Forebodings of Dallas visit by Horace Busby

[Peter Lemkin]

Horace Busby, speech writer for Lyndon Johnson, adviser, and confidante, wrote in his book, The Thirty-First of March, Chapter 12, pages 138-150, titled "Forebodings", that Lyndon Johnson, Governor John Connally, Cliff Carter, and all the Vice-President's men were counseling against a trip to Dallas by the President during the Texas visit. Busby himself was opposed to it and voiced his concern to Walter Jenkins, Johnson's aide, who also agreed with him.

During the campaign in 1960, Lyndon Johnson and Mrs. Johnson had been mobbed by angry demonstrators in a hotel lobby (I think it was in the Adolphus Hotel). Just a few weeks before the Texas trip, Ambassador Adlai Stevenson had been nastily attacked when he went to give a speech in Dallas. The political right-wing elements in Dallas created a very unfriendly atmosphere for Kennedy and Johnson himself, and street rioting was feared.

The Thirty-First of March, was titled for the date of the speech delivered by Lyndon Johnson, written by Horace Busby, when President Johnson announced he would not seek re-election in 1968. The book almost did not see the light of day had it not been for its discovery by Scott Busby, Horace Busby's son, who found the manuscript in a box in his father's garage after his father's death. Horace Busby worked for Lyndon Johnson from the beginning of his Congressional career in the House of Representatives, his position as Senator. his Vice-Presidency, and his term as President of the United States.

Adele

Everyone, including JFK, didn't want it to happen nor to go there, it seems. The FBI, CIA, SS, MI, and many others had forewarnings [and very likely some within who were witting of the events to come]...it was the classic ambush and he was begged, cojoled and pushed into going. Had he not, the ambush would have likely been set-up elsewhere, but for the plotters Dallas was a very safe place to stage it!!! Having made massive preparations, they only had to somehow force JFK's hand to get him into the trap.