From - Thu Oct 10 22:56:29 1996 From: jmcadams@netcom.com (John Mcadams) Newsgroups: alt.conspiracy.jfk.moderated Subject: Dallas Motorcade Security Date: 9 Oct 1996 15:15:50 -0700 Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest) Lines: 57 Sender: jmcadams@news.comm.net Approved: jmcadams@netcom.com Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: able.comm.net Apparently-To: alt-conspiracy-jfk-moderated@uunet.uu.net Status: O Path: mcadams.posc.mu.edu!spool.mu.edu!newspump.sol.net!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.comm.net!news.comm.net!not-for-mail Conspiracy books often imply that security for Kennedy's Dallas Motorcade was unusually -- "suspiciously" -- lax. An article in the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, from November 23, 1963, puts this issue into perspective. ------------------------------------------------------------ JUST LAST WEEK, HE WANTED NO SPECIAL GUARD By Edward Kirkman Top city police with many years of experience in guarding Presidents and visiting heads of state said yesterday that President Kennedy took too many chances. On Nov. 14--eight days before the assassin's bullet struck him down--the President rode through New York City without a motorcycle escort and with fewer guards than police and the Secret Service wanted him to have. Authorities believed that Kennedy was too responsive to criticism for his own good. Heavily Guarded Until Last Week A frequent visitor to New York City, the President until last week had been heavily guarded, had a motorcycle escort, and traveled heavily-guarded streets which had been cleared of other traffic to make way from him. There were those who spoke disparagingly of the interruption of normal living occasioned by the President's visits, and this disturbed him. Small Guard Not Enough for Safety He insisted last week that there be no motorcycle escort and that his motorcade stop for traffic lights. His principal protection on the ride from LaGuardia Field to the Hotel Caryle, 76th and Madison Ave., was two city police cars in front of his limousine and one car with Secret Service men immediately behind the limousine. During the ride into Manhattan, cars containing newsmen on occasion came dangerously close to the side of the President's car before being waved off. While the President's car was stopped for a red light at 72d St. and Madison Ave., an amateur photographer stepped up close and took pictures before he was chased off. All this was clear evidence to security men that the small guard insisted upon by the President was not adequate to insure his safety. Queried on this point, Police Commissioner Michael Murphy officially said, "No comment." But those close to him knew that he and his top brass and the Secret Service were deeply concerned. ------------------------------------------------ .John