-N-E-C EFFECTIVELY

CURTAILED THE NEWS DIVISION’S

INDEPENDENCE. A SHORT TIME LATER, SALANT

BECAME PRESIDENT OF CBS NEWS. ALTHOUGH HE

QUICKLY ASSUMED THE MANTLE OF A

JOURNALIST, HE HAD NO JOURNALISM

BACKGROUND, EDUCATION, OR EXPERIENCE.

SALANT FREQUENTLY TOUTED THE AUTONOMY,

INDEPENDENCE AND SEPARATION OF CBS NEWS

FROM THE PARENT CORPORATION. IN FACT, AS

SALANT WOULD LATER WRITE IN HIS MEMOIRS,

AS PRESIDENT OF CBS NEWS HE HAD ALMOST

DAILY PERSONAL GIVE-AND-TAKE WITH STANTON.

CBS-ABC Script Page 13

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

-GRAPHIC: ANOTHER

ROGER FEINMAN

V.O.

NARRATION:

HE FREQUENTLY EXERCISED EDITORIAL

SUPERVISION OVER CBS NEWS BROADCASTS.

WHAT IS CURIOUSLY ABSENT FROM HIS MEMOIRS

AND PUBLIC PAPERS IS ANY EVIDENCE OF

EITHER HIS EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OR HIS

LIASON BETWEEN THE NEWS DIVISION AND THE

C-N-E-C. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY IMPORTANT

GAP IN HIS PAPERS. NOT ONLY ARE HIS

PUBLIC PAPERS COMPLETELY DEVOID OF THE

MATERIAL YOU SEE HERE, BUT HIS MEMOIRS ARE

COMPLETELY SILENT ABOUT THESE WARREN

REPORT DOCUMENTARIES. IN THE DOZENS OF

BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THE

HISTORY OF CBS, VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN SAID

ABOUT C-N-E-C. REGARDLESS, ITS VERY

PURPOSE AND EXISTENCE BELIED SALANT'S

FREQUENT PUBLIC ASSERTIONS OF CBS NEWS'S

INDEPENDENCE FROM CORPORATE INFLUENCE.

CBS-ABC Script Page 14

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY &

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 1, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

EXCITED ABOUT SALANT'S PROPOSAL TO SENIOR

CORPORATE MANAGEMENT, MANNING AND MIDGLEY

IMMEDIATELY OUTLINE THEIR VISION FOR THE

THREE-NIGHT SPECIAL REPORT, "THE WARREN

REPORT ON TRIAL."

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPT

FROM MIDGLEY &

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 1, 1966

IN A COURTROOM SETTING, THE PROSECUTION

WILL PRESENT ITS CASE THE FIRST NIGHT,

FOLLOWED BY THE DEFENSE. THEN, BOTH SIDES

WILL SUM UP TO A PANEL OF LAW SCHOOL

DEANS, WHO WILL RETIRE TO CONSIDER THEIR

VERDICT.

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPT

FROM MIDGLEY &

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 1, 1966

(SILENT)

§GRAPHIC: SALANT TO

MANNING, DECEMBER 2,

1966

THE NEXT DAY, HOWEVER – THE DAY AFTER

SENDING THE PROPOSAL TO CBS CORPORATE

MANAGEMENT – SALANT TELLS MANNING HE IS

HAVING UNEASY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TRIAL

FORMAT. MANNING ADVISES MIDGLEY THAT

SALANT'S ENTHUSIASM FOR THE TWO-SIDED

PRESENTATION IS WANING.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #6

INTRO: "IN DEFENSE OF

THE WARREN REPORT"

(MUSIC:GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

CBS-ABC Script Page 15

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MANNING TO

SALANT, DECEMBER 30,

1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

LATER THAT MONTH, SALANT SENDS MANNING AND

MIDGLEY TO CALIFORNIA TO MEET WITH TWO

PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

MANNING'S REPORT ON THE TRIP IS A HASTILY

COMPOSED MEMO WITH NUMEROUS HANDWRITTEN

INSERTIONS. IT MARKS AN IMPORTANT TURNING

POINT IN THE WORK CBS NEWS DID ON THE

KENNEDY ASSASSINATION. ONE OF THE TWO

LAWYERS IS EDWIN HUDDLESON, A PARTNER IN

THE SAN FRANCISCO LAW FIRM OF COOLEY,

GODWARD, CASTRO AND HUDDLESON. HE WAS

RICHARD SALANT'S LAW SCHOOL CLASSMATE AT

HARVARD. HUDDLESON IS A MEMBER OF THE

BOARD OF THE RAND CORPORATION, WHILE CBS

PRESIDENT FRANK STANTON SERVES AS ITS

CHAIRMAN. IT IS HUDDLESON WHO BRINGS THE

NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING PHYSICIST LUIS ALVAREZ

TO STANTON AT CBS WITH AN IDEA ABOUT HOW

TO PROVE THE WARREN COMMISSION CORRECT BY

ANALYZING JIGGLES IN THE ZAPRUDER FILM.

THE OTHER LAWYER IS BAYLESS MANNING, DEAN

OF THE LAW SCHOOL AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 30, 1966

BOTH HUDDLESON AND MANNING TELL THE CBS

EXECUTIVES THEY ARE AGAINST CBS

UNDERTAKING A MAJOR REVIEW OF THE WARREN

REPORT. THEY CITE "THE NATIONAL INTEREST"

AND "POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS" AS PART OF

THEIR REASONING.

CBS-ABC Script Page 16

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 30, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

BAYLESS MANNING SUGGESTS THAT CBS IGNORE

THE CRITICS, OR AT THE MOST CONVENE A

PANEL TO REVIEW AND CRITICIZE THEIR BOOKS.

ACCORDING TO GORDON MANNING OF CBS, BOTH

LAWYERS TAKE THE SIDE OF THE WARREN REPORT

AND THE ESTABLISHMENT. LET THE MATTER

REST, THEY ADVISE.

CBS-ABC Script Page 17

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 30, 1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 30, 1966

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXCERPT OF

MANNING TO SALANT,

DECEMBER 30, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

CLEARLY SENSING THAT THE WIND HAS SHIFTED

AGAINST HIM, GORDON MANNING, FOR FIVE

MONTHS THE LEADING PROPONENT OF A

TELEVISED DEBATE, NOW DOES AN ABOUT-FACE.

HE PROPOSES CHANGING THE PROJECT TO "IN

DEFENSE OF THE WARREN REPORT," AND

PRESENTING MORE CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF ITS

LONE ASSASSIN CONCLUSION. CBS WOULD

DISMISS WHAT HE NOW CALLS "THE INANE,

IRRESPONSIBLE, AND HARE-BRAINED CHALLENGES

OF MARK LANE AND OTHERS OF THAT STRIPE."

HE INDICATES THAT MIDGLEY DOES NOT AGREE

WITH THIS OBVIOUSLY DRAMATIC REVISION OF

THEIR PREVIOUS PLAN. IN A MARGINAL

NOTATION, MANNING TELLS MIDGLEY HE IS FREE

TO EXPRESS HIS DISAGREEMENT, BUT MANNING

HAS LEFT MIDGLEY OUT ON A LIMB BY

HIMSELF.

BY THIS TIME, HOWEVER, ANOTHER INFLUENCE

HAS POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTED TO MANNING'S

TURNAROUND. SALANT HAS INVITED A NEW

PLAYER TO JOIN CBS NEWS'S PREPARATION OF

THE WARREN REPORT BROADCASTS AS A SECRET

COLLABORATOR. HIS CLANDESTINE, BEHINDTHE-

SCENES ROLE BRINGS THE INDEPENDENCE

AND OBJECTIVITY OF THE CBS EFFORT INTO

SERIOUS QUESTION.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #7

INTRO: "THE

DIPLOMATIC POUCH"

(MUSIC:GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

CBS-ABC Script Page 18

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY

DISCUSSION MEMO,

DECEMBER 14, 1966

V.O.

