Friday Morning November 22, 1963: Death of the President
Written by Mark A Reynolds
Campaigning in Texas
By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Although he had not formally announced his candidacy, it was clear that President Kennedy was going to run for re-election.
By the end of September1963, President John F. Kennedy and his advisors traveled west, speaking in nine different states in less than a week. This was in preparation for the 1964 presidential campaign. He had not yet announced his candidacy but was confident about his chances for re-election. This trip was used to sound out themes—such as education, national security, and world peace. But also, it was meant to put a spotlight on natural resources and conservation efforts.
In October the president addressed Democratic gatherings in Boston and Philadelphia. On November 12, JFK held the first important political planning session for the upcoming election year. At this meeting the importance of winning Florida and Texas was stressed and discussions about his plans to visit both states in the next two weeks.
Mrs. Kennedy would accompany him on the swing through Texas, which would be her first extended public appearance since the loss of their baby, Patrick, in August. On November 21, the president and first lady departed on Air Force One for the two-day, five-city tour of Texas.
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy – Abbie Rowe. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
The challenge JFK faced was the feud that among party leaders in Texas which could jeopardize his chances of carrying the state in 1964, and one of his aims for the trip was to unify the Democrats together. He was aware that a relatively small but vocal group of extremists were contributing to the political tensions in Texas. This would likely make its presence felt—particularly in Dallas, where US Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson had been physically attacked a month earlier after making a speech there. Nonetheless, Kennedy seemed to relish the prospect of leaving Washington, getting out among the people and into the political fray.
The first stop was San Antonio. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Governor John B. Connally, and Senator Ralph W. Yarborough led the welcoming party. They accompanied the president to Brooks Air Force Base for the dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center. Next, they continued on to Houston, there he addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens and spoke at a testimonial dinner for Congressman Albert Thomas before ending the day in Fort Worth.
Morning in Fort Worth
A light rain was falling on Friday morning, November 22, but a crowd of several thousand stood in the parking lot outside the Texas Hotel where the Kennedys had spent the night. A platform was set up and the president, wearing no protection against the weather, came out to make some brief remarks. “There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth,” he began, “and I appreciate your being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it.” He went on to talk about the nation’s need for being “second to none” in defense and in space, for continued growth in the economy and “the willingness of citizens of the United States to assume the burdens of leadership.”
Trip to Texas. President Kennedy speaks at parking lot rally. L-R: President Kennedy, [unidentified], Senator Ralph W. Yarborough, Governor John Connally, Vice President Johnson. Fort Worth, Texas, Texas Hotel. Photograph by Cecil Stoughton, White House, in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston.
The warmth of the audience response was palpable as the president reached out to shake hands amidst a sea of smiling faces.
Back inside the hotel the president spoke at a breakfast of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, focusing on military preparedness. “We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom,” he said. “We will continue to do…our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead.”