Warren Commission (04 of 26): Hearings Vol. IV (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (04 of 26): Hearings Vol. IV (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. Will you outline briefly, please, the circumstances
leading up to the President's planning a trip to Texas in November of
last year?
Governor CONNALLY. You want to go back to--how far back do you want to
go, a few days immediately prior to the trip or a month before, or all
of the circumstances surrounding it?
Mr. SPECTER. Well, just a very brief picture leading up to the trip,
Governor, starting with whatever point you think would be most
appropriate to give some outline of the origin of the trip.
Governor CONNALLY. Well, it had been thought that he should come to
Texas for a period of many months, as a matter of fact. There was some
thought given to it during 1962. The trip kept being delayed.
Finally in the fall of 1963 it was decided that he definitely should
come, or should come in the fall of last year as opposed to waiting
until this year, when his appearance might have more political
overtones.
So I came up, I have forgotten the exact date, around the middle of
October and talked to him about it, discussed the details, asked him
what he would like to do.
He said he would like to do whatever he could do that was agreeable
with me; it was agreeable with me that he more or less trust me to
plan the trip for him, to tell him where he would like to go. About
that time some thought was being given to having four fundraising
dinners. His attitude on that was he wouldn't prefer that. He felt
that the appearances would not be too good, that he would much prefer
to have one if we were going to have any. I told him this was entirely
consistent with my own thoughts. We ought not to have more than one
fundraising dinner. If we did, it ought to be in Austin. If we could do
it, I would like for him to see and get into as many areas of the State
as possible while he was there.
He, on his own, had made a commitment to go to the dinner for
Congressman Albert Thomas, which was being given the night of the 21st
in Houston, so shortly, really before he got there, and when I say
shortly I would say 2 weeks before he came, the plans were altered a
little bit in that he landed originally in San Antonio in the afternoon
about 1:30 of the afternoon of the 21st. From there we went to Houston,
attended the Thomas dinner that night at about 8 o'clock.
After that we flew to Fort Worth, spent the night at the Texas Hotel,
had a breakfast there the next morning, and left about 10 o'clock,
10:30, for the flight over to Dallas.
Mr. SPECTER. In what vehicle did you fly from Fort Worth to Dallas?
Governor CONNALLY. In Air Force 1.
Mr. SPECTER. And approximately what time did you arrive at Love Field,
Tex.
Governor CONNALLY. I would say about 11:50, 12:00, shortly before noon.
I believe the luncheon was planned for 12:30, and we were running on
schedule. I believe it was 11:50.
Mr. SPECTER. Would you describe for us briefly the ceremonies at Love
Field on the arrival of the President?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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