NARRATION:

THIS IS A DISCUSSION MEMO WRITTEN BY

LESLIE MIDGLEY ON DECEMBER 14, 1966. IN

IT, HE EXPLAINS HOW HE INTENDS TO APPROACH

THE JOB OF PRODUCING THE CBS SPECIALS ON

THE WARREN REPORT. ONCE AGAIN, HE ARGUES

FOR THE INCLUSION OF "AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE

CAN FIND WHOSE TESTIMONY IS PERTINENT, AND

WHO WERE DISCOUNTED OR NOT EVEN HEARD BY

THE COMMISSION."

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY

DISCUSSION MEMO,

DECEMBER 14, 1966,

PAGE 5

MIDGLEY WANTS TO CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS THAT

ARE "MORE SCIENTIFIC" THAN "THE RIDICULOUS

ONES RUN BY THE FBI." AND THE CRITICS

HAVE CONVINCED HIM THAT THE ORGANIZATION

AND OPERATION OF THE WARREN COMMISSION WAS

"ALMOST INCREDIBLY INADEQUATE." AT THIS

POINT, MIDGLEY IS STILL PUSHING FOR A MOCK

TRIAL OF THE WARREN REPORT.

§GRAPHIC: MCCLOY

RESPONSE

(SUPER ENLARGEMENT OF

MCCLOY RESPONSE

HEADER)

(PHOTO OF MCCLOY)

SOON, SALANT CIRCULATES TO HIS COLLEAGUES

AN ANONYMOUS, PARAGRAPH-BY-PARAGRAPH

REBUTTAL TO MIDGLEY'S BROADSIDE. ALTHOUGH

UNDATED AND UNSIGNED, IT COMES FROM FORMER

WARREN COMMISSION MEMBER JOHN J. MCCLOY.

THE DOCUMENT CONTAINS A HANDWRITTEN

ANNOTATION BY MCCLOY'S DAUGHTER, ELLEN.

SHE WORKS FOR RICHARD SALANT AS HIS

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AT CBS NEWS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 19

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MCCLOY

RESPONSE PAGE 3

V.O.

NARRATION:

MCCLOY IS OFFENDED BY MIDGLEY’S

DESCRIPTION OF THE WARREN COMMISSION’S

ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION AS “INCREDIBLY

INADEQUATE.” HE CHASTISES MIDGLEY FOR

ACCEPTING A CRITIQUE BY EDWARD JAY

EPSTEIN. AND HE ADDS, “THE CHIEF EVIDENCE

THAT OSWALD ACTED ALONE AND SHOT ALONE IS

NOT TO BE FOUND IN THE BALLISTICS AND

PATHOLOGY OF THE ASSASSINATION, BUT IN THE

FACT OF HIS LONER LIFE.”

§GRAPHICS:MEMOS

COPIED TO MCCLOY

(FADE IN AND DISSOLVE

TO NEXT)

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: SALANT TO

MIDGLEY APRIL 26,

1967 W/PHOTO OF LBJ &

MCCLOY

BEGINNING IN MID-DECEMBER 1966, MCCLOY'S

DAUGHTER WILL BE ON THE DISTRIBUTION LISTS

OF MOST OF THE EXECUTIVE MEMOS, SCRIPT

OUTLINES, AND DRAFT SCRIPTS RELATED TO THE

WARREN REPORT SERIES. SHE WILL TAKE THEM

TO HER FATHER AND RELAY HIS COMMENTS BACK

TO THE EXECUTIVE SUITES. THIS

COLLABORATION IS INTERRUPTED ONLY WHEN

MCCLOY TRAVELS ABROAD FROM FEBRUARY UNTIL

LATE APRIL 1967. PRESIDENT JOHNSON ASKS

HIM TO NEGOTIATE A FOREIGN EXCHANGE OFFSET

PROBLEM INVOLVED IN MAINTAINING BRITISH

AND AMERICAN TROOPS IN WEST GERMANY.

§GRAPHICS:MORE MEMOS

COPIED TO MCCLOY

(FADE IN AND DISSOLVE

TO NEXT)

HERE SALANT ASKS MIDGLEY: “IS THE QUESTION

WHETHER OSWALD WAS A CIA OR FBI INFORMANT

REALLY SO SUBSTANTIAL THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL

WITH IT?” MIDGLEY ANSWERS: “YES, WE MUST

TREAT IT.”

CBS-ABC Script Page 20

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: SALANT TO

MIDGLEY MAY 15, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

NO CRITIC OF THE WARREN REPORT IS GIVEN

SIMILAR ACCESS TO CBS NEWS INTERNAL

WORKING PAPERS. LOWER-LEVEL ASSOCIATE

PRODUCERS REMAIN UNAWARE OF THE SECRET

COLLABORATION, WHICH ALMOST CERTAINLY

VIOLATED CBS NEWS POLICIES.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #8

INTRO: "NOT A BRIBE .

. . JUST A GIFT"

(MUSIC:GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

§GRAPHIC: FEINMAN TO

MCCLOY MARCH 11, 1977

-GRAPHIC: MCCLOY TO

FEINMAN MARCH 31,

1977

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

MCCLOY TO FEINMAN

MARCH 31, 1977

V.O.

NARRATION:

IN MARCH 1977, I WROTE TO MCCLOY ASKING

FOR AN INTERVIEW ABOUT HIS BEHIND-THESCENES

RELATIONSHIP WITH CBS IN 1967.

MCCLOY DECLINED TO BE INTERVIEWED,

CLAIMING HE COULD NOT RECALL GIVING CBS

ANY ADVICE ON THE PREPARATION OF THEIR

SCRIPT.

§GRAPHIC: FEINMAN TO

MCCLOY APRIL 4, 1977

ANXIOUS TO MAKE A RECORD THAT I HAD GIVEN

MCCLOY A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN, I

WROTE HIM AGAIN, THIS TIME LAYING OUT THE

DETAILS I HAD LEARNED.

§GRAPHIC: MCCLOY TO

SALANT APRIL 5, 1977

THE NEXT DAY, MCCLOY WROTE TO SALANT AT

CBS NEWS. THIS IS ANOTHER DOCUMENT I

OBTAINED FROM THE CBS LAW DEPARTMENT. THE

HANDWRITING IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER

IS SALANT’S. HE IS INSTRUCTING LES

MIDGLEY TO PULL HIS FILES AND DETERMINE IF

THEY HOLD ANY EVIDENCE OF THE SECRET

COLLABORATION.

CBS-ABC Script Page 21

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

MCCLOY TO SALANT

APRIL 5, 1977

V.O.

NARRATION:

MCCLOY DENIES THAT HE WAS EVER GIVEN OR

SAW CBS MEMORANDA OR DRAFTS RELATING TO

THE ASSASSINATION, BUT HE SUGGESTS THAT

SALANT LOOK OVER WHATEVER RECORDS HE HAS.

§GRAPHIC: SALANT TO

MCCLOY APRIL 11, 1977

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: (EXTRACT OF

SALANT TO MCCLOY

APRIL 11, 1977)

ANOTHER DOCUMENT PROVIDED BY THE CBS LAW

DEPARTMENT. APRIL 11, 1977, SALANT

REPLIES . . .

