LBJ Did It To Stay Out Of Jail?

[Ron Ecker]

On 7/23/2018 at 4:45 PM, Rick McTague said:

Joe,

That picture has always stuck in my craw as one more piece of evidence that the murder of JFK was not the random act of one nut. 

Why else would the victory wink be given?  And LBJ SMILING at him?

To play devil's advocate, I have always interpreted this photo a bit differently. What you and Joe see as a "victory" or "celebratory" wink could be nothing more than a wink of encouragement in light of the job LBJ now faced. Bear in mind that people can do or say some awkward things at funerals or other such solemn occasions no matter how well meaning. (I'm always reminded of the scene in Tom Jones, where a funeral concludes, and the lout played by Hugh Griffith walks up to a grieving loved one and says, "Well, cheer up.") To interpret the wink as "victory" or "celebratory" is obviously to suggest that Thomas knew full well that LBJ was part of the conspiracy and maybe Thomas was too. ("We pulled it off, Mr. President.") I know of no evidence of Thomas as a conspirator.

And LBJ is "smiling" at him? A grimace or grim tightening of the lips could cause the cheek to puff out just like a smile. And as low as LBJ was, I have to believe that he had more sense than to openly smile at that moment in front of a cabin full of witnesses.  

If you want to see someone smiling, look at Lady Bird, for God's sake. Desi Arnaz would have told her, like he used to tell Lucy, that she has a lot of 'splainin' to do.