It was rainy in Dallas but supposed to clear up later that morning. Over at Love Field airport, a young Times Herald reporter asked a Secret Service agent whether the clear, weatherproof top on the presidentâ??s limousine was going to be used or not; the agent checked the forecast downtown and determined that the bubble top could be removed so the president could ride in open air.
Thirty-three miles away, John F. Kennedy, the reason for these preparations, woke in his room at the Hotel Texas, put on dark suit and tie, and went downstairs to give an early speech in a nearby parking lot. Much to the crowdâ??s disappointment, Jacqueline Kennedy, on her first official outing since the death of the coupleâ??s infant son in August, hadnâ??t yet joined her husband. â??Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself,â? the president told the audience. â??It takes her longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it.â?
She would appear at breakfast shortly after, wearing a carnation pink suit and a matching pillbox hat.
The day begins with routine political stops by President John F. Kennedy in Fort Worth. It will end with an autopsy at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Click on the image to view the gallery
The president was in Texas because he needed to be. It was a political trip, shoring up support for the state that had only narrowly elected him in 1960. After the morning in Fort Worth, he was to take a brief flight to Dallas and attend a luncheon at the wholesale Trade Mart. Dallas wasnâ??t sure if it wanted to welcome him: A newspaper previewed his visit with the headline, â??Storm of Political Controversy Swirls Around Kennedy on Visit.â?
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