STATING EMPHATICALLY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY

THAT AT NO TIME DID ELLEN MCCLOY EVER

SERVE AS A LIASON OR CONDUIT BETWEEN HER

FATHER AND CBS NEWS.

§GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

SALANT TO MCCLOY

APRIL 11, 1977

(SILENT)

§GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

SALANT TO MCCLOY

APRIL 11, 1977

(SILENT)

§GRAPHICS:

HANDWRITTEN NOTES

(FADE IN AND DISSOLVE

TO NEXT)

V.O.

NARRATION:

MCCLOY DIED IN 1990. BUT IN 1992, A

REPORTER FOR THE VILLAGE VOICE CONFRONTED

BOTH SALANT AND ELLEN MCCLOY WITH COPIES

OF THE DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE SEEN AND THESE

NOTES IN HER HANDWRITING. MISS MCCLOY

ADMITTED ACTING AS A CONDUIT. SALANT,

WHILE NOT DISPUTING AN ARRANGEMENT HE HAD

ONCE VEHEMENTLY DENIED, NOW CLAIMED THERE

WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT IT.

CBS-ABC Script Page 22

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: HANDWRITTEN

NOTE

V.O.

NARRATION:

BUT THIS NOTE, FROM ELLEN MCCLOY TO LES

MIDGLEY, IMPLIES AT THE VERY LEAST THAT

JOHN J. MCCLOY FELT UNUSUALLY COMFORTABLE

IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVES OF

CBS NEWS EVEN AS THEY PREPARED A

PURPORTEDLY INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE

REPORT ABOUT THE WARREN COMMISSION. THE

REFERENCE TO “LUCI’S BABY” PERTAINS TO

LUCI JOHNSON NUGENT, PRESIDENT JOHNSON’S

DAUGHTER.

§GRAPHIC: FURNESS

(FURNESS AS

WESTINGHOUSE GIRL)

-GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY &

FURNESS

WHILE PRODUCING THE 1967 SERIES ON THE

WARREN REPORT, LESLIE MIDGLEY BECAME

ENGAGED TO MARRY BETTY FURNESS, THE FORMER

ACTRESS AND TELEVISION COMMERCIAL

SPOKESWOMAN. LYNDON JOHNSON THEN APPOINTED

FURNESS HIS SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR CONSUMER

AFFAIRS. HER MAIN QUALIFICATION FOR THE

JOB SEEMED TO BE ELEVEN YEARS OF SELLING

WESTINGHOUSE APPLIANCES ON TV. SHE WAS

SWORN IN ON APRIL 27, 1967, LESS THAN TWO

MONTHS BEFORE THE WARREN REPORT SERIES WAS

BROADCAST. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE WARREN

REPORT SERIES AIRED, MIDGLEY AND FURNESS

WERE MARRIED. AT THE SAME TIME, MIDGLEY

WAS PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF THE

CBS EVENING NEWS WITH WALTER CRONKITE,

MAKING HIM THE NUMBER ONE EDITOR AT CBS

NEWS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 23

(-MORE-)

§BUMPER: LINEUP #9

(INTRO: "DESIGNED TO

RATHER LOOSE

STANDARDS")

-GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

V.O.

NARRATION:

WE HAVE SEEN HOW THE 1967 CBS SERIES ON

THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION TOOK FLIGHT, AND

HOW IT VEERED OFF COURSE FROM AN EVENHANDED

DEBATE TO A DEFENSE OF THE WARREN

REPORT, AIDED SECRETLY BY A MEMBER OF THE

COMMISSION. BUT HOW DID THESE

DEVELOPMENTS AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF WHAT

THE VIEWING AUDIENCE FINALLY SAW OR NEVER

GOT THE CHANCE TO SEE? WHILE IT’S

IMPOSSIBLE IN THIS FORMAT TO EXAMINE EVERY

ASPECT OF THE BROADCASTS, HERE ARE A FEW

EXAMPLES OF SUPPRESSION AND DISTORTION.

§GRAPHIC: VIEW FROM

TSBD SIXTH-FLOOR

WINDOW

LIKE THE WARREN COMMISSION, CBS’S THEORY

CALLED FOR NO MORE THAN THREE SHOTS FIRED

DURING THE ASSASSINATION. BUT CBS HAD TO

FACE THE SAME PROBLEM OF TIMING THAT VEXED

THE COMMISSION. THE FBI AND SECRET

SERVICE HAD DETERMINED IN THEIR ON-SITE

RECONSTRUCTIONS THAT AN OAK TREE PARTIALLY

BLOCKED THE PRESIDENT FROM THE VIEW OF AN

ASSASSIN LURKING IN THE SIXTH FLOOR WINDOW

FROM ZAPRUDER FRAME 166 UNTIL FRAME 209,

EXCEPT PERHAPS FOR A SINGLE FRAME AT Z-186

WHEN THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN OPENING IN THE

FOLIAGE. EVEN THE WARREN COMMISSION

REJECTED THE IDEA OF A SHOT THROUGH THE

TREE.

CBS-ABC Script Page 24

(-MORE-)

-GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

V.O.

NARRATION:

THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME TO REACT, AND THE

ASSASSIN WAS ABOUT TO ENJOY AN

UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW ONCE THE PRESIDENT

EMERGED FROM UNDER THE TREE AT FRAME 210.

THE COMMISSION ALSO COULDN'T SWALLOW THE

IDEA THAT A SHOT AT SUCH CLOSE RANGE WOULD

HAVE COMPLETELY MISSED THE LIMOUSINE, AND

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD

PENETRATED THE TREE. WITH THE ZAPRUDER

FILM SERVING AS A CLOCK STARTING WITH A

FIRST SHOT AT FRAME 210, THAT LEFT A

WINDOW OF 103 FRAMES BEFORE THE OBVIOUSLY

FATAL WOUNDING OF KENNEDY.

HOW COULD ONE MAN HAVE CAUSED ALL THE

WOUNDS TO BOTH KENNEDY AND GOVERNOR JOHN

CONNALLY IN JUST 5.6 SECONDS? IN ITS

BROADCASTS, CBS GAVE TWO ANSWERS INTENDED

TO EXPAND THE TIME FRAME OF THE

ASSASSINATION: OSWALD HAD INDEED FIRED THE

FIRST SHOT THROUGH THE TREE AND MISSED.

ALSO, ZAPRUDER’S CAMERA WAS RUNNING SLOWER

THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. TOGETHER, THESE

THEORIES ALLOWED MORE TIME FOR THREE

SHOTS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 25

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY TO

SALANT FEBRUARY 23,

1967

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

MIDGLEY TO SALANT

FEBRUARY 23, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

CBS NEWS HIRED PHOTOANALYST CHARLES

WYCKOFF TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE JIGGLE

ANALYSIS OF THE ZAPRUDER FILM FIRST

PROPOSED BY DR. LUIS ALVAREZ. AS

BROADCAST BY CBS, DAN RATHER’S INTERVIEW

WITH WYCKOFF SUGGESTED THAT HE HAD FOUND

THREE “EVENTS” – JERKY MOTIONS IN THE FILM

– INDICATING THAT ZAPRUDER HAD BEEN

STARTLED AT THREE POINTS, PRESUMABLY BY

THREE RIFLE SHOTS. BUT AS THIS MEMO FROM

MIDGLEY TO SALANT AND DAN RATHER’S UNCUT

INTERVIEW WITH WYCKOFF BOTH SHOW, CBS WAS

AWARE THAT HE HAD ACTUALLY DISCOVERED FOUR

DISTURBANCES. ONE OF THE FOUR, HE

APPARENTLY DECIDED, WAS DUE TO THE SOUND

OF A SIREN. HOW WYCKOFF DISTINGUISHED

BETWEEN THE SOUNDS OF RIFLE FIRE AND A

SIREN ON AN EIGHT-MILLIMETER SILENT FILM

IS AN ELUSIVE QUESTION, BUT IT GAVE CBS NO

PAUSE WHATSOEVER. WHEN THE SHOW AIRED,

THE NUMBER OF BLURS WAS WHITTLED DOWN TO

JUST THREE. IN FACT, THE ZAPRUDER FILM

CONTAINS SEVERAL MORE JIGGLES.

