The Kennedy Detail

I found a great amount of the documentary fascinating but I do feel the book and show tend to put the blame on President Kennedy for his own assassination by ordering "the ivy league charlatans " off the back of his car. Moreover their recollections of the time frame, distances and their reactions do not match the photographic evidence. The Zapruder film does not really capture much about their reactions other than the agent in the back seat of the backup car looking over the side of the car toward the road where most likely a piece of the bullet from the first shot hit the pavement around frame 160 or so most likely reacting to the first shot which everyone now agrees was the shot that missed and happened earlier (around Zapruder 160)than Warren report suggest. Most experts agree now the shot sequence took 8-11 seconds so the agents had much more time to react. The picture and films that show the most are the Altgens photo shot around Zapruder frame 255 and the Nix and Muchmore films shot from the other side of Dealey Plaza. What do they show: 1. Altgens picture shot 2 seconds after JFK hit in the upper back and shows his arms fully extended dramatically up to his neck in obvious distress show the two agents on his side looking back toward to School Book Depository instead of being focused on the President and Agent Hill not reacting at all.

2. Muchmore and Nix film show clearly the "impossible feat" that Agent Hill performed getting to the Presidents car was not impossible and not anywhere close to being on time. If you watch closely when the 3rd shot hits the President Agent Hill is one step off the running board of the backup car and his whole sprint was about 6 steps.The agent on Presidents side was leaning forward at time of 3rd shot not starting to get off the car.

If any would have reacted as the agents did when President Reagan was shot we would have had President Kennedy for 8 years and who knows how history would have changed. Mark Brown, MD, FAAP The agents do not talk about the fact they were up until 3-5 am and some were drinking. I think what they all need to do is just admit their faults that day and ask forgiveness. Rationalization will not give them peace.

This is one of those programs that shouldn't be missed. It should be shown to all children as part of their civics studies. Many of the secret service agents who were protecting the President, the First Lady, and the First Family are part of this retelling of events on that terrible November day in 1963. I was a junior high school student when President Kennedy was shot; and this event still deeply affects me. But, even though we all know they're always there; I think most of us have forgotten that there was a group of men who were obligated to be at the center of events on this historic day. And their recollections from that day was eye opening and interesting. I learned some small, but interesting details from these dedicated but wounded men. It was fascinating hearing the details of the days leading up to Dallas; and then hearing their stories from that day and the days that followed in their own words. It was very touching to see these otherwise strong men who are still deeply affected by their experiences on that day in November. This is a well done production; that will easily hold your interest. And will almost certainly tell you some things you didn't know about this story.