hundreds of people coming out to dealey plaza. we are in the place infamous. and they handed out rain ponchos because the wind and rain is picking up in the last 30 minutes or so. and the people are out here and pre- program as it is billed is underway and they are playing on movies and big screens up there and just played kennedy's inaugural speech when he was sworn in office in january of 1961. and then the official program is expected to start any minute from now. and we'll hear the dallas symphony orchestra play. and they will recite some of the more famous speeches that kennedy gave. he was an eloquent speaker wasn't he. we heard a lot of speeches played in the last several weeks leading up to the event. and i want to show you the theme on dealey plaza and right back there in the background was the old texas school book deposatory. and the brick building back there and it was very far right window up in the corner one down from the top. lee harvey oswald a 24-year-old former marine was sitting as he waited for the president to come right through elm stree

let's take you live to dealey plaza. thousands of people are gathering there to honor the 35th president and his memory. peter johnson jr. is a fox news legal analyst, and like many of these large public ceremonies, peter, this one is late in getting under way. >> it is late in getting under way, but it's going to be marked by a invocations by bishop farrell, bishop of dallas as well as performances by the navy men's glee club including the naval hymn which is so often sung at funerals based upon a psalm. thousands are gathering here at time. they're watching video of president kennedy speak at various times in various appearances through his life, and these people came here as a result of the lottery in a program set up by mayor rolings, the mayor of dallas, and 25 local leaders. it's interesting to note, jon, that the kennedy family most often likes to celebrate the president's life not on the day of his death, but on his birthday. but thousands of citizens of dallas including school groups, church groups, people who w

today, the crowd gathered in dealey plaza. it will pause for a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m..local time, that's 1:30 p.m. eastern the moment the shots rang

but the people with the coveted tickets of course are filling dealey plaza. but this is about a mile from dealey plaza, and they have big screens set up so people can watch the entire ceremony. one of the big moments will be at 12:30 central time, a moment of silence right at the time that president kennedy was shot, and that will be followed by church bells tolling all over town. >> mark what is the mood where you are? the people of dallas waiting to reclaim their image of being one of the best cities but for years it still has a star. >> yeah, talked to a woman who said she has family members that don't even want to come visit her in dallas. but people i talked to are glad the city is doing this. they are glad the focus isn't on how president kennedy died, but about how he lived and his legacy and hue it still impacts us today, dell. >> mark thank you very much. also joining us in studio right now, david nassau is the author of this incredible book. you spent five years of your life working on this book. it is massive. but i want to get your feelings about

and dallas is going to be holder a memorial dealey plaza. heidi zhou castro is there. >> dell, actually 14,000 people applied to be here today in audience is. of those only 5,000 won the ticket through a random lottery, and as you can see from the crowd, this rain and this bad weather is not keeping people at home. the flags are already at half staff for the nation's 35th president, who's death many americans still see as a mystery. a recent gallup poll found that 63% of americans do not believe that lee harvey oswald acted alone. before lee harvey oswald could be tried, he was killed on live television. [ gunfire ] >> shot by jack ruby, a dallas nightclub owner. thus the scene was set for 50 years of suspicions and nagging questions. how could as oswald a withdrawn loaner be responsible for killing the most powerful man in the world? >> there was certainly a ambition on the part of the younger lawyers to find a spon sirsy. >> howard was one of those young lawyers investing jfk's death. the conclusion they reached, that oswald acted alone. >

also live in dealey plaza next. ? [ male announcer ] need help keeping your digestive balance in sync? try alig it's the nber one ge recommended pbiotic that helps maintain digestive balance. ♪ stay in the groove with align. who found a magic seashell. it told him what was happening on the tradg floor in real time. ♪ the shell brought him great fame. ♪ but then, one day, he noticed that everybody could have a magic seashell. [ indistinct talking ] [ male announcer ] right there in their trading platform. ♪ [ indistinct talking continues ] [ male announcer ] so the magic shell went back to being a...shell. get live squawks right in your trading platform with think or swim from td ameritrade. lori: hard to believe but 50 years ago today president john f. kennedy was assassinated t raised the question, where were you? so many people know exactly where they were if they were alive at that time. even though us not living at the time of the assassination understand the magnitude. almost a day you didn't feel safe in

