Kennedy's Last Days: The Assassination That Defined a Generation (5 page)

MARINA PRUSAKOVA OSWALD

Marina Prusakova Oswald:
Wife of Lee Harvey Oswald.

ROBERT OSWALD

Robert Oswald:
Lee Harvey Oswald’s older brother.

RUTH PAINE

Ruth Paine:
Friend of Marina Oswald.

OTHERS

WALTER CRONKITE

Walter Cronkite:
CBS newsman who first announces the shooting of the president.

JACK RUBY

Jack Ruby:
Nightclub owner who kills Lee Harvey Oswald.

EDWIN ANDERSON WALKER

Edwin Anderson “Ted” Walker:
Major general in the U.S. Army, assassination target of Oswald.

Sterling Wood:
Boy who testifies that he saw Oswald at the rifle practice range.

Kennedy places his hand on an 1850 edition of the Bible brought from Ireland by his ancestors.
[JFK Presidential Library and Museum]

CHAPTER ONE

JANUARY 20, 1961

Washington, D.C. 12:51
P.M.

T
HE MAN WITH FEWER THAN THREE YEARS
to live places his left hand on the Bible.

Earl Warren, chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, stands before him reciting the Presidential Oath of Office. “You, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, do solemnly swear…”

“I, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, do solemnly swear,” the new president repeats in his Boston accent.

John Kennedy was born into wealth and has a refined manner of speaking that would seem to distance him from many people. But he is an enthusiastic and easily likable man. He won the popular vote over Richard Nixon by a razor-thin margin, getting just 49 percent of the total votes. So not everyone loves JFK, but this is an exciting moment for the country.

“… that you will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States…”

“… that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States.…”

Eighty million Americans are watching the inauguration on television. Twenty thousand more are there in person. Eight inches of thick, wet snow have fallen on Washington, D.C., overnight. Spectators wrap their bodies in sleeping bags, blankets, thick sweaters, and winter coats—anything to stay warm.

The Marine Band stands in front of the Capitol during the inauguration ceremonies.
[JFK Presidential Library and Museum]

But John Kennedy ignores the cold. He has even removed his overcoat. At age 43, JFK exudes fearlessness and vigor. His lack of coat, top hat, scarf, or gloves is intentional—this helps to confirm his athletic image. He is trim and just a shade over six feet tall, with greenish-gray eyes, a dazzling smile, and a deep tan, thanks to a recent vacation in Florida.

“… and will to the best of your ability…”

“… and will to the best of my ability…”

In the sea of dignitaries and friends all around him, there are three people vital to Kennedy. The first is his younger brother Bobby, soon to be appointed U.S. attorney general. The president values him for his honesty and knows that Bobby will always tell him the truth, no matter how brutal it may be.

Behind the president is the new vice president, Lyndon Baines Johnson, who is often called LBJ. It can be said, and Johnson himself believes, that Kennedy won the presidency because Johnson was on the ticket, which allowed them to win the most votes in Johnson’s home state of Texas.

Finally, the new president glances toward his young wife, standing behind Justice Warren. Jackie’s eyes sparkle. Despite her happy face today, Jackie Kennedy has already known tragedy during their seven years of marriage. She miscarried their first child, and the second was a stillborn baby girl. But she has also enjoyed the birth of two healthy children, Caroline and John Jr., and the stunning rise of her dashing young husband from a Massachusetts politician to president of the United States.

John F. Kennedy takes the oath of office, administered by Chief Justice Earl Warren.
[© Bettmann/Corbis]

“… preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

“… preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Kennedy’s predecessor, Dwight Eisenhower, stands near Jackie. Behind Kennedy stand Richard Nixon, Eisenhower’s vice president and Kennedy’s adversary in the presidential campaign, and Harry Truman, the Democratic president who held office before Eisenhower.

Normally, having just one of these dignitaries at an event means heightened security. Having all of them at the inaugural, sitting together, is a security nightmare.

The Secret Service is on high alert. Its job is to protect the president. The leader of the service, Chief U. E. Baughman, has been in charge since Truman was president. His agents scan the crowd, nervous about the proximity of the huge audience. One well-trained fanatic with a pistol could kill the new president, two former presidents, and a pair of vice presidents with five crisp shots.