CBS-ABC Script Page 26

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: SALANT TO

MIDGLEY MAY 15, 1967

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

SALANT TO MIDGLEY MAY

15, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

CBS WAS NOT PERMITTED TO TEST THE ACTUAL

ZAPRUDER MOVIE CAMERA. BOTH THE FBI AND

BELL & HOWELL, THE CAMERA’S MANUFACTURER,

TESTED ITS SPEED AT 18.3 FRAMES PER

SECOND. CBS CONCLUDED ON THE BASIS OF

TESTING SIMILAR CAMERAS THAT ZAPRUDER’S

MUST HAVE BEEN RUNNING SLOWER. BUT THIS

CONCLUSION WAS BELIED BY RICHARD SALANT’S

OWN ANALYSIS THAT THE CBS TESTS WERE

LOGICALLY INCONCLUSIVE AND UNPERSUASIVE.

§GRAPHIC: DIAGRAM OF

TAGUE POSITION

(TIMED OVERLAY OF

CURBSTONE PHOTO)

ANOTHER TACTIC USED BY CBS TO BOLSTER THE

LONE ASSASSIN THEORY WAS TO TOTALLY IGNORE

THE WOUNDING OF JAMES TAGUE, A SPECTATOR

STANDING NEAR THE TRIPLE OVERPASS, 535

FEET FROM THE SO-CALLED “OSWALD WINDOW.”

TAGUE’S FACE WAS CUT BY THE RICOCHET OF A

MISSILE THAT STRUCK A CURBSTONE NEARBY.

THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS INCIDENT

ANYWHERE IN THE TRANSCRIPTS OF THE FOUR

ONE-HOUR BROADCASTS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 27

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: H.P. WHITE

BEL AIR MOCK UP

V.O.

NARRATION:

CBS WAS NOT PERMITTED TO TEST THE

MANNLICHER-CARCANO RIFLE THAT THE

GOVERNMENT ALLEGES OSWALD USED TO

ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT. TO PROVE THAT

HE COULD HAVE FIRED THREE SHOTS WITHIN THE

TIME FRAME ALLOWED BY THE WARREN

COMMISSION, CBS OBTAINED ITS OWN

MANNLICHER-CARCANO AND SIMILAR AMMUNITION.

THEY BUILT A FIRING RANGE WITH MOVING

TARGETS TO SIMULATE THE GEOMETRY OF DEALEY

PLAZA, EXCEPT THAT THE TRACK WAS STRAIGHT,

NOT CURVED LIKE ELM STREET. THE TARGETS,

SIMILAR TO STANDARD FBI TARGETS, FEATURED

OVERSIZE ORANGE SILHOUETTES ON A FOUR-BYFOUR-

FOOT BLUE BACKGROUND. THEN THEY

HIRED ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SHARPSHOOTERS

OF THE DAY, RETIRED ARMY COLONEL EDWARD B.

CROSSMAN. CROSSMAN WAS THE AUTHOR OF MANY

BOOKS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES FOR GUN

ENTHUSIASTS, WRITING UNDER THE PEN NAME

“COLONEL JIM CROSSMAN.”

§GRAPHIC: LISTER TO

MIDGLEY FEBRUARY 3,

1967

CBS ALLOWED CROSSMAN A FULL WEEK TO

FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF WITH ITS COPY OF THE

MANNLICHER-CARCANO. THEN, AT THE END OF

JANUARY 1967, THEY GAVE HIM SIX CHANCES TO

DUPLICATE OSWALD’S ALLEGED FEAT. THIS

MEMO REPORTED THE RESULTS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 28

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: (EXTRACT OF

LISTER TO MIDGLEY

FEBRUARY 3, 1967)

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

LISTER TO MIDGLEY

FEBRUARY 3, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

CROSSMAN FAILED TO BREAK SIX-AND-ONEQUARTER

SECONDS. HE SCORED TWO OUT OF

THREE HITS IN ONLY ONE-HALF OF HIS

ATTEMPTS.

THE MEMO DESCRIBES CROSSMAN’S DIFFICULTY

WITH THE STICKY BOLT ACTION OF THE RIFLE.

CROSSMAN ALSO HAD TO COMPENSATE FOR A

FAULTY SCOPE. (THE FBI HAD FOUND IT

NECESSARY TO ALTER THE MOUNTING OF THE

SCOPE ON THE ALLEGED ASSASSINATION

WEAPON.)

§TEXT: RATHER

INTERVIEWS CROSSMAN

(CUT TO:)

-TEXT: RATHER

INTERVIEW CROSSMAN

DAN RATHER INTERVIEWED CROSSMAN ON FILM

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE TEST. CROSSMAN

DESCRIBED THE RIFLE AS “NOT VERY

ACCURATE.” HITTING THE TARGET WITH TWO

OUT OF THREE SHOTS, HE SAID, WOULD REQUIRE

A LARGE ELEMENT OF LUCK. CBS COMPLETELY

DISCARDED THE CROSSMAN TEST AND HIS

INTERVIEW, AND MADE NO MENTION OF THEM ON

THE AIR.

§GRAPHIC: MARKSMEN

TEST RESULTS

IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO PROVE THE LONE

ASSASSIN THEORY, CBS ASSEMBLED ELEVEN

EXPERT MARKSMEN. AFTER GIVING THEM AMPLE

TIME TO PRACTICE WITH THE RIFLE AT AN

INDOOR RIFLE RANGE, CBS FILMED THEM AT ITS

OUTDOOR MOCK-UP OF DEALEY PLAZA.

CBS-ABC Script Page 29

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHICS: INDIVIDUAL

MARKSMAN TEST RESULTS

(FADE IN AND DISSOLVE

TO NEXT)

V.O.

NARRATION:

TIME WAS RECORDED IN ONLY 20 OUT OF 37

ATTEMPTS TO FIRE THREE SHOTS AT THE MOVING

TARGET. IN THE OTHER 17 ATTEMPTS, EITHER A

BULLET JAMMED DURING THE BOLT-CYCLING

PROCESS, RESULTING IN NO TIME, OR THE

STICKY BOLT SLOWED THE RIFLEMAN SO MUCH

THAT THE TARGET COMPLETED ITS RUN BEFORE

HE COULD GET OFF HIS THIRD SHOT.

§GRAPHIC: DONAHUE

TEST RESULT

ONLY THREE OF THE ELEVEN MARKSMEN WERE

ABLE TO SCORE AT LEAST TWO HITS IN LESS

THAN 5.6 SECONDS. HOWARD DONAHUE SCORED

THE BEST ON HIS THIRD TRY, BUT ONLY AFTER

HIS FIRST TWO ATTEMPTS FAILED COMPLETELY.

§GRAPHIC: RIFLE TEST

CONCLUSION

ALTHOUGH CBS CLAIMED AN AVERAGE RECORDED

TIME OF 5.6 SECONDS, THEY FAILED TO TELL

VIEWERS THAT THOSE 20 RESULTS AVERAGED

ONLY 1.2 OUT OF THREE HITS. STILL, CBS

PROVED THAT IT WAS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE FOR

THREE OUT OF A DOZEN EXPERT MARKSMEN TO

OPERATE A RIFLE SIMILAR TO THE

ASSASSINATION WEAPON WITHIN THE

COMMISSION’S TIME FRAME.