he was right there in the gunfire was from dealey plaza. dealey plaza. h.b. mclain always denied he had a microphone. the police dispatcher jim bowles denied it. they were absolutely right. we identified the policeman. his name is willie price. he is deceased now but we traced his movements. we have traced the fact that he believed he had a stuffed microphone and gotten a substitute motorcycle that day that problems with the stuck microphone and he was set the trademark. two and a half miles from dealey plaza. the trademark was where president kennedy was going to deliver the luncheon address and tragically it was her dress that was never delivered. he is sitting at the trademark on the dicta belt recording. you can hear suddenly the sounds of sirens and clearly a great commotion as something worse by at high-speed. we checked the records. jim bowles has been in dallas. there were no other siren activated vehicles operating in dallas at that time. they have to report it to the police department. that was the presidential limousine and the accompanying police

coming here to dealey plaza is like taking a step back in time. the scene is so familiar. behind me are the texas school become depository, the infamous grassy knoll, and the road leading to the triple underpass. all part of a drama that unfolded here 50 years ago today and changed the course of american history. john f. kennedy, the 35th president of the united states, was shot and killed by a gunman firing from the depository. thousands dame to dealey plaza to commemorate the anniversary and hear the words kennedy never got to speak that day. >> we in this country, in this generation, are by destiny rather than choice the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. >> pelley: others visited the president's grave at arlington national cemetery. and the flag at the white house flew at half-staff, just as it did 50 years ago tonight. those who lived through that terrible time will tell you it was hard to believe it happened. harder still to believe that it's been half a century since it did. the images of november 22, 1963, are frozen in time. the glamorous first couple arrivin

and for the first time since the assassination, the city of dallas holding a memorial at dealey plaza, the scene of the shooting itself. the place with heidi zhou castro is live now. heidi a solemn dais specially when the bells rang. >> absolutely. sdel, here the moment of silence followed by the bells was an emotional moment. the major of dallas saying that the sky as it rained was weeping with them. 50 years after president kennedy was assassinated here just steps from where i am standing by lee harvey oswald. but this was about the life pa -- and legacy of john f. kennedy. a committee of 25 people from dallas put on this event funded completely by private donations. >> you, lord have lifted us up from the horrible tragedy enacted in this place from the cruel suffering that was born on this hill, from the shock and horror that gripped our nation, and from the year when we has citizens of this city suffered and were implicated by the gunshot by one man. >> certainly a mournful experience here in dallas, remembering the 50th anniversary, including the mayor addressing the crowd about

we're in dealey plaza. it's been coor donned off. there are 5,000 people invited to attend this ceremony. we'll hear from the mayor and david mcwelcome la will read from the speech that he was to give that day. and i think this really speaks as to how much the city has struggled over the last five decades coming to terms with the assassination happened here and how difficult that has been for so many people. it was a beautiful blue-skied day. thousands of people lined the streets of dallas to watch this motorcade. this was the tail end just a few feet where from where we're standing. this entire area has been coor donned off unlike anything this city has ever seen. >> so, they use to call that back in the day, they used to call that weather a kennedy day. because it seemed whenever the president traveled, it would be sunny. as i recall, it started out as a rainy, miserable day, and it turned into that beautiful day. but everyone just remembers dallas because of that shooting it seems. and that's something, as you said, that city has

kennedy was shot and killed as hisor motcade traveled through dealey plaza in dallas. this is how it looked when walter cronkite reported it on cbs. >> apparently official, president kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. central standard time, 2:00 eastern standard time, some 38 minutes ago. vice president johnson has left the hospital in dallas, but we do not to where he has proceeded. presumably he will be taking the oath of office shortly and will become the 36th president of the united states. >> thousands will gather at dealey plaza this morning for a phone ceremony. >>> in boston, the jfk library open an exhibit of never-before displayed items from kennedy's funeral. and at the white house president obama meets with volunteer from the peace corps, a program kennedy created. >>> a woman who was in dealey plaza half a century ago recorded the final seconds of the president's life. >> right on the corner. and as the motorcade approached, we stepped into the street. >> tina towner pender took a day off from school with her father and filmed the video of the motorcade. you shot f

why were they in dealey plaza at the top of the grassy knoll? this would add some hard evidence to the belief that perhaps other people were involved and perhaps there was a second shooter behind a picket fence. i am convinced though that if there were a second shooter behind a picket fence he didn't either fire or missed entirely. the bullet trajectories truly go to the window on the sixth floor where someone fired and i believe the overwhelming evidence suggests leslie harvey oswald. there was a shotgun and lots of different things. he clearly thought that mail order rifle. think about this, the president of the united states was killed with a 19-dollar rifle. >> host: i did a little research. it was considered to be a fairly good rifle. the conspiracy theorist to try to suggest that it was just a very bad rifle but actually it was considered to be above average as far as accuracy. >> guest: the scope was off. if he had practiced with a gun he could've made that calculation is said. it was possible the scope was knocked out of kilter. the othe

