Posted on 02/02/2004 6:20:27 PM PST by John W
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Two former presidents and the widow of Lyndon B. Johnson are calling on the History Channel to investigate a documentary it aired alleging President Johnson was involved in the Kennedy assassination. Lady Bird Johnson said the film "falsely and irresponsibly" accuses her husband of conspiring to kill President Kennedy.
No accusation made against Johnson "has hurt as painfully," the 91-year-old former first lady said in a Jan. 29 letter. Her husband died in 1973.
Copies of her letter were sent to the chief executives of three companies that own A&E Networks, which includes the History Channel. The letters went to Bob Wright of NBC, Victor Ganzi of Hearst Corp. and Michael Eisner of The Walt Disney Co.
Former Presidents Ford and Carter also sent letters citing the documentary, "The Guilty Men," which aired last November as part of a series of History Channel specials on the Nov. 22, 1963 assassination.
Ford, noting he was the last surviving member of the Warren Commission that determined Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing Kennedy, called the History Channel documentary "reprehensible."
Alleging that Johnson, as Kennedy's vice president, was part of a conspiracy to murder him is "the greatest, most damaging accusation ever made against a former vice president and president in American History," Ford, 90, wrote in his Jan. 23 letter.
The letters were released Monday to The Associated Press by Tom Johnson, chairman of the LBJ Foundation and a representative of the Johnson family.
Calls to NBC and Disney were not immediately returned.
"We don't comment on correspondence with our chief executive officer," said Hearst spokesman Paul Luthringer.
Tom Johnson said he and three other former Johnson aides planned to meet Wednesday with executives of the History Channel and A&E Television Networks to press for an investigation and for its findings to be made public.
Nickolas Davatzes, president of A&E Television Networks, was expected to take part, History Channel spokeswoman Lynn Gardner said Tuesday.
Other Johnson aides scheduled to participate are Jack Valenti, now head of the Motion Picture Association of America; journalist Bill Moyers; and attorney Larry Temple.
"I'm puzzled, bewildered, that a distinguished enterprise like the History Channel would put on the air such garbage, such ugliness," Valenti said in November. "It makes one sick."
When the Kennedy series aired, the History Channel said in a statement that the point of view in "The Guilty Men" was "meticulously researched."
"By presenting different viewpoints we enable our viewers to decide to agree or disagree with them and to arrive at their own conclusions," the channel said.
Connally admitted not being clear on the sequence, understandable since he went into shock, and said that he relied on his wife's account. Connally's wife was facing forward and had no way of knowing when JFK was first hit relative to her husband. The physical, photographic, and ear/eyewitness accounts trump her presumptions about which shot(s) may have hit JFK -- despite her proximity, she was in a poorer position to view JFK's woundings than other people were.
Of course. There were no reliable witnesses that day were there? lol
In the meantime, and while all of this ammo is cracking overhead, everyone in the car is yawning and enjoying the crowds.
right.
There's no way the magic bullet struck Kennedy at a 45 degree downward angle and exited up at the throat, and then struck Connally at a 39 degree downward angle. Coming down at 45 degrees it would've hit the floorborad before it ever hit Connally.
I dont agree that the angle of the street was such as to make the shooter on a flat plain with the target. Also the vehicle's speed did not remain constant thus further hindering the shooters ability to properly lead the target. Also, it would seem that the first shot would've been the headshot and not a last shot. Also consider the first shot was a hit...the second a complete miss and the third a dead on headshot? There was no progression in accuracy [to be expected]. Also all three shots would've struck the target if it were not difficult from the AOA employed.
No.
Too many variables [listed throughout] converging in a very compressed and highly stressed time frame for me to accept a poorly disciplined, highly incompetent pizzabox making the shot.
No, of course not. How could I have forgotten?
and even the government admitted it wasn't true.
Yes, of course they did, how could I have forgotten?
[The physical, photographic, and ear/eyewitness accounts trump her presumptions about which shot(s) may have hit JFK -- despite her proximity, she was in a poorer position to view JFK's woundings than other people were.]
Of course. There were no reliable witnesses that day were there? lol
Is that what I said? Why no, it isn't, is it?
Misrepresent the evidence if you get your jollies that way, but do *NOT* lie to my face about what I've written, I won't stand for it. Now are you honorable enough to apologize?
Your chronology is wrong. The first shot missed.
Also all three shots would've struck the target if it were not difficult from the AOA employed.
The first shot was deflected by an intervening tree branch.
Do you even know what an earlobe *is*?
There's no way the magic bullet struck Kennedy at a 45 degree downward angle and exited up at the throat, and then struck Connally at a 39 degree downward angle. Coming down at 45 degrees it would've hit the floorborad before it ever hit Connally.
Thanks for proving my point. You're misrepresenting the facts.
No one claims that that's what happened, but thanks for adding more lies to the pile.
In the real world, meanwhile, both JFK and Connally turn their heads at the sound of the first shot (and others in the crowd react as well). At the second shot, describing their reactions as "yawning and enjoying the crowds" is a gross misrepresentation.
House Committee on Assassinations. Look it up.
Is that what I said? Why no, it isn't, is it?
You have to deny the testimony of about everyone to support the MBT
Misrepresent the evidence if you get your jollies that way, but do *NOT* lie to my face about what I've written, I won't stand for it. Now are you honorable enough to apologize?
Apologize?! ROFL! You're the one that says with a straight face that Kennedy had full earlobes! Every video there is proves he didn't.
I'll accept that empty screech as a concession, since by admitting that reenactments *have* taken place "proving the government's case", you admit the falsity of your claim that "no one has ever duplicated such a scenario", which was the subject of the bet.
Let me know when you make the donation to FreeRepublic in my name.
A lobe is a rounded projection. Kennedy had no rounded projection. The corpse does!
That's not true. She recently said in an interview here in Houston that upon hearing the first shot she turned to look at the president and further stated that the look in his eyes was chilling or something to that effect. Then her husband was hit with a second shot and she immediately focused her attention on him. Nellie hunted with her husband on more than one occasion and is familiar with the sound of rifle fire, most women her age in Texas are.Her story hasnt changed in over 40 years now. Posner is full of shit.
Oooppss!! Sorry! Forgot < /sarcasm>.
BTW, you're quite touchy, eh?
You deny that the bullet hit Connally at 39 degrees downward or that Kennedy's wound was at 45 degrees downward?
You'll have to prove that one.
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