CBS-ABC Script Page 30

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MANNLICHERCARCANO

RIFLE

-VIDEO: ZOOM RIFLE

§GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

V.O.

NARRATION:

WHAT IS STRIKING ABOUT THE CBS RIFLE TESTS

IS NOT THE ACTUAL RESULTS, BUT HOW MANY

TIMES ITS MARKSMEN FAILED TO GET RESULTS;

BECAUSE, ANYTIME THE RIFLE WAS LOADED WITH

LIVE AMMUNITION, THE BOLT ACTION JAMMED

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. SOME OF THE RIFLEMEN

HAD TO TAKE THE RIFLE OFF THEIR SHOULDERS

BETWEEN SHOTS TO GET BETTER LEVERAGE ON

THE BOLT. THEN THE PROBLEM BECAME

REACQUIRING THE TARGET THROUGH THE SCOPE,

TRACKING IT, AND SQUEEZING OFF A SHOT.

USING IT IN THIS ASSASSINATION WOULD HAVE

REQUIRED AN EXPERT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH (AND

PRACTICED ENOUGH) TO COMPENSATE FOR ITS

STICKY BOLT ACTION AND FAULTY SCOPE. AS

CROSSMAN SAID, AN EXPERT USING THIS WEAPON

HAD A REASONABLE CHANCE AT HITTING

SOMETHING – NOT NECESSARILY PLACING HIS

SHOTS PRECISELY WHERE HE WANTED; SOMEONE

WITH OSWALD'S ABILITY USING THIS WEAPON

WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE A VERY LUCKY DAY.

EVEN IF HE WAS A HIGHLY SKILLED MARKSMAN,

THE WARREN REPORT OFFERED NO EVIDENCE THAT

OSWALD HAD FIRED ANY RIFLE – LET ALONE

PRACTICED FIRING THE ASSASSINATION RIFLE -

- DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE THE

CRIME. REGARDLESS, CBS CONCLUDED THAT

OSWALD COULD HAVE FIRED ACCURATELY AND

FAST ENOUGH.

CBS-ABC Script Page 31

(-MORE-)

§BUMPER: LINEUP #10

INTRO: "A MOST

IMPORTANT DOCUMENT”

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY TO

SALANT MAY 25, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ASSASSINATION, TWO

OF THE DOCTORS WHO TRIED TO SAVE PRESIDENT

KENNEDY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE AT PARKLAND

HOSPITAL. THE NEWS MEDIA QUOTED THEM AS

SAYING A BULLET HAD ENTERED THE

PRESIDENT’S THROAT, AN OPINION

INCONSISTENT WITH AN ASSASSIN SHOOTING

FROM BEHIND. TESTIFYING TO THE WARREN

COMMISSION, THEY REPUDIATED THESE NEWS

REPORTS. FOR YEARS, ASSASSINATION

RESEARCHERS WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A TAPE

OR TRANSCRIPT OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE. ONE

AUTHOR ALLEGED THAT THE FBI HAD SEIZED ALL

AVAILABLE TAPES AND FILMS FROM RADIO AND

TELEVISION STATIONS. BUT IN MAY 1967, CBS

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT ROBERT PIERPOINT

DISCOVERED AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT IN THE

WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE.

CBS-ABC Script Page 32

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: PRESS

CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT

UNALTERED

V.O.

NARRATION:

THE IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT THIS TRANSCRIPT

IS NOT WHAT THE DOCTORS SAID OR WHETHER

THEY WERE CORRECT. IT IS THAT THE WARREN

COMMISSION HAD ALSO SOUGHT THIS DOCUMENT.

THE COMMISSION ASKED THE SECRET SERVICE

FOR A TAPE OR TRANSCRIPT, BUT THE SECRET

SERVICE REPLIED THAT THEY COULD NOT LOCATE

EITHER AFTER AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH. YET, IT

WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE ALL THE TIME. ON

THIS COPY FOUND BY PIERPOINT IN MAY 1967,

THE PRESS CONFERENCE IS NUMBERED 1327-C OF

THE KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION. IF IT WAS

PART OF THE KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION’S

RECORDS, ONE MIGHT HAVE REASONABLY

EXPECTED IT TO GO TO KENNEDY’S LIBRARY IN

MASSACHUSETTS.

§GRAPHIC: PRESS

CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT

ALTERED

BUT IN THIS COPY, WHICH WAS LATER FILED AT

THE JOHNSON LIBRARY IN TEXAS, THE ORIGINAL

NUMBER HAS BEEN CROSSED OUT, AND THE PRESS

CONFERENCE IS REDESIGNATED NUMBER ONE OF

THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION. THE EVIDENCE

SHOWS THE RENUMBERING HAD TO OCCUR

SOMETIME AFTER PIERPOINT DISCOVERED THE

ORIGINAL DOCUMENT IN MAY 1967. SO, THE

QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ASKED, WHY WAS

THIS DOCUMENT WITHHELD FROM THE WARREN

COMMISSION?

CBS-ABC Script Page 33

(-MORE-)

§TEXT: CBS TRANSCRIPT V.O.

NARRATION:

INSTEAD OF ASKING THAT QUESTION, CBS

REFUSED TO RELEASE THE DOCUMENT OR SAY

WHERE THEY FOUND IT. HERE IS THE RELEVANT

PORTION OF THE CBS BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT.

NOTE THAT DR. PERRY WAS NOT “RUSHED” INTO

THE NEWS CONFERENCE. IT BEGAN MORE THAN

TWO HOURS AFTER PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS

PRONOUNCED DEAD. THIS IS HOW CBS

PROTECTED THE JOHNSON WHITE HOUSE FROM

EMBARRASSMENT OVER WHY THE TRANSCRIPT WAS

NEVER GIVEN TO THE WARREN COMMISSION.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #11

INTRO: "THE PROBE”

(MUSIC:GOSPEL INTERLUDE)

CBS-ABC Script Page 34

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: RICHTER TO

MIDGLEY JANUARY 10,

1967

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

RICHTER TO MIDGLEY

JANUARY 10, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

CHOOSING TO RELY ON SCHEMATIC DIAGRAMS OF

PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S WOUNDS, THE WARREN

COMMISSION NEVER ASKED FOR THE X-RAYS AND

PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIS AUTOPSY. THEIR

WHEREABOUTS WERE UNKNOWN UNTIL THE KENNEDY

FAMILY DONATED THEM TO THE NATIONAL

ARCHIVES IN LATE 1966. SEQUESTERED FOR A

PERIOD OF YEARS, THE X-RAYS AND PHOTOS

BECAME THE FOCUS OF INTENSE CURIOSITY. IN

JANUARY 1967, MIDGLEY RECEIVED EXPLOSIVE

INFORMATION THAT HAD NEVER BEEN PUBLICLY

REVEALED. A CBS EMPLOYEE IN WASHINGTON,

WHO BELONGED TO THE SAME CHURCH AS THE

CHIEF AUTOPSY PATHOLOGIST, DR. HUMES, HAD

ENGAGED HIM IN CONVERSATION ABOUT THE

ASSASSINATION. HUMES REPORTEDLY TOLD HIS

FRIEND THAT ONE X-RAY TAKEN SHOWED A SOFT

METAL PROBE TRACING A PATH THROUGH THE

PRESIDENT BETWEEN THE NONFATAL WOUNDS IN

HIS BACK AND THROAT. HUMES ALSO SAID THAT

HE HAD BEEN ORDERED NOT TO DO A COMPLETE

AUTOPSY. THIS INFORMATION CAME TO CBS

MORE THAN TWO YEARS BEFORE ONE OF THE

OTHER AUTOPSY PATHOLOGISTS TESTIFIED TO

THESE RESTRICTIONS AT THE TRIAL OF CLAY

SHAW IN NEW ORLEANS.