today, the crowd gathered in dealey plaza. it will pause for a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m..local time, that's 1:30 p.m. eastern the moment the shots rang out. we're going to have live coverage of the ceremony. earlier today, members of the kennedy family held a wrea wreath-laying ceremony in arlington national cemetery. leading an the family, jean kennedy smith, jfk's last surviving sibling. we have a team of correspondences, authors, commentators here with us throughout this hour. they'll share their reflections on the assassination and the anniversary as well as the legacy of president kennedy. we want to start with the investigative reporter gerald posner, the historian david kaiser, both in watertown, massachusetts right now. correspondence ed lavandera is standing by as is our own john king. give us a quick thought, gerald. let's start with you. this is the hour testifies shot exactly 50 years ago today. >> wolf every minute that pas as we're talking right now, there is something taking place 50 years ago in the setup

they created a 3 ddi dealey plaza and did it as if they were investigating a modern case. >> reporter: what is that? >> if you look at the physical evidence, there is nothing else to suggest that lee harvey oswald shot the president of the united states in 1963. >> reporter: the first he says likely hit the street and decision grated, the second shot struck kennedy in the back, exited out of his throat, passed through texas governor's conly's back and lodged in the leg. the bullet was found in the hospital in tact but warped like a kidney bean. >> that magic bullet has been a source of controversy for five decades now and you're saying it could have easily happened? >> absolutely. >> reporter: to prove the point they documented a simulated shooting for the pbs show nova. >> mike hague will test fire one round into one of the oldest test materials. >> reporter: it's done with a high-speed camera. >> the bullet penetrated 36 inches, but what condition is it in. >> the nose of this bullet is undeformed. it's still perfectly round. >> reporter: hague says the entrance wound in kennedy's b

then we came over to dallas just like 50 years ago and we attended the services in dealey plaza. so it was an emotional time for me and for many, and i'm certainly glad i could be there. >> when you stood at dealey plaza, did your mind go back very vividly to what happened 50 years ago? >> oh, yes, certainly it did and does frequently because that's what i think of at least once a day, probably more than that. is the run through my mind what actually happened on elm street in dealey plaza. >> when we see the footage, as we are now of the seconds immediately after the bullets began to ring out, you're on the limousine behind. did you realize immediately that the first shots that impacted on the president was a bullet? >> no, i only recognize it as an explosion of some kind behind me to -- over my right shoulder, and -- but when i scanned towards the noise and saw the president -- his move the in the backseat, he grabbed at his throat, he moved sharply to his left. i knew something had happened, and i assumed at that point that it must have been a shot. so that's when i jumped off

kennedy was shot and killed as his motorcade traveled through dealey plaza in dallas. this is how it looked when walter cronkite reported it on cbs. >> from dallas, texas, the flash apparently official. president kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. central standard time, 2:00 eastern standard time, some 38 minutes ago. vice president johnson has left the hospital in dallas, but we do not know to where he has proceeded. presumably he will be taking the oath of office shortly and will become the 36th president of the united states. >> thousands will gather at dealey plaza this morning for a solemn ceremony. >>> in boston, the jfk library opens an exhibit of never-before displayed items from kennedy's funeral. and at the white house president obama meets with volunteer from the peace corps, a program kennedy created. >>> vinita nair is in dallas with a story of a woman who was at dealey plaza a half a century ago and recorded the final seconds of the president's life. >> right on the corner. and as the motorcade approached, we stepped into the street. >> tina towner pender took a d

he was about a mile away here in dealey plaza from the dallas trade mart. he was supposed to speak to a luncheon as part of his campaign swing through texas. part of that speech, very hopeful and forward-looking, now inscribed in a stone plaque on that grassy knoll. you can see they are breaking down now but about 5,000 people here for the ceremony. the weather complicating things a bit but a very solemn ceremony as this city tried to pay tribute to the president and essentially tried to, if you will, burnish its own reputation and move past some of the pain that people here say not only in the days after the assassination but for years and decades after the assassination. jake? >> chief national correspondent john king. thank you so much. i wasn't alive the day jfk was assassinated and based on a little something i like to call math, i bet a lot of you were not, either. the atlantic's the wire has calculated that only about a third of the u.s. population was on this planet the day he died, but for two veteran journalists, that day launched their careers in

i've always been struck by the fact that any time of year, there are always people here in dealey plaza looking at that spot on the road, looking up at the sixth floor window. on the grassy knoll every weekend, you will find conspiracy theorists who come here. up till this day, many theorists would ob their own moments of silence on this day, but they're not around here today. they're being cordoned off outside the security perimeter set up around the plaza. polls show a majority of

