Douglas Caddy Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 The First JFK Conspiracy TheoristBy Jacob G. HornbergerSeptember 24, 2015 http://fff.org/2015/09/24/the-first-jfk-conspiracy-theorist/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Newton Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 I like Mr. Hornberger... ...but in his article he remarks that Knebel was "inspired to write the book after a conversation with U.S. Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay, who had nothing but disdain for President Kennedy, with the feeling being mutual." Where did "with the feeling being mutual" come from? This is an attempt to paint Fletcher Knebel as some kind of right wing nut along with LeMay (who is in fact the poster child for right wing nuts). In the article cited by Hornberger the same encounter is described without the "mutual" reference: http://blogs.weta.org/boundarystones/2014/05/13/movie-jfk-wanted-made-didnt-live-see So I went and looked at Fletcher Knebel's Obituary. He seems to be a guy I would have gotten along with well and I really doubt his right-wing bonafides. In World War II he served as a lieutenant in the Navy. Mr. Knebel was known as a colorful character. He supported the legalization of marijuana, which he said he started smoking in 1968 because it is "better for me than whiskey." He entertained hundreds of friends by sending them "conception cards" nine months before their birthdays and describing events that happened while they were in the womb. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/28/us/fletcher-knebel-writer-81-dies-co-author-of-seven-days-in-may.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Jeffries Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Harold Weisberg mentioned Fletcher Knebel at length in one of his books- I want to say it was Post Mortum. If I recall correctly, Knebel was tasked to write an article generally smearing Warren Commission critics, and intimated that Edward Epstein's lightweight, decidedly neo-con Inquest was the most impressive of the bunch. Which, of course, rankled Weisberg. Really, the first JFK assassination "conspiracy theorist" was Marguerite Oswald. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 I agree with that. I have also read about Knebel's efforts to marginalize the critics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William O'Neil Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 Seems he meant that JFK,also had the same disdainful feeling towards Lemay "Bombs away Curtis Lemay" Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ecker Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Seems he meant that JFK,also had the same disdainful feeling towards Lemay "Bombs away Curtis Lemay" Bill That's what I thought too. In one of JFK's meetings with the Joint Chiefs during the Cuban Missile Crisis, I don't think JFK was too appreciative of LeMay's remark (as best I recall it), "You're in quite a fix, Mister President." I remember that JFK's response was, "What did you say?" And LeMay repeated the remark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Blank Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Seems he meant that JFK,also had the same disdainful feeling towards Lemay "Bombs away Curtis Lemay" Bill That's what I thought too. In one of JFK's meetings with the Joint Chiefs during the Cuban Missile Crisis, I don't think JFK was too appreciative of LeMay's remark (as best I recall it), "You're in quite a fix, Mister President." I remember that JFK's response was, "What did you say?" And LeMay repeated the remark. me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Jeffries Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 It must have irked JFK to know that Lemay and other military officials not only despised him, but had no respect for him or his office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lifton Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I like Mr. Hornberger... ...but in his article he remarks that Knebel was "inspired to write the book after a conversation with U.S. Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay, who had nothing but disdain for President Kennedy, with the feeling being mutual." Where did "with the feeling being mutual" come from? This is an attempt to paint Fletcher Knebel as some kind of right wing nut along with LeMay (who is in fact the poster child for right wing nuts). In the article cited by Hornberger the same encounter is described without the "mutual" reference: http://blogs.weta.org/boundarystones/2014/05/13/movie-jfk-wanted-made-didnt-live-see So I went and looked at Fletcher Knebel's Obituary. He seems to be a guy I would have gotten along with well and I really doubt his right-wing bonafides. In World War II he served as a lieutenant in the Navy. Mr. Knebel was known as a colorful character. He supported the legalization of marijuana, which he said he started smoking in 1968 because it is "better for me than whiskey." He entertained hundreds of friends by sending them "conception cards" nine months before their birthdays and describing events that happened while they were in the womb. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/28/us/fletcher-knebel-writer-81-dies-co-author-of-seven-days-in-may.html I believe you are misreading what Hornberger wrote, and the phrase "with the feeling being mutual." The "mutual" contempt was between Kennedy and General LeMay. Knebel was just an observer, reporting on the situation. He was not part of it. DSL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Newton Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I believe you are misreading what Hornberger wrote, and the phrase "with the feeling being mutual." The "mutual" contempt was between Kennedy and General LeMay. Knebel was just an observer, reporting on the situation. He was not part of it. Thank you Mr. Lifton. I see that now and I agree that was what he must have meant. Apologies to Mr. Hornberger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Neal Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 That's what I thought too. In one of JFK's meetings with the Joint Chiefs during the Cuban Missile Crisis, I don't think JFK was too appreciative of LeMay's remark (as best I recall it), "You're in quite a fix, Mister President." I remember that JFK's response was, "What did you say?" And LeMay repeated the remark.IIRC, after LeMay repeated the remark, Kennedy's final words to him were: "Well, you're in there with me." Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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