CBS-ABC Script Page 35

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY TO

MCCLOY JANUARY 11,

1967

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

MIDGLEY TO MCCLOY

JANUARY 11, 1967

V.O.

NARRATION:

MIDGLEY RECOGNIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF

WHAT HE HAD. FORSAKING THE USUAL ROUTE

THROUGH SALANT’S OFFICE, HE WROTE DIRECTLY

TO JOHN J. MCCLOY, ASKING HIS HELP IN

GETTING AN INTERVIEW WITH HUMES, WHO HAD

ALREADY REFUSED TO GO ON CAMERA.

AS MIDGLEY NOTED, THE PROBE X-RAY COULD

RESOLVE ISSUES THAT WERE CENTRAL TO THE

LONE ASSASSIN THEORY. INDEED, ONE MIGHT

HAVE EXPECTED THE GOVERNMENT TO SEEK

WORLD-WIDE PUBLICATION OF THE X-RAY – IF,

THAT IS, IT SUPPORTED THE OFFICIAL

CONCLUSIONS. AT THE INTERVENTION OF

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAMSEY CLARK, DOCTOR

HUMES AGREED TO BE INTERVIEWED BY DAN

RATHER IN JUNE 1967. BUT RATHER DID NOT

ASK HIM A SINGLE QUESTION EITHER ABOUT THE

PROBE OR RESTRICTIONS ON THE AUTOPSY, AND

CBS NEVER DISCLOSED THIS INFORMATION.

THIS IS JUST ONE INSTANCE IN WHICH

CONCEALMENT BY CBS MAY HAVE ASSISTED AN

OFFICIAL COVER-UP.

CBS-ABC Script Page 36

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: ROGER

FEINMAN

-GRAPHIC: JENKINS

INTVU

-GRAPHIC: KARNEI

INTVU

§GRAPHIC: KNUDSEN_

(EXTRACT OF KNUDSEN

HSCA TESTIMONY

APPEARS)

V.O.

NARRATION:

THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON

ASSASSINATIONS NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE HUMESPROBE

STORY WHEN THEY INVESTIGATED THE

CASE TEN YEARS LATER. BUT THEY DID FIND

THREE WITNESSES TO THE AUTOPSY WHO

INDEPENDENTLY TOLD THEM SIMILAR STORIES.

WERE IT NOT FOR PUBLIC PRESSURE INSPIRED

BY OLIVER STONE’S “JFK” MOVIE, YOU AND I

WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN. THE COMMITTEE

TRIED TO LOCK UP THIS TESTIMONY FOR FIFTY

YEARS. MEDICAL TECHNICIAN JAMES CURTIS

JENKINS RECALLED X-RAYS BEING TAKEN OF THE

PROBE PROCEDURE. DOCTOR ROBERT KARNEI

RECALLED PHOTOGRAPHS BEING TAKEN WITH

PROBES THROUGH THE BODY. ALMOST TWENTY

YEARS LATER, KARNEI REPEATED HIS STORY TO

THE STAFF OF THE ASSASSINATIONS RECORDS

REVIEW BOARD.

ROBERT KNUDSEN WAS A MEMBER OF THE WHITE

HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHIC: STAFF. FOLLOWING

PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S AUTOPSY, KNUDSEN WAS

INVOLVED IN PROCESSING THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

IN SWORN TESTIMONY, HE TOLD THE HOUSE

COMMITTEE STAFF THAT HE HAD SEEN PHOTOS OF

PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S REMAINS WITH PROBES

INSERTED.

CBS-ABC Script Page 37

(-MORE-)

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

KNUDSEN-HSCA

TESTIMONY

V.O.

NARRATION:

THERE ARE NO SUCH PHOTOGRAPHS OR X-RAYS IN

THE COLLECTION HOUSED TODAY IN THE

NATIONAL ARCHIVES. THE MYSTERY OF AUTOPSY

X-RAYS AND PHOTOGRAPHS KNOWN TO HAVE

EXISTED AT ONE TIME BUT NOW MISSING

PERSISTS TO THIS DAY. CBS NEWS RECEIVED

THE FIRST CLUE TO THE MYSTERY LONG BEFORE

THE TRAIL RAN COLD. THEY BURIED IT.

§BUMPER: LINEUP #12

INTRO: “ROADS NOT

TAKEN”

(MUSIC: “GOSPEL FANTASIA (AMEN)” – 1ST

CHORUS)

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY &

CRONKITE

V.O.

NARRATION:

THIS IS REALLY THE STORY OF HOW TWO GREAT

JOURNALISTS – LESLIE MIDGLEY AND WALTER

CRONKITE, WHOSE ROLE IN THIS AFFAIR WAS

ESSENTIALLY LIMITED TO READING A SCRIPT

THAT WAS HANDED TO HIM – WERE USED AND

ABUSED BY THE CBS CORPORATE MACHINERY.

ULTIMATELY, THE WARREN REPORT SERIES DID

NOT REFLECT THE CONCEPTS AND JUDGMENTS OF

EITHER ITS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER (MIDGLEY) OR

ITS ANCHORMAN.(CRONKITE). IN HIS MEMOIRS

PUBLISHED MORE THAN 20 YEARS LATER,

MIDGLEY WROTE THAT HE STILL FOUND IT HARD

TO ACCEPT AS FACT THAT LEE HARVEY OSWALD

DID THIS TERRIBLE THING ALL ALONE. AND HE

REAFFIRMED HIS BELIEF THAT THE FBI'S

INVESTIGATION OF THE CASE WAS

"UNBELIEVABLY SLOPPY."

CBS-ABC Script Page 38

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: DAN RATHER

1963 W/TEXT: Z-FILM

BG)

-GRAPHIC: DAN RATHER

1963 W/TEXT: RATHER

Z-FILM FIRST QUOTE

APPEARS

-GRAPHIC: DAN RATHER

1963 W/TEXT: RATHER

Z-FILM SECOND QUOTE

APPEARS

V.O.

NARRATION:

BUT WHAT ABOUT DAN RATHER? HE CONDUCTED A

NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS AND WITNESSED SOME OF

THE TESTS. EVEN IF HE HAD NOT BEEN

FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE

EXECUTIVE SUITE, DAN RATHER WAS CLOSE

ENOUGH TO THE PROJECT TO MAKE OUT ITS ODD

TILT IN ONE DIRECTION – THE OFFICIAL

THEORY OF THE CRIME – JUST AS CRITICS HAD

SAID OF THE WARREN REPORT. WHAT ABOUT DAN

RATHER?

CBS-ABC Script Page 39

(-MORE-)

GRAPHIC: “60 MINUTES”

LOGO

§GRAPHIC: MIDGLEY TO

BIRNBAUM, BARTELS,

PHILLIPS & RATHER

JULY 24, 1975

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

MIDGLEY TO BIRNBAUM,

BARTELS, PHILLIPS &

RATHER JULY 24, 1975

(CUT TO:)

-GRAPHIC: EXTRACT OF

MIDGLEY TO BIRNBAUM,

BARTELS, PHILLIPS &

RATHER JULY 24, 1975

V.O.

NARRATION:

EARLY IN 1975, THE 60 MINUTES UNIT BEGINS

A SERIOUS INVESTIGATION TO FIND A LINK

BETWEEN LEE HARVEY OSWALD AND JACK RUBY.

AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF RESEARCH, HOWEVER,

RICHARD SALANT KILLS THEIR PROJECT AND, IN

APRIL 1975, ORDERS THE 60 MINUTES TEAM TO

TURN OVER ALL THEIR RESEARCH TO LESLIE

MIDGLEY. BY NOW, IT IS CLEAR THAT MIDGLEY

OWNS THE ASSASSINATION STORY AT CBS FOR

ALL PURPOSES WHILE SALANT REMAINS

PRESIDENT. HIS CORE PERSONNEL ON THE

STORY HAS REMAINED CONSTANT SINCE 1964.

BUT MIDGLEY UNDOUBTEDLY RECALLS THE STING

OF REJECTION YEARS EARLIER FOR HIS IDEA OF

PUTTING THE WARREN REPORT ON TRIAL. NOW,

BOTH HE AND CBS NEWS HAVE TOO MUCH

INVESTED IN THE LONE ASSASSIN THEORY.

MIDGLEY TELLS HIS STAFF AND DAN RATHER

THEY WILL AVOID GOING DOWN THE SAME ROAD

THEY DID IN 1967. THEY WILL NOT REEXAMINE

THEIR SUPPORT OF THE LONE ASSASSIN

THEORY.

CBS-ABC Script Page 40

(-MORE-)

§BUMPER LINEUP #13

INTRO: “TENURE”

(MUSIC:”GOSPEL FANTASIA (AMEN)-2ND CHORUS)

§GRAPHIC: RATHER IN

STUDIO 1963

-GRAPHIC: RATHER AT

TSBD SIXTH-FLOOR

WINDOW

-GRAPHIC: RATHER

OUTSIDE TSBD

-GRAPHIC: EDDIE

BARKER

V.O.

NARRATION:

DAN RATHER WAS NOT IN DEALEY PLAZA WHEN

PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS MURDERED. HE

NEITHER SAW NOR HEARD THE SHOOTING. HE

COVERED THE AFTERMATH FROM INSIDE A STUDIO

AT CBS'S DALLAS AFFILIATE KRLD. FOR

DECADES AFTERWARD, THIS CONNECTION ENABLED

BOTH CBS AND RATHER TO PROMOTE THEMSELVES

AS AUTHORITATIVE AND CREDIBLE NARRATORS OF

THE ASSASSINATION SAGA. BUT IN THEIR

REPEATED RETELLINGS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS OF

THAT AFTERNOON, SELF-SERVING MYTHS HAVE

SOMETIMES OVERTAKEN THE FACTS, EMBEDDING

RATHER DEEPER INSIDE THE STORY AND

ENLARGING HIS ROLE.

AS LATE AS MARCH 2005, FOR EXAMPLE, CBS

CONTINUED TO CLAIM THAT "RATHER WAS THE

FIRST TO REPORT KENNEDY HAD DIED, BEFORE

THE OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION OF THE

PRESIDENT'S DEATH." IT'S AN OUTRIGHT

FALSEHOOD. THE FIRST REPORTER TO

BROADCAST THAT KENNEDY HAD DIED WAS EDDIE

BARKER, THEN THE LOCAL NEWS DIRECTOR OF

KRLD.

CBS-ABC Script Page 41

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: YOUNGER

RATHER

-GRAPHIC: RATHER 1981

-GRAPHIC: RATHER

W/SWEATER 1987

-GRAPHIC: WALTER

CRONKITE W/TEXT

V.O.

NARRATION:

DAN RATHER'S STATURE AT THE NETWORK GREW,

AT LEAST IN PART DUE TO HIS PUBLIC IMAGE

AS A MAINSTAY OF CBS'S REPORTING ON THE

ASSASSINATION. IN 1981, RATHER SUCCEEDED

WALTER CRONKITE AS ANCHORMAN OF THE CBS

EVENING NEWS. BUT HE STRUGGLED TO FILL

CRONKITE'S SHOES AS THE SHOW'S RATINGS

STEADILY DECLINED OVER THE NEXT 24 YEARS,

AND IT FELL TO THIRD PLACE BEHIND THE

OTHER NETWORKS. WALTER CRONKITE RECENTLY

TOLD CNN: "IT SURPRISED QUITE A FEW PEOPLE

AT CBS AND ELSEWHERE THAT, WITHOUT BEING

ABLE TO PULL UP THE RATINGS BEYOND THIRD

IN A THREE-MAN FIELD, THAT THEY TOLERATED

HIS BEING THERE FOR SO LONG."

§GRAPHIC: GUARD DOCS

-GRAPHIC: BUSH & DAD

-GRAPHIC: BUSH GUARD

POSE

ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2004, RATHER CITED

PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN MILITARY RECORDS AS

PROOF THAT PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

ENTERED THE TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD

DURING THE VIETNAM WAR THROUGH POLITICAL

INFLUENCE, AND THAT HE RECEIVED

PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT DESPITE DISOBEYING

ORDERS. AFTER VIGOROUSLY DEFENDING

RATHER'S REPORT FOR TWELVE DAYS AGAINST

QUESTIONS OF FORGERY, CBS NEWS CONFESSED

THAT IT COULD NOT SUBSTANTIATE THE

AUTHENTICITY OF THE DOCUMENTS USED IN THE

STORY.

CBS-ABC Script Page 42

(-MORE-)

§GRAPHIC: RATHER 2004

W/TEXT

V.O.

NARRATION:

RATHER SAID, "I'M OF THE SCHOOL, MY NAME

IS ON IT, I'M RESPONSIBLE."

§GRAPHIC: RATHER 2004

W/TEXT

AND HE ADMITTED, "I DIDN'T DIG HARD

ENOUGH, LONG ENOUGH, DIDN'T ASK ENOUGH OF

THE RIGHT QUESTIONS." THE STORY'S

PRODUCER WAS FIRED. THREE EXECUTIVES WERE

ASKED TO RESIGN. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WAS

PUBLICLY DEFAMED AND DISGRACED, BUT

ALLOWED TO STAY. ALTHOUGH DAN RATHER

ABDICATED HIS ANCHOR CHAIR UNDER A CLOUD

OF SCANDAL, BY THE TIME THE PRESENTATION

YOU ARE WATCHING WAS PLACED ON THE

INTERNET, HE REMAINED A CORRESPONDENT FOR

CBS NEWS, WHICH PAID HIM A ONE-HOUR

TRIBUTE RARELY ACCORDED TO LIVING

TELEVISION PERSONALITIES.

§GRAPHIC: CBS EYE

W/TEXT: POLLS

V.O.

NARRATION:

THE CBS DOCUMENTARIES FAILED TO PERSUADE

THE PUBLIC THAT ONE MAN ACTING ALONE

ASSASSINATED JOHN F. KENNEDY. QUITE THE

OPPOSITE, IN LATER YEARS PUBLIC OPINION

POLLS SHOWED A GROWING BELIEF IN A

CONSPIRACY – LONG BEFORE OLIVER STONE'S

"JFK". DESPITE CBS'S FAILURE TO INFLUENCE

PUBLIC OPINION, ITS INFLUENCE ON OTHER

NEWS ORGANIZATIONS CANNOT BE SO EASILY

DISMISSED

CBS-ABC Script Page 43

§GRAPHIC: LINEUP #14

“BEYOND DISHONESTY:

ABC LOOKS AT THE

KENNEDY

ASSASSINATION”

(ABC TITLE ANIMATION)

-GRAPHIC:

PRESENTATION TITLE

V.O.