>> no comment. >> at one point he had 15 assassins in dealey plaza. with that many assassins i don't know how kennedy made it to the autopsy table. >> he said jack ruby's unlisted telephone number appears in address books belonging to shaw and oswald. >> you take p and o and use a telephone dial, p gives you 7, o gives you 6. >> he just changed the digits around, added digits, added letters. >> you reconstruct the numbers, and then you subtract 1300 and that gives you ruby's unlisted telephone number. >> mr. garrison, if the p.o. didn't exist until late '65 how would it then be jack ruby's phone number? >> that's your problem or you've missed the point. >> he pointed to cia agents supporting a conspiracy. >> who's suppressing this on whose order? >> the federal government is suppressing it. >> who in the federal government? >> the administration. the administration of your government is suppressing it because they know that the central intelligence agency -- >> on whose order? >> on the order of the president of the united states. >> mr. garrison has

good food, good life. ♪ ♪ >> dallas dealey plaza 50 years later. bob was a radio reporter covering the passage of president kennedy's motorcade as he drove through the streets of dallas. a young reporter for krld, on the air when it happened. he was steps away from jack ruby when he shot lee harvey oswald. he joins me now, and presidential news historian still with us. tell me, what did you hear the first you realized that the president had been shot. >> i had just broadcast the motorcade live from downtown. i got back to my newsroom and was told immediate ly what had happened. i took us in our krld mobile unit as quick as i could to parkland. they had just cordoned it off, the entire hospital complex and were allowing no traffic in. i drove around their barricades and managed to jump the car over curbs all the way until i was within about 150 feet of the emergency room opening. it was a sad scene there. >> days later when jack rubeny killed lee harvey oswald live on american television, you were right there. i wanted to play a little of that, nbc'

>> no comment. >> at one point he had 15 assassins in dealey plaza. with that many assassins i don't know how kennedy made it to the autopsy table. >> he said jack ruby's unlisted telephone number appears in address books belonging to shaw and oswald. >> you take p and o and use a telephone dial, p gives you 7, o gives you 6. >> he just changed the digits around, added digits, added letters. >> you reconstruct the numbers, and then you subtract 1300 and that gives you ruby's unlisted telephone number. >> mr. garrison, if the p.o. didn't exist until late '65 how would it then be jack rue ruby's phone number? >> that's your problem or you've missed the point. >> he pointed to cia agents supporting a conspiracy. >> who's suppressing this on whose order? >> the federal government is suppressing it. >> who in the federal government? >> the administration. the administration of your government is suppressing it because they know that the central intelligence agency -- >> on whose order? >> on the order of the president of the united states. >> mr. garrison

i'm in dealey plaza. today, cold temperatures and howling winds. but thousands of people are expected to show up to honor the president's legacy. >> the president's car is turning on to elm street. >> reporter: these iconic images provide a mental snapshot and remain haunting a half century later. >> several shots were fired. >> there was a bang. we all said, what was that? was that a shot? then two more closer together. >> reporter: robert macneal was a reporter assigned to cover the president's visit to dallas. >> i thought some idiot fired the shot. it was inconceivable that shot was fired at john f. kennedy. >> president kennedy died at approximately 1:00 p.m. central time here in dallas. >> reporter: news of his death halted the nation. >> i was sitting in my latin class in high school. >> this was the first very serious, of course adult ins department in my life. it's been there ever since. >> reporter: and today, 50 years later, it continues to bring people back to the spot that's become a memorial and a museum. >> a part of american history

we show you on the map behind us in dealey plaza. there are ceremonies planned and prepared throughout the day today. the main events start going around 11:00 central time, noon eastern time here in, on the east coast. this is the parade route. it was west on main. it was north on houston. it was west on elm street for president kennedy that day, in the limousine. this is the book depository building. in this building up there on the sixth floor, it is seven floors in height but the sixth floor corner window is where lee harvey oswald sat on his perch and fired his shots that morning. advance it one time from the ground level now. this would be looking out past elm street towards the freeway. this is the north route on houston. this would be the western route here on elm. up here again in the sixth floor window where lee harvey oswald was that day. wow, what a day. so many too have been reaching out to us and sharing some of their thoughts where they were that day. it is like 9/11 for our generation. it's a moment we'll never forget.

