The Bloody Pink Dress

CNN is broadcasting a series on the 60's. It was a time when the baby boomers came of age and innocents was lost.  Of course one of the episodes deals with the Kennedy Assassination.  When Sandi realized that I was watching yet one more special on that subject her eyes crossed. "What is there that can possibly hold your attention after all that you have read about that event?"

You might think that she was right.  I have even blogged about my obsession on that subject here at TWIAS. Kennedy

But right there in the CNN special there was something that I heard in context which made me spiral out of control again.

I am sure I heard the quote from Jacqueline Kennedy before, but I never knew the context.  Mrs. Kennedy would not leave the side of the casket bearing the presidents body which was basically kidnapped from Parkland Hospital.  In 1963 it was not a federal crime to kill a president of the United States.  Kennedy's assassination was technically a local crime to be handeled by the local athorities, which included the autopsy.  In what some people describe as a tug of war with the casket, the Secret Service took the body to Air Force One. 

Jacqueline Kennedy was still wearing the blood soaked pink dress that has become an icon of the moment.  Once on the plane one of her aides asked if she wanted to change clothes for the ride to Washington.  She said, "No I want them to see what they did to my Husband?"  Who did she mean by them?  The people on the plane?

It would seem that at least for a moment she thought that the people on Air Force One were involved in some way.  As I remember Mrs. Kennedy never did express an opinion on who had committed the assassination. The only time Mrs. Kennedy was ever asked offically about the assassination was in June of 1964 for the Warren Commission Report. Some of that interview was even deleted before it was published.  There was no questions about who she thought was responsible since it would not be relivant information.  She was never asked directly if she thought the head wound was a front of rear entry. A slight reference to "holding his hair on" was redacted.

So, back to the question at hand.  When she was asked if she wanted to change clothes for the plane ride she said, "No I want them to see what they did to my Husband?"  This could only mean that she was referring to the those on the plane at the time. Perhaps for a moment she was considering that LBJ, and the Texas powerbrokers had participated.  I guess we will never know.  That certainly won't stop me from wondering.

As you were,

Jay