The Lost JFK Tapes: The Assassination

[David Andrews]

I saw the "Lost Tapes" show and also a similar broadcast compilation show on History Channel, and have a question for students of TV broadcasts in the JFK years:

Does it seem to you that the Dallas-Ft. Worth trip was more heavily covered by network TV affiliates than other contemporaneous presidential trips (Miami-Tampa, the aborted Chicago trip)? Does it seem as if many trips on the assassination attempt agenda of 1963 were more heavily covered than previous domestic political jaunts?

I ask because there seems to be so much coverage of November 21-22. Some of it contains startling events and commentary: reporters' references to JFK's security being as ill-guarded as McKinley's; a boys' choir serenading JFK with the rather ominous lyrics of "The Eyes of Texas are Upon You" ("...You cannot get away!..."); a toastmaster's gift of a cowboy hat and boots to Kennedy, to protect him from both the rain and "the rattlesnakes on Vice-President Johnson's ranch."

The broadcasting community seemed to sense that something was up - was it just the dramatics of a trip into unfriendly political country?

If Miami and Tampa were covered at length, were there set-up references to high emotions among Cuban exiles"? Set-ups are usually followed by punchlines.

Something perhaps worthy of study and cross-reference. How much coverage did Kennedy's domestic trips get in non-trouble spots, and years that weren't pre-campaign?

The Texas trip was unique because IT INCLUDED LYNDON JOHNSON. The power of LBJ in Texas

far exceeded the power of JFK. That should answer your question about increased coverage.

Major Phil Willis, who took the Willis photos, was prominent in Democrat political circles (his brother

Doyle Willis was a long-time legislator) said he TOOK HIS FAMILY TO THE PARADE SO HE COULD

TAKE PHOTOS OF LBJ. Lyndon in the parade assured big crowds. There was a big rift in the

Democrat party...LBJ vs Ralph Yarborough. The parade would have the two of them TOGETHER.

Any anticipated trouble focused on that, not on JFK.

Kennedy was largely unpopular in Texas. Lyndon was popular.

Jack

Indeed, all part of the charged atmosphere, as we have read. I wonder, though, if the charged atmosphere in Florida got as much TV coverage.

[Jack White]

I saw the "Lost Tapes" show and also a similar broadcast compilation show on History Channel, and have a question for students of TV broadcasts in the JFK years:

Does it seem to you that the Dallas-Ft. Worth trip was more heavily covered by network TV affiliates than other contemporaneous presidential trips (Miami-Tampa, the aborted Chicago trip)? Does it seem as if many trips on the assassination attempt agenda of 1963 were more heavily covered than previous domestic political jaunts?

I ask because there seems to be so much coverage of November 21-22. Some of it contains startling events and commentary: reporters' references to JFK's security being as ill-guarded as McKinley's; a boys' choir serenading JFK with the rather ominous lyrics of "The Eyes of Texas are Upon You" ("...You cannot get away!..."); a toastmaster's gift of a cowboy hat and boots to Kennedy, to protect him from both the rain and "the rattlesnakes on Vice-President Johnson's ranch."

The broadcasting community seemed to sense that something was up - was it just the dramatics of a trip into unfriendly political country?

If Miami and Tampa were covered at length, were there set-up references to high emotions among Cuban exiles"? Set-ups are usually followed by punchlines.

Something perhaps worthy of study and cross-reference. How much coverage did Kennedy's domestic trips get in non-trouble spots, and years that weren't pre-campaign?

The Texas trip was unique because IT INCLUDED LYNDON JOHNSON. The power of LBJ in Texas

far exceeded the power of JFK. That should answer your question about increased coverage.

Major Phil Willis, who took the Willis photos, was prominent in Democrat political circles (his brother

Doyle Willis was a long-time legislator) said he TOOK HIS FAMILY TO THE PARADE SO HE COULD

TAKE PHOTOS OF LBJ. Lyndon in the parade assured big crowds. There was a big rift in the

Democrat party...LBJ vs Ralph Yarborough. The parade would have the two of them TOGETHER.

Any anticipated trouble focused on that, not on JFK.

Kennedy was largely unpopular in Texas. Lyndon was popular.

Jack

Indeed, all part of the charged atmosphere, as we have read. I wonder, though, if the charged atmosphere in Florida got as much TV coverage.

In 1963 the Dallas area had FOUR TV STATIONS...more than most cities. Three network and one independent.

They were very competitive in news coverage.

Jack

[David Andrews]

I saw the "Lost Tapes" show and also a similar broadcast compilation show on History Channel, and have a question for students of TV broadcasts in the JFK years:

Does it seem to you that the Dallas-Ft. Worth trip was more heavily covered by network TV affiliates than other contemporaneous presidential trips (Miami-Tampa, the aborted Chicago trip)? Does it seem as if many trips on the assassination attempt agenda of 1963 were more heavily covered than previous domestic political jaunts?

I ask because there seems to be so much coverage of November 21-22. Some of it contains startling events and commentary: reporters' references to JFK's security being as ill-guarded as McKinley's; a boys' choir serenading JFK with the rather ominous lyrics of "The Eyes of Texas are Upon You" ("...You cannot get away!..."); a toastmaster's gift of a cowboy hat and boots to Kennedy, to protect him from both the rain and "the rattlesnakes on Vice-President Johnson's ranch."

The broadcasting community seemed to sense that something was up - was it just the dramatics of a trip into unfriendly political country?

If Miami and Tampa were covered at length, were there set-up references to high emotions among Cuban exiles"? Set-ups are usually followed by punchlines.

Something perhaps worthy of study and cross-reference. How much coverage did Kennedy's domestic trips get in non-trouble spots, and years that weren't pre-campaign?

The Texas trip was unique because IT INCLUDED LYNDON JOHNSON. The power of LBJ in Texas

far exceeded the power of JFK. That should answer your question about increased coverage.

Major Phil Willis, who took the Willis photos, was prominent in Democrat political circles (his brother

Doyle Willis was a long-time legislator) said he TOOK HIS FAMILY TO THE PARADE SO HE COULD

TAKE PHOTOS OF LBJ. Lyndon in the parade assured big crowds. There was a big rift in the

Democrat party...LBJ vs Ralph Yarborough. The parade would have the two of them TOGETHER.

Any anticipated trouble focused on that, not on JFK.

Kennedy was largely unpopular in Texas. Lyndon was popular.

Jack

Indeed, all part of the charged atmosphere, as we have read. I wonder, though, if the charged atmosphere in Florida got as much TV coverage.

In 1963 the Dallas area had FOUR TV STATIONS...more than most cities. Three network and one independent.

They were very competitive in news coverage.

Jack

I also asked:

"Does it seem as if many trips on the assassination attempt agenda of 1963 were more heavily covered than previous domestic political jaunts?"

+++++

Jack - off-topic but, with your moon interest, I wonder if you know the "Moondoggie" installments on the Center for an Informed America site, which I read through with some interest this evening. If not, enjoy:

http://www.davesweb.cnchost.com/index.html

Worth a look by all.

Edited December 6, 2009 by David Andrews