our broadcast will originate here in dealey plaza in dallas, texas. special airs tonight at 9:00, 8:00 central on the nbc television network. we'll see you for our broadcast later today for our entire team, i'm brian williams. nbc news in dallas. i'm beth... and i'm michelle. and we own the paper cottage. it's a stationery and gifts store. anything we purchase for the paper cottage goes on our ink card. so you can manage your business expenses and access them online instantly with the game changing app from ink. we didn't get into business to spend time managing receipts, that's why we have ink. we like being in business because we like being creative, we like interacting with people. so you have time to focus on the things you love. ink from chase. so you can. [ bell ringing, applause ] five tech stocks with more than a 10%... change in after-market trading. ♪ all the tech stocks with a market cap... of at least 50 billion... are up on the day. 12 low-volume stocks... breaking into 52-week highs. six upcoming earnings plays... that recently gapped

zapruder started his camera after the limousine was about 70 feet into dealey plaza. well, oswald had the president in his sights for many seconds before that. and this gets into the whole questions, how much time did oswald have to shoot the president? >> there are so many interesting questions and problems that come from the film. we believe so much in the image. we believe so much in the sort of ultimate truth of film and of images. then they become our memory. >> is it impossible that the bullet would have gone through president kennedy, gone through governor connally and not suffered any more damage than is shown in this photograph? >> i would hesitate really to say that it is absolutely 100% impossible. but it is highly improbable. >> could a single bullet have wounded both president kennedy and governor connally? the single bullet theory has perhaps become the most controversial point of the warren report. >> if one bullet couldn't shoot men it meant there were two shooters and there was a conspiracy. >> the conspiracy theorists claim the second shot was a magi

john, you're there in dealey plaza. today was really the most substantial, largest commemoration dallas has ever done over these past 50 years since the president was killed. i want you and our viewers to listen to the mayor of dallas. he was very reflective about the city's role in history. >> today, because of the hard work of many people, dallas is a different city. i believe the new frontier did not end that day on our texas frontier. >> so john, how has this city evolved over these 50 years? what was the mayor referring to? >> reporter: well, wolf, the city was called the city of hate in those days after the tragedy right here on dealey plaza and there was very little reference to the violence, the assassination. most of the speeches, most of the tributes instead to the legacy of president kennedy. but president kennedy had been warned beforehand when he was here in texas for that political swing, dallas would be the worst stop, would be the most hostile and this city labeled the city of hate has spent years wrestl

and a moment time seemed to stand dill at dealey plaza. as part of the ceremonies, a moment of silence will happen at 12:30 central time. the moment president kennedy was shot. brandi hitt, abc news, dallas. >> stay with abc news for today's events. remembering john f. kennedy. we'll carry the moment of commemoration at 1:25 p.m. eastern. >>> senate democrats are shaking a century-old tradition, virtually eliminating the filibuster. they're shaking it up, that is. that means the minority party will not be able to block presidential nominees for most judicial and agency posts, unless they have a majority vote. republicans are outraged. but democratic leaders say the move is necessary to overcome gridlock. >> it's time to change the senate before this institution becomes obsolete. >> most important and most dangerous restructuring of senate rules since thomas jefferson wrote them. >> the revision of the filibuster will not apply to supreme court nominees. >>> trey radel has checked himself into rehab. the florida republican entered the clini

the first official ceremony by the city held in dealey plaza where j.f.k. was shot with remarks by dallas mayor mike rawlings and historian david mccullough. this is 45 minutes. ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the united states naval academy men's glee club under the direction of dr. aaron smith. >> please welcome our distinguished guests to the stage, led by the chairman of the 50th commemorative committee for the city of dallas. the most reverend bishop, kevin j. farrell of the catholic diocese of dallas. the mayor of dallas, the honorable mike rawlings, david mccullough, and pastor emeritus of the st. luke's community united methodist church, sam w. holmes jr. thank you. and now, we ask you to please rise for the presentation of the colors by the dallas police department honor guard. >> please remain standing for the national anthem, performed by monica saldevar. >>. ♪ o say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what's so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪

bagpipes played in dealey plaza in dallas as thousands stood in silence to mark the exact moment when president kennedy was killed on november 22nd, 1963. historian david mccullough recited lines from the president's famous speeches. >> he spoke to the point and with confidence. he knew words matter. his words changed lives. his words changed history. >> there is a permanent new monument in the plaza near the infamous grassy knoll. the inscription on the plaque is the final paragraph of the speech president kennedy was set to deliver in dallas but never did. face the nation's bob schieffer was a 26-year-old reporter at the fort worth star telegram the day kennedy was killed. >> nothing was ever quite the same as it was before this happened. it really kind of shattered our national confidence and caused us to ask questions about almost everything. >> schieffer says he's tried to keep an open mind to conspiracy theories about the assassination, but he believes all the evidence supports the official explanation that lee harvey oswald acted alone. >> there are going to be questions about

