Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-28
WHAT CAN HAPPEN
ConnaIIy Tells Of Tragic Shooting

DALLAS, NoU. % (APJ- I
FOLLOWING Is a transcript of |
an interview NTH Coz. John |
CoHndIly of TeIds, lDounded |
by the assassin iUhO killed /
President Kennedy. The in
teTUie1e tDds conducted yes
terddy By Martin AgronSky |
OF the National BroddcdStiHg |
Co., tDho iDds chosen by the
Governor because of personal
friendship to represent the
entire press. 1t tDdS Coz. Con-
HdIIy's first iHterUteiD since
the assassination. His actual
words mere transcribed b. |
the Associated Press from q |
tape recording made By Sta
ton KRLD of Dallas. Here Is
the interview:
AgrOnsky-I am in Falkland
Memorial Hospital in Dallas at
the bedside of John Connally |
where he is recovering from his
wounds. Gov. Connally, what |
are your recollections Of the
terrible moment when you and
President Kennedy were shot?
COnnaIly - Martin, just be-
fore it occurred, of course, We
had had a great ceremony in
Fort Worth, a magnificent
breakfast. He spoke IN a slight
drizzle, we made a trip to Dali
las.
There were huge throngs
along the way. We got into
downtown Dallas. There were |
tremendous crowds, real
warmth, real understanding, |
real appreciation, and Nellie,
CMrs. Connally) and 1 saw it so !
wildly because we were riding |
in the car with them.
We did not attempt to &C
knowledge the obvious ovation
they were getting because we
knew it was for the Kennedys.
The reception had been mag
nificent. The President re-
marked and so had Mrs. Ken
nedy. as a matter of fact, I
guess not 80 seconds before the
tragic incident occurred. and
Nellie turned to the President |
and said, "Mr. President. they
can't make you believe now that
there are not some in Dallas
who love you and appreciate |
you, can they? You should know
you sure can't"
And then we had Just turned
the corner, we heard a shot;
I turned to my left. I was sit
ting in the jump seat. I turned
to my left to look in the back
seat. The President had
slumped. He had said nothing.
Almost simultaneously as /
turned, / was hit and I knew I
had been hit badly, and I said
I knew the President had been
hit, and I said, my God they
are going to kill us all" And
then there was a third shot
and the President was hit
again, and we thought then
very seriously.
I had still retained con-
seriousness, but the President
had slumped in Mrs. Ken
nedy's lap, and when he was
hit the second time, she said
or the first time, it all hap
pened in such a brief span
she said, ooh, my Godl They
killed my husband. Jackl
Jackl"
And then after the third
shot, the next thing that &C.
Cured, I was conscious, the
Secret Service man, Of course
the chauffeur, had pulled out
Of the line. They said, Get
out of herel"
On the radios they said, Get
us to a hospital immediately"
and so we pulled out, Of course
Immediately, as fast as we
could go, and got to the hos
pital in the space Of a few
seconds. It's unbelievable what
can happen, Martin. We went
from great joy. anticipation,
wonderful crowds, wonderful
throngs. 1t was very tragic.
Wonders Why Spared
AgrOnsky - Governor, what
are the thoughts that have
come to you as you have. lain
here in this hospital bed re-
covering from your wounds?
COnnaIIy - oh, Martin,
there have been many and
many subjects and I just won
der. You wonder all types OF
things. You wonder why his
life was taken, why my life
was spared.
I know Of course that some
speculate that now, well, it
was me the man they was
after, not him. OF course I
have been campaigning all over
Texas, all last year for IL
months, all this year, riding
parades, horseback, in cars.
Open cars, on street corners.
I could have been an easy prey
for anyone with no security
whatever. So I don't place any
stead in this except I think
the man did what he intended
to do, shoot both of us. And
that's the only thing I can
think.
AgrOnsky-What other re-
Elections have you had, Gov
ernor?
COnnalIy-Only that maybe,
Martin, that the President OF