NARRATION:

THE IRON DETERMINATION OF THE MAJOR

NETWORKS TO RAM THE LONE GUNMAN THEORY

DOWN THE THROATS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

WAS MOST RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED BY ABC NEWS

AND PETER JENNINGS. NEXT IN PART TWO:

"BEYOND DISHONESTY," ABC LOOKS AT THE

KENNEDY ASSASSINATION.

§GRAPHIC: TEASE AND COMING SOON, THE EFFECTS OF PRESIDENT

KENNEDY'S MURDER ON AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS

FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE: "JUSTICE AT

FIVE POINTS: HOW THE FEDERAL COURTS

ASSASSINATED THE TRUTH IN THE CASE OF

ROBERT GRODEN AGAINST RANDOM HOUSE, THE

NEW YORK TIMES, AND GERALD POSNER."

§VIDEO: IN MEMORIAM,

THANKS, CREDITS,

B.....................

Mike Williams · August 16, 2008

Bernice,

I do not dispute the fact that the tests were not exact. However the CBS 67 tests were about as close as you can get. Yes their track was straight, but then again the limos path from the time it clears the tree to 313 is rather straight as well. It is angled, but rather straight.

Also in the 67 tests the shooter was limited in time, trying to squeeze the shots into 5.6 seconds, another WC error. I also find it odd that the WCR does tell us that the event could have taken up to 7.9 seconds, yet none of the test allow this time.

During those tests it may also do well to note that not only were rifle failures not counted, many times they did not count the round simply because it failed the time frame.

Why is it do you suppose that so much of this comes back to the time frame? How could anyone ever say that a shot of 100 yards could be difficult, thats preposterous.

The difficulties of the event and recreating the event lay in the timing. That should be fairly clear to anyone.

As for the Carcano being junk, and all that rubbish, one need to realize that it was in fact as accurate as our American m-14 rifle. Check out Simmons testimony for further accuracy tests of this rifle.

I may also note that none of this related to the topic of the hole in the glass.

Mike

Mark Knight · August 16, 2008

Mike, this stuff about the '67 CBS tests leads me to wonder which Carcano they used: the accurate 40-inch "short rifle" [model 91/38] or the less-accurate 36-inch "shortened" rifle [model 91/24]. Might've made a BIG difference in the accuracy part of the tests.

BTW: Wasn't Howard Donahue the man behind the Bonar Menninger book, Mortal Error ? That would be the book that accused SS agent Hickey of accidentally firing the fatal headshot from the SS follow-up car from his AR-15...for which, IIRC, Hickey sued Menninger...is that not correct?

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhickey.htm

Edited August 16, 2008 by Mark Knight

Mike Williams · August 16, 2008

Mike, this stuff about the '67 CBS tests leads me to wonder which Carcano they used: the accurate 40-inch "short rifle" [model 91/38] or the less-accurate 36-inch "shortened" rifle [model 91/24]. Might've made a BIG difference in the accuracy part of the tests.
BTW: Wasn't Howard Donahue the man behind the Bonar Menninger book, Mortal Error ? That would be the book that accused SS agent Hickey of accidentally firing the fatal headshot from the SS follow-up car from his AR-15...for which, IIRC, Hickey sued Menninger...is that not correct?

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhickey.htm

Mark,

Im not convinced that the differences in rifles would have made a major change in such a short distance shooting event.

I believe that is the same Donahue. It also seems, if I recall correctly, there was some conflict between them after the book. what I suspected was that Donahue was less than impressed with the way Menninger portrayed the information.

Be that as it may, it does not change the fact that Donahue actually completed the event.

Best,

Mike

Thomas H. Purvis · August 16, 2008

Mike, this stuff about the '67 CBS tests leads me to wonder which Carcano they used: the accurate 40-inch "short rifle" [model 91/38] or the less-accurate 36-inch "shortened" rifle [model 91/24]. Might've made a BIG difference in the accuracy part of the tests.
BTW: Wasn't Howard Donahue the man behind the Bonar Menninger book, Mortal Error ? That would be the book that accused SS agent Hickey of accidentally firing the fatal headshot from the SS follow-up car from his AR-15...for which, IIRC, Hickey sued Menninger...is that not correct?

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhickey.htm

Mark,

Im not convinced that the differences in rifles would have made a major change in such a short distance shooting event.

I believe that is the same Donahue. It also seems, if I recall correctly, there was some conflict between them after the book. what I suspected was that Donahue was less than impressed with the way Menninger portrayed the information.

Be that as it may, it does not change the fact that Donahue actually completed the event.

Best,

Mike

The Model 91/24 to which Mark refers is the old Long Rifles of the period from when these weapons were placed into service in 1892 until the year 1924 when a modification began in which literally thousands of the old Long Rifle which had the progressive gain twist were converted to Model 91/24 Carbines by having the front 32.8 cm/12.79 inches of the rifle barrel cut off.

Dependent upon exactly how much wear the weapon had prior to "cut-down", at a hundred yards, some of them may have difficulty in repetetively hitting between the two end-zone goal posts.

Which weapon is of course responsible for much of the "lore" in regards to the inability to hit anything with the weapon, as well as the unsafe nature of the weapon.

Both of which have considerable merit for that specific weapon, which also happens to be the weapon in the Klein's add that LHO ordered.

http://www.carbinesforcollectors.com/9124ts.html

Barrel Length Model 91 Long Rifle:---------------------------------------78cm

Barrel length Model 91/24 Carbine:--------------------------------------92.1cm

12.79 inches of the barrel, which also contained the final full-gain twist of the rifling, now gone.

Mike Williams · August 16, 2008

Mike, this stuff about the '67 CBS tests leads me to wonder which Carcano they used: the accurate 40-inch "short rifle" [model 91/38] or the less-accurate 36-inch "shortened" rifle [model 91/24]. Might've made a BIG difference in the accuracy part of the tests.
BTW: Wasn't Howard Donahue the man behind the Bonar Menninger book, Mortal Error ? That would be the book that accused SS agent Hickey of accidentally firing the fatal headshot from the SS follow-up car from his AR-15...for which, IIRC, Hickey sued Menninger...is that not correct?

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhickey.htm

Mark,

Im not convinced that the differences in rifles would have made a major change in such a short distance shooting event.

I believe that is the same Donahue. It also seems, if I recall correctly, there was some conflict between them after the book. what I suspected was that Donahue was less than impressed with the way Menninger portrayed the information.

Be that as it may, it does not change the fact that Donahue actually completed the event.

Best,

Mike

The Model 91/24 to which Mark refers is the old Long Rifles of the period from when these weapons were placed into service in 1892 until the year 1924 when a modification began in which literally thousands of the old Long Rifle which had the progressive gain twist were converted to Model 91/24 Carbines by having the front 32.8 cm/12.79 inches of the rifle barrel cut off.

Dependent upon exactly how much wear the weapon had prior to "cut-down", at a hundred yards, some of them may have difficulty in repetetively hitting between the two end-zone goal posts.

Which weapon is of course responsible for much of the "lore" in regards to the inability to hit anything with the weapon, as well as the unsafe nature of the weapon.

Both of which have considerable merit for that specific weapon, which also happens to be the weapon in the Klein's add that LHO ordered.

http://www.carbinesforcollectors.com/9124ts.html

Barrel Length Model 91 Long Rifle:---------------------------------------78cm

Barrel length Model 91/24 Carbine:--------------------------------------92.1cm

12.79 inches of the barrel, which also contained the final full-gain twist of the rifling, now gone.

So the longer rifles of course would be more accurate, and the shorter "modified" rifles a crap shoot dependent upon wear before the modification began. Makes sense.

So if in fact a carbine were in place during the shooting event, its accuracy would have been great to lousy.....

Nothing comes easy do it?

A Hole In One!

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