on the north side of dealey plaza are the dallas county jail, the courthouse and the texas school book depository. in dealey plaza, it will always be november 22, 1963. >> i notice that there are a number of hidden zippers in these jackets. now, what are these for, betsy? they can't be for... is it for mad money? >> well, it depends on where they're placed. they can be wherever you want them. (static) >> good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. you'll excuse the fact that i'm out of breath, but... this is from the united press, from dallas. "president kennedy and governor john connally have been cut down by assassins' bullets in downtown dallas. they were riding in an open automobile when the shots were fired." >> ...the texas school book depository, headed for the triple underpass. there were three loud, reverberating explosions. >> ...shots were fired and he happened to look up at about the fifth or sixth floor of the texas book depository. he said he saw the rifle being pulled back in. >> bert? (phone ringing) let's see. let's get reorganized here. grab that cable over there. we're on

thousands of people gollick in dealey plaza in dallas to remember the ceremony. david mccullough talks about the inspiration jfk gave to many americans. >> he spoke to us in that now distant time with the vitality and sense of purpose such as we had never heard before. >> this was the first ceremony in dallas since the assassination. the event was held under great skies but in 1963 was a sunny bright day as the president and first lady wrote an open top limousine. 24-year-old lee oswald positioned on the sixth floor of the texas school book depository opened fire and killed the president. the entire nation grieved after the assassination. >> it appears something is happening motorcade route. >> november 22, 1963. >> president kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. central standard time. >> then. >> ... a shocked nation weeps. >> and now. from the bells at dealey plaza to the american flag at golden gate national cemetery. >> it's just absolutely devastating and it still is to this day. >> today, americans did not forget. >> the first president that i really paid attention to

s no more and then lastly i think when the presidential motorcade pulled into dealey plaza in dallas when vice president johnson's car made one hundred twenty degree turn into dealey plaza lyndon johnson before the first shot has been fired is on the floor of his car he hits the deck there's photographic evidence that proves this so i would say both before during and after the assassination lyndon johnson's actions betray the fact that he is in fact the man yoking a conspiracy or in this case a plot that includes the cia organized crime and big oil oil texas. a lot of people have written books alleging that l g b b j was behind the assassination what makes your book different i have a lot of first hand information meaning i had the opportunity to spend substantial amount of time with president richard nixon to ask him about his views of the kennedy assassination he was of course in dallas he has recorded on the white house tapes the watergate tapes the saying the warren commission was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated he told me directly. lyndon johnson and i both wanted to be presi

and a moment that seemed to stand dill at dealey plaza. a moment of silence will happen at 12:30 central time. the moment president kennedy was shot. brandi hitt, abc news, dallas. >> stay with abc news for today's events. we'll carry the moment of commemoration at 1:25 p.m. eastern. >>> senate democrats are shaking a century-old tradition, virtually eliminating the filibuster. they're shaking it up, that is. that means the minority party will not be able to block nominees for judicious and agency posts, unless they have a majority vote. republicans are outraged. but democratic leaders say the move is necessary to overcome gridlock. >> it's time to change the senate before this institution becomes obsolete. >> most important and dangerous restructuring of senate rules since thomas jefferson wrote them. >> the vision of the filibuster will not apply to supreme court nominees. >>> trey radel has checked himself into rehab. he entered the clinic in florida, saying he's been struggling with alcohol and substance abuse for years. he was arreste

we're in dealey plaza just across from the sixth floor window in the texas schoolbook depository building where three shots were fired 50 years ago today that changed the course of american history. and here in the shadow of that very building it was a perfectly awful day. 35 degrees, rain and wind, perfectly matching how dark it felt to be here today. and going back 50 years ago tonight, by this time of night, right now, air force one had just landed back in washington, d.c. carrying the president's casket, his widow jacqueline kennedy and the new president, lyndon johnson. most americans were home for the day. schools and offices let out early, and millions by this time were huddled around their television sets where they would remain transfixed, watching the coverage on and off for the next four days. here now is how david brinkley started off this broadcast on this very night 50 years ago. >> good evening. the essential facts are these. president kennedy was murdered in dallas, texas. he was shot by a sniper hiding in a building near his parade route. he was dead within an hour. lyndo

back at dealey plaza, the search for whoever killed the president and wounded texas governor john conley focused on a seven-story brick building. >> reporter: the suspect turned out to be lee harvey oswald. he had taken a bus in a camp to his rooming house, picked up jacket and pistol, then headed out again. he was walking down the police and police officer j.d. tippett called him over to his police car, and he just shot him at point blank range. >> it was a horrible act and certainly not the act of an innocent person. >> reporter: now oswald was wanted for two murders. he was on the run, but not for long. innocent person. >> reporter: now oswald was wanted for two murders. he was on the run, but not for long. >> reporter: police found him sitting in the rear of the theater. aboard "air force one" still on the ground in dallas, another drama was unfolding. >> reporter: with jackie kennedy at his side, lyndon baines johnson took the oath as the 36th president of the united states, and "air force one" now carrying two presidents took off for washington, d.c. >> reporter: they cleaned up th

back at dealey plaza, the search for whoever killed the president and wounded texas governor john connally focused on a seven- story brick building. n-story bri b >> up th to cover exas book depository >> reporter: the suspect turned out to be lee harvey oswald. he had taken a bus and a cab to his rooming house, picked up a jacket and pistol, then headed out again. he was walking down the street, and police officer j.d. tippett called him over to his police >> he tu be lee harvey oswald. he had he had taken a bus and a cab to his rooming house, picked up a jacket and pistol, then headed out again. he was walking down the street, and police officer j.d. tippett called him over to his police car and shot him at pointblank range. >> it was a horrible act and certainly not the act of an innocent person. >> reporter: now oswald was wanted for two murders. he was on the run but not for long. >> reporter: the police found him sitting in the rear of the theater. >> the suspect has been apprehended at texas theater and en route to the station. >> reporter: aboard air force one, still on the ground

zapruder started his camera after the limousine was about 70 feet into dealey plaza. well, oswald had the president in his sights for many seconds before that. and this gets into the whole questions, how much time did oswald have to shoot the president? >> there are so many interesting questions and problems that come from the film. we believe so much in the image. we believe so much in the sort of ultimate truth of film and of images. then they become our memory. >> is it impossible that the bullet would have gone through president kennedy, gone through governor connally and not suffered any more damage than is shown in this photograph? >> i would hesitate really to say that it is absolutely 100% impossible. but it is highly improbable. >> could a single bullet have wounded both president kennedy and governor connally? the single bullet theory has perhaps become the most controversial aspect of the warren report. >> if one bullet couldn't shoot men it meant there were two shooters and there was a conspiracy. >> the conspiracy theorists claim the second shot was a mag

s no more and then lastly i think when the presidential motorcade pulled into dealey plaza in dallas when vice president johnson's car made one hundred twenty degree turn into dealey plaza lyndon johnson before the first shot has been fired is on the floor of his car he hits the deck there's photographic evidence that proves this so i would say both before during and after the assassination lyndon johnson's actions betray the fact that he is in fact the man yoking a conspiracy or in this case a plot that includes the cia organized crime and big oil oil texas. a lot of people have written books alleging that l g b b j was behind the assassination what makes your book different i have a lot of first hand information meaning i had the opportunity to spend substantial amount of time with president richard nixon to ask him about his views of the kennedy assassination he was of course in dallas he has recorded on the white house tapes the watergate tapes the saying the warren commission was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated he told me directly. lyndon johnson and i both wanted to be presi

we'll be broadcasting from dealey plaza in dallas to narc 50th anniversary. that's the cbs news for tonight. for all of us at cbs news all around the world, good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >>> straight ahead in your only local news at 7:00 prosecutors say they've taken a big step towards shutting down a vicious gang. >> and a congresswoman attacked near east and market. >> but let's get things started with a look at your world in 90

. >> pelley: as the motorcade turns on the dealey plaza what are you seeing? >> immediately in front of us was the texas school book depository. we didn't see anything unusual and then when we started to straighten out and gain a little bit more speed was when i heard an explosive noise over my right shoulder. >> reporter: the four agents on the follow-up car snapped their heads toward the noise. the two on the right side assigned to cover the president now looked away from the limousine but as hill turned, his view crossed the president's car. >> i saw the president grab at his throat and move to his left and i knew something was wrong and so that's when i jumped from my position to try and get up on the top of the back of it to form a shield there behind president and mrs. kennedy so no further damage could be done. >> pelley: walk me through it. your foot hits the pavement and what happens? >> well, i jumped off to my left, there was a motorcycle officer immediately to my left so i had to get between the motorcycle and the follow-up car to get to the presid

