Jim Garrison's Friend, John McKeithen vs. JFK & RFK
Author: jpshinley
From: jpshinley@my-dejanews.com
Date: 1998/08/14
New Orleans Times-Picayune
September 22, 1963 S1-P23
McKeithen Lays Turmoil
-
New Orleans Times-Picayune
September 22, 1963 section 1, page 23
-
McKeithen Lays Turmoil to JFK
-
Clinton, La
-
"The civil rights turmoil in these United States now can be laid directly at the door of the Washington administration who have tried to change a century-old way of life [segragation] with legislation," gubernatorial candidate John Mckeithen told a crowd here Saturday morning...
-
"The other candiates in this race, including me, have clearly stated that we will not support any administration that advocates the type of legislation [desegration of public accomodations] no matter what party..."
-
[end of excerpts]
-
There is no evidence that Shaw and Ferrie drove McK to Clinton, but Jim Garrison was actively supporting him and Willard Robertson was funding his campaign. Later, McK would allocate $10K of state funds for JG's assassination investigation. It is interesting that McK chose Clinton to make this speech, since there was a CORE voter drive going on.
-
New Orleans Times-Picayune
January 9, 1967 section 3, page 2
-
Governor Raps Kennedy Family
-
Diving into the controversy about a book on the Kennedy assassination, Gov. John J. McKeithen calls it "an obvious attempt by the Kennedy family to ruin and wreck President Johnson..."
-
He referred to "The Death of a President," a book written by William Manchester.
-
McKeithen said a chapter which tells of heated words between Vice-President Johnson and President Kennedy during the fateful trip to Dallas "was aimed at discrediting President Johnson..."
-
New Orleans Times-Picayune
January 24, 1967 section 1, page 19
-
Robert Kennedy Tactics Backfiring, Says McKeithen Vietnam Measure is Dispute's Center
-
by Jack Owens
-
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)
-
Gov. John McKeithen said Monday he thinks the tactics of Sen. Robert Kennedy, D-NY, and the William Manchester book are "backfiring on that wing of the Democratic party."
-
He said Kennedy obviously seeks to discredit President Johnson so he will lose the 1968 presidential race and the brother of the late President John F. Kennedy can lead the party back to victory in 1972...
-
In his news conference, Mckeithen took issue with Kennedy criticism on Vietnam, adding, "There is strong evidence that Bobby Kennedy does not want the Democrats to win..."
-
McKeithen said Kennedy "is trying to second guess us on Vietnam, and while trying to harass the President and cause the President trouble nationally is giving comfort to the Communists in Vietnam."
-
[end of excerpts]
-
These statements took place at a time when the Garrison investigation was active but not publicized (though hardly secret). It is interesting that McK would emphasize the Manchester book when he was aware of JG's probe. Russell Long was also known as a hawk on Vietnam.
-
Jerry Shinley