Death of a President, 50 Years On
http://triblive.com/...n#axzz2JTKaMJWP
By Eric Heyl
Published:Saturday, January 19, 2013 ,
9:00 p.m.
By Eric Heyl
Published:
Dr. Cyril Wecht is an internationally renowned forensic pathologist, author
and formerAllegheny County
congressional committee disputing the Warren Commission conclusions
and the single bullet theory regarding the 1963 assassination of President
John F. Kennedy.
Wecht spoke to the Trib regarding recent revelations by Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. that his father, Robert F. Kennedy, privately disagreed with
the Warren Commission report.
Q: Were you surprised by the admission that Robert F. Kennedy actually
didn‘t think much of the Warren Commission findings?
A: Well, no. That had already been revealed in an excellent book by
David Talbot (2007‘s “Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy
Years”), and I‘ve seen other references to it. Not a negative word (about
the report) was ever spoken publicly by him, to my knowledge, early on
when he was attorney general and even later when he became a
senator. But later on he did have those thoughts and feelings. I‘m
delighted that his son has now spoken out on this and stated what his
father came to believe.
Q: If he was dissatisfied, why do you think he didn‘t express that publicly?
A: You have to keep in mind — and this is not conjecture — that the two
people who hated Bobby Kennedy with a passion were the two most
powerful people in America: Lyndon Johnson and (FBI director J. Edgar)
Hoover. So not to make excuses for Bobby Kennedy, but I can
understand that maybe it was wise (not to go public with any criticism).
Why open your mouth if you are not going to get anywhere? You are
going to run into a stone wall (regarding the assassination inquiry) during
those first five years post-assassination (with Johnson andHoover
Q: Where do RFK Jr.‘s remarks fit in the Warren Commission conversation?
A: It strengthens the hand (of commission detractors). Many intelligent
people who are not biased fail to recognize that we, theWarren
Commission critics, are not a rogue element. We represent the
overwhelming majority of Americans. Six weeks ago, I went toNew
York
City
they are putting together (on the assassination). They had commissioned
a survey of 2,200 people (and) they wanted to get my reaction to it.
They asked if they thought the Warren Commission Report was correct,
valid. Eighty-five percent of the people said no. Doesn‘t that say
something? Take a poll today on baseball, apple pie, sex and motherhood
and you won‘t get 85 percent of the people to say that they think they
all are good.
Q: You‘ve been an integral part of the Warren Commission discussion. How
will you mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination this year?
A: On Oct. 17th, 18th and 19th, we‘ll have a 50th anniversary program
at the (Cyril H. Wecht)Institute of Forensic
Science
Duquesne University
program in the country. We‘ll have all the major critics, researchers and
so on. We had a huge program in 2003 for the 40th anniversary, and we
expect to have another excellent program again this time.
Eric Heyl is a staff writer for Trib Total Media (412-320-7857 or eheyl@tribweb.com).
http://triblive.com/opinion/qanda/3292514-74/commission-kennedy-warren - axzz2JTKaMJWP
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=19905
and former
congressional committee disputing the Warren Commission conclusions
and the single bullet theory regarding the 1963 assassination of President
John F. Kennedy.
Wecht spoke to the Trib regarding recent revelations by Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. that his father, Robert F. Kennedy, privately disagreed with
the Warren Commission report.
Q: Were you surprised by the admission that Robert F. Kennedy actually
didn‘t think much of the Warren Commission findings?
A: Well, no. That had already been revealed in an excellent book by
David Talbot (2007‘s “Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy
Years”), and I‘ve seen other references to it. Not a negative word (about
the report) was ever spoken publicly by him, to my knowledge, early on
when he was attorney general and even later when he became a
senator. But later on he did have those thoughts and feelings. I‘m
delighted that his son has now spoken out on this and stated what his
father came to believe.
Q: If he was dissatisfied, why do you think he didn‘t express that publicly?
A: You have to keep in mind — and this is not conjecture — that the two
people who hated Bobby Kennedy with a passion were the two most
powerful people in America: Lyndon Johnson and (FBI director J. Edgar)
Hoover. So not to make excuses for Bobby Kennedy, but I can
understand that maybe it was wise (not to go public with any criticism).
Why open your mouth if you are not going to get anywhere? You are
going to run into a stone wall (regarding the assassination inquiry) during
those first five years post-assassination (with Johnson and
Q: Where do RFK Jr.‘s remarks fit in the Warren Commission conversation?
A: It strengthens the hand (of commission detractors). Many intelligent
people who are not biased fail to recognize that we, the
Commission critics, are not a rogue element. We represent the
overwhelming majority of Americans. Six weeks ago, I went to
City
they are putting together (on the assassination). They had commissioned
a survey of 2,200 people (and) they wanted to get my reaction to it.
They asked if they thought the Warren Commission Report was correct,
valid. Eighty-five percent of the people said no. Doesn‘t that say
something? Take a poll today on baseball, apple pie, sex and motherhood
and you won‘t get 85 percent of the people to say that they think they
all are good.
Q: You‘ve been an integral part of the Warren Commission discussion. How
will you mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination this year?
A: On Oct. 17th, 18th and 19th, we‘ll have a 50th anniversary program
at the (Cyril H. Wecht)
program in the country. We‘ll have all the major critics, researchers and
so on. We had a huge program in 2003 for the 40th anniversary, and we
expect to have another excellent program again this time.
Eric Heyl is a staff writer for Trib Total Media (412-320-7857 or eheyl@tribweb.com).
http://triblive.com/opinion/qanda/3292514-74/commission-kennedy-warren - axzz2JTKaMJWP
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=19905
No comments:
Post a Comment