s no more and then lastly i think when the presidential motorcade pulled into dealey plaza in dallas when vice president johnson's car made one hundred twenty degree turn into dealey plaza lyndon johnson before the first shot has been fired is on the floor of his car he hits the deck there's photographic evidence that proves this so i would say both before during and after the assassination lyndon johnson's actions betray the fact that he is in fact the man yoking a conspiracy or in this case a plot that includes the cia organized crime and big oil oil texas. a lot of people have written books alleging that l g b b j was behind the assassination what makes your book different i have a lot of first hand information meaning i had the opportunity to spend substantial amount of time with president richard nixon to ask him about his views of the kennedy assassination he was of course in dallas he has recorded on the white house tapes the watergate tapes as saying the warren commission was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated he told me directly. lyndon johnson and i both wanted to be presid

we will show you the ceremony from dealey chiesa. on american history tv this weekend, much more coverage throughout the weekend. -- beginning saturday morning, live coverage, and also a presidential historian. live coverage, and your ability -- opportunity to call in and, as well with those authors. dallas ceremony that just the headline of the comments of the mayor, saying we all grew up that day. part of what the mayor had to say, what he writes, saying the mayor reflected on dallas of november 22, 1963 -- it seems we all grew up that day. the young city was changed for the better i that are a sick event, and so was the world. kennedy and our city will forever be linked. just a short while ago at dealey plaza. our first caller, robert. caller: i'm calling from new york. host: go ahead. caller: i would like to say that, one, i am 43 years old. i was not born when president kennedy was shot. my mother was. she said it was the saddest day of her life. i believe it was. he was a great president. i believe in my own knowledge, from his

we wait to take it live to dallas and the ceremony at dealey plaza. we have been showing you video from november 25, and some of the members, the pallbearers and the funeral cortÈge, the funeral. guard duty officers and others are featured in a "new york times" front page today. photo of the president's cap lying in state that capitol rotunda. howard is in california. good afternoon, or good morning. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my call. i even remember i was seven the west that morning, coast here, and we got the news over the intercom system in our school classroom. and it was definitely a tragic day for me because i had an opportunity to write an essay for a school project on the president. toas lucky to be selected write an essay on jeffk, and i did a lot of my writing and research on the speech he made on tv. people after a member, this was our first tv age president, and that is what i think we are so gluedto this -- so to this residency. he was telogen. he asked what we could do for our country and the call to service. civil righ

then we came over to dallas just like 50 years ago and we attended the services in dealey plaza. so it was an emotional time for me and for many, and i'm certainly glad i could be there. >> when you stood at dilealey pla plaza, did your mind go back very vividly to what happened 50 years ago? >> oh, yes, certainly it did and does frequently because that's what i think of at least once a day, probably more than that. is the run through my mind what actually happened on elm street in dealey plaza. >> when we see the footage, as we are now of the seconds immediately after the bullets began to ring out, you're on the limousine behind. did you realize immediately that the first shots that impacted on the president was a bullet? >> no, i only recognize it as an explosion of some kind behind me to -- over my right shoulder, and -- but when i scanned towards the noise and saw the president -- his move the in the backseat, he grabbed at his throat, he moved sharply to his left. i knew something had happened, and i assumed at that point that it must have been a shot. so that's when i jumpe

s no more and then lastly i think when the presidential motorcade pulled into dealey plaza in dallas when vice president johnson's car made one hundred twenty degree turn into dealey plaza lyndon johnson before the first shot has been fired is on the floor of his car he hits the deck there's photographic evidence that proves this so i would say both before during and after the assassination lyndon johnson's actions betray the fact that he is in fact the man you'll king a conspiracy or in this case a plot that includes the cia organized crime and big oil oil texas. a lot of people have written books alleging that l g b b j was behind the assassination what makes your book different i have a lot of first hand information meaning i had the opportunity to spend substantial amount of time with president richard nixon to ask him about his views of the kennedy assassination he was of course in dallas he has recorded on the white house tapes the watergate tapes as saying the warren commission was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated he told me directly. lyndon johnson and i both wanted to be p

s no more and then lastly i think when the presidential motorcade pulled into dealey plaza in dallas when vice president johnson's car made one hundred twenty degree turn into dealey plaza lyndon johnson before the first shot has been fired is on the floor of his car he hits the deck there's photographic evidence that proves this so i would say both before during and after the assassination lyndon johnson's actions betray the fact that he is in fact the man yoking a conspiracy or in this case a plