Connally Backs the Warren Report the Life Magazine Article Was Kennedy Was Killed by Oswald Not One of Those with "Political Alone

1A.1-12. NYTimes 24 Nov. 1965

He said "'They asked me to must be drawn from the report: do it and I agreed." "First, it is impossible that Connally Backs the Warren Report The Life magazine article was Kennedy was killed by Oswald not one of those with "political alone. Second, the report is a overtones," the Governor said: forgery. Third, the Warren Mr. Connally, a close friend; Commission could not by itself of President Johnson, said he. forge the truth about the at- had discussed "very casually" tempt. The commission must with Mr. Johnsom some of the have been helped or forced to criticisms of the Warren Com do so by the top members of mission investigation. But he the American state apparatus." said he and the President had The Sofia radio said most never "sat down" and discussed Americans would prefer Presi- the Warren Commission report dent Kennedy to President itself. Johnson, and would vote for He did not reveal Mr. John- Senator Robert F. Kennedy in son's feelings 'about the criti- future Presidential elections be- cisms. cause of "the unpopularity of Governor Connally said he did the foreign political course of not regard his own views as to Johnson, and Robert Kennedy's which shot wounded him as: position on the establishment of casting any doubt on the va- peace in Vietnam." lidity of the Warren Commis- sion's over-all findings. The Governor said he was, satisfied that the shot that hiti him was fired by Lee Harvey' Oswald, named by the Warren: Commission as the assassin of President Kennedy. The Gover- nor said he did not believe there was more than one person: involved in the shooting. "There are certain facts1 about this assassination which may never be known," he said., He added that he did not con- skier his memory or his judgment to be infallible. Associated Press wirechoto He said he had not even, Governor John B. Connally Jr. of Texas at news session heard the shot that wounded! him in the chest, although hisj By MARTIN WALDRON wife, Idanell Connally, be said.' Special to The New York Times heard 'three shots. AUSTIN, Tex., Nov. 23— talking about and thaCiie- al- Gov. John B. Connally Jr. said ways accepted as accurate Lane Replies today that the Warren Com- whatever he read in newspapers Mark Lane said here yester- Mr. Connally decided to hold day that Governor Connally mission's findings on Presi- the news conference, at the "has displayed an abysmal igno- dent Kennedy's assassination State Capitol, after, he said, he rance of the implications of his should be accepted as final had been besieged with ques- own testimony." unless compelling new evi- tions about a Life magazine "If the bullet that struck dence is brought forth. A new article this week. President Kennedy did not also In the article the Governor investigation is "neither war- strike the Governor, then there repeated that he disagreed with was no lone assassin," Mr. ranted, justified or desirable," the Warren Commission's find- Lane said. he said. The Governor, who ing that he and President Ken- He charged that the Gover-1 was riding in &Dallas motor- nedy were both hit by one of nor was "questioning the loy- cade with President InedY, three shots fired down on the alty and motivation of those open limousine in front of the who will not accept a false was wounded in the chest, Texas School Book Depository. right wrist and left leg when governmental edict" while "the Sole Disagreement American people" had made the President was assassinat- Mr. Lane's book a best-seller. ed. He still carries a bullet The Governor said today that fragment just above his left his sole disagreement with the Comment in East Europe Warren Commission's findings special to The New York TImes kneecap. Mr. Connally said centered on which bullet struck today that many criticisms of him. LONDON, Nov. 23—East Eu- "I am convinced, beyond any ropean radio stations marked the Warren Commission's in- the third anniversary yesterday vestigation might have "polit- doubt, that I was not struck by the first bullet. I know that Il of President Kennedy's assassi- ical overtones." He said he heard the first shot, and I turned natidn with extensive com- was shocked "that in the to see what happened, and that mentaries . on the controversy backlash of tragedy, journal- I was struck by a second shot., over the findings of the Warren istic scavengers such as Mark The third shot struck the Presi- Commission. dent and not me," he said. The Warsaw radio asserted The Warren Commission Continued on Page 58, Column 1 found that there were three: that two-thirds of the American Lane attempt to impugn the shots and that one went through people did not believe the War- motives" of members of the President Kennedy's neck and ren report's conclusions, It said commission. Mr. Connally would into Governor Connally's body, the overwhelming majority of not elaborate on his suggestion that one shot hit the President Americans believed that world in the head, and that one shot , of political overtones. "I am probably missed both men. events would have developed going to let it rest right there," Governor Connally said the "differently, in a better way," he said. shot that hit him did not hit had Mr. Kennedy lived. He said he had not read any President Kennedy. A commentator on the Prague of the books that have criticized Reviewed Film radio declared, "It is impossible the Warren Commission's find- to say that the Warren report ings, including "Rush to Judg- The Governor said he had had is true." ment," written by Mr. Lane, a no intention of adding fuel to The broadcasts were moni- New York lawyer. the flames of dissension when Itored by Radio Free Europe and The Governor said that he had he agreed to review a motion made available here. read press reports and book re- picture of the assassination for The Czechoslovak commenta- views on the books he was Life magazine and to point out tor said just when he was_ struck. three main conclusions

NYT ime s L•S'~t 24 Nov. 4.966

Text of Governor Connally's Statement

Se. cial to The New York Times I am convinced, beyond any question, and men whose pa- A.UBTIN, Tex., Nov. 23—Fo1- doubt, that I was not struck triotism has been manifested bowing is a statement made by Gov. John B. Connally Jr. to- by the first bullet. I know so many times in so many that I heard the first shot, ways over such a long period day in discussing the assassina- that it now is somewhat tion of President Kennedy M that I turned to see what shocking to me that in the Dallas three years ago: happened and that I was backlash of tragedy, jour- iSo that there will be no ,struck by a second shot. The nalistic scavengers such as misunderstanding or misinter- third shot struck the Presi- Mark Lane, attempting to im- pretation of this news con- dent and not me. pugn the motives of these ference today, let me first As I said earlier, this testi- members individually, cast speak to you from a prepared mony was presented to the doubts upon the commission text. Warren Commission. They as a whole and question the I want to make it abun- chose to disagree, which is credibility of the Government dantly clear that I have no their privilege. I maintain my original view, always shall. itself. desire to prolong or per- I think it is time that we petuate the stark memories of I want to make it very pause and reflect on who the tragedy of three years clear. however, that simply because I disagree with the these individuals are and ago. This conference has been rather than calling for a arranged solely as a result of Warren Commission on this one detail does not mean that further investigation of the the widespread request of assassination, which in my newsmen. I disagree with the substance of their over-all findings. judgment is neither war- I will take just a moment ranted, justified or desirable, to reiterate and to clarify I think the commission did an outstanding job under dif- we should turn our attention once again the events of that to doing a little research on day. Let me point nut that ficult circumstances. Each of the members of that commis- and evaluation of the creden- this information is not new. tials of the self-appointed It is precisely the informa- sion, Chief Justice Earl War- ren, Senator Richard B. Rus- experts who, with no evidence, tion I recalled and related in no new facts, nevertheless use a television interview from a sell, Senator John Sherman Cooper, Representative Hale distortion, inference, innu- hospital bed in Dallas on Nov. endo, in order to cast doubts 27, just a few days following Boggs, Representative Ger- ald Ford, Mr. Allen Dulles and create confusion the assassination. I suspect that a searching It is precisely the way I and Mr. John J. McCloy, are men of unquestioned integ- investigation into their own related it in testimony to the credentials will divulge that Warren Commission. It also rity, of long and devoted service to their nation, men their motives have political is precisely the way it had overtones and that their views been recalled by me in inter- whose dedication to the task have been given prominence views since that time. of seeking truth in these circumstances I would never out of proportion to their value.