31-12-2010, 02:41 PM
I think "mastermind" is too strong. I DO believe that there was a Texas-based right-wing conspiracy that involved friends and supporters of LBJ. I also believe that the conspiracy had the support of elements of the Federal Government.
Before the Democratic nomination of JFK, the LBJ forces tried hard to deny Kennedy the nomination on the first ballot. They got copies of Kennedy's medical records indicating that he had Addison's disease. Johnson cronies Johns Connally and India Edwards made that information public, leaking it to the press. ( Johnson later had to apologize to JFK for this, according to Bobby Baker ) Kennedy's doctors had predicted that he would not live beyond the age of 45, meaning that he would be dead by May 1962.
( When he reached 45, they threw an elaborate birthday party for him at Madison Square Garden -- highlighted by Marilyn Monroe singing "Happy Birthday " )
Johnson had continually said that he would not take the # 2 spot on the ticket, but once Kennedy's medical situation was known by him, his position, at least privately, changed. In an interview with Robert Gayland Ross, Madeline Brown said that three days before the convention, Joe Kennedy and H.L. Hunt had a meeting where it was agreed that JFK would offer the VP spot to Johnson.
Johnson wasn't even on the short list of candidates, but when Joe Kennedy ordered his son to offer it to Johnson, JFK must have figured LBJ would reject it anyway so no harm done. So he offered---and to everyone's surprise, Johnson accepted !!!!
Of course, this caused a major problem for Kennedy. Not only was the liberal wing of the party furious and threatening a floor fight, JFK now had a VP he didn't want. So he sent RFK to Johnson's suite to get him to drop out. Not only did Johnson refuse, he was using blackmail ( according to Evelyn Lincoln ) to stay on it.
The Kennedys had no choice but to push through the convention changes that would allow the VP to be acclaimed by voice vote.
Johnson was nominated amid the boos of about 50 % of the delegates.
Johnson jumped on the Kennedy ticket because he believed the reports of doctors that Kennedy would die of natural causes in his first term and saw this as an opportuniy to gain the Presidency that he had so dreamed about all his life.
In June of 1963, with Kennedy still alive and no indication that his health was waning, a meeting was set up at the Cortez Hotel in El Paso, Texas. The details of that meeting have been publicized by John Connally, the then Governor of Texas and former LBJ campaign manager. On my youtube channel, I have posted accounts by both Connally and others to show that Connally lied repeatedly about the details of that meeting, not the least of which was over whose idea the Texas trip was.
In addition, there were NUMEROUS warnings to the President to stay away from Dallas, including a letter from a woman received by Pierre Salenger, warning that "something terrible" would happen to him. Sen. Fulbright warned him not to go, as did Anne Brinkley, wife of NBC newsman David Brinkley and Stanley Marcus of the Neiman-Marcus chain.
And while there were other conspiracies in cities like Chicago and Miami, the law enforcement apparatus in those cities responded to those threats pretty much like you'd expect them to.
And no harm came to the President.
But in Dallas, it was a different story. In Dallas, you could kill the POTUS and get away with it because of the corruption of the law enforcement and prosecutory apparatus there. The extent of corruption is evident in the relationship between the Dallas Police, the DA's Office and Jack Ruby.
Over the years, I've written and placed in video form on the net, evidence that the officials LIED about this case and I continue to do so. Take some of the FBI reports and sworn affidavits from witnesses and read what they said they said. Then go on to the internet and hear a completely different story from those same witnesses themselves.
I wouldn't call LBJ a mastermind, but he covered up the crime to prevent those who handed him the only thing he ever wanted from ever facing justice. And he had the help of J. Edna Hoover to boot.
And that's my opinion based on what I know.
Before the Democratic nomination of JFK, the LBJ forces tried hard to deny Kennedy the nomination on the first ballot. They got copies of Kennedy's medical records indicating that he had Addison's disease. Johnson cronies Johns Connally and India Edwards made that information public, leaking it to the press. ( Johnson later had to apologize to JFK for this, according to Bobby Baker ) Kennedy's doctors had predicted that he would not live beyond the age of 45, meaning that he would be dead by May 1962.
( When he reached 45, they threw an elaborate birthday party for him at Madison Square Garden -- highlighted by Marilyn Monroe singing "Happy Birthday " )
Johnson had continually said that he would not take the # 2 spot on the ticket, but once Kennedy's medical situation was known by him, his position, at least privately, changed. In an interview with Robert Gayland Ross, Madeline Brown said that three days before the convention, Joe Kennedy and H.L. Hunt had a meeting where it was agreed that JFK would offer the VP spot to Johnson.
Johnson wasn't even on the short list of candidates, but when Joe Kennedy ordered his son to offer it to Johnson, JFK must have figured LBJ would reject it anyway so no harm done. So he offered---and to everyone's surprise, Johnson accepted !!!!
Of course, this caused a major problem for Kennedy. Not only was the liberal wing of the party furious and threatening a floor fight, JFK now had a VP he didn't want. So he sent RFK to Johnson's suite to get him to drop out. Not only did Johnson refuse, he was using blackmail ( according to Evelyn Lincoln ) to stay on it.
The Kennedys had no choice but to push through the convention changes that would allow the VP to be acclaimed by voice vote.
Johnson was nominated amid the boos of about 50 % of the delegates.
Johnson jumped on the Kennedy ticket because he believed the reports of doctors that Kennedy would die of natural causes in his first term and saw this as an opportuniy to gain the Presidency that he had so dreamed about all his life.
In June of 1963, with Kennedy still alive and no indication that his health was waning, a meeting was set up at the Cortez Hotel in El Paso, Texas. The details of that meeting have been publicized by John Connally, the then Governor of Texas and former LBJ campaign manager. On my youtube channel, I have posted accounts by both Connally and others to show that Connally lied repeatedly about the details of that meeting, not the least of which was over whose idea the Texas trip was.
In addition, there were NUMEROUS warnings to the President to stay away from Dallas, including a letter from a woman received by Pierre Salenger, warning that "something terrible" would happen to him. Sen. Fulbright warned him not to go, as did Anne Brinkley, wife of NBC newsman David Brinkley and Stanley Marcus of the Neiman-Marcus chain.
And while there were other conspiracies in cities like Chicago and Miami, the law enforcement apparatus in those cities responded to those threats pretty much like you'd expect them to.
And no harm came to the President.
But in Dallas, it was a different story. In Dallas, you could kill the POTUS and get away with it because of the corruption of the law enforcement and prosecutory apparatus there. The extent of corruption is evident in the relationship between the Dallas Police, the DA's Office and Jack Ruby.
Over the years, I've written and placed in video form on the net, evidence that the officials LIED about this case and I continue to do so. Take some of the FBI reports and sworn affidavits from witnesses and read what they said they said. Then go on to the internet and hear a completely different story from those same witnesses themselves.
I wouldn't call LBJ a mastermind, but he covered up the crime to prevent those who handed him the only thing he ever wanted from ever facing justice. And he had the help of J. Edna Hoover to boot.
And that's my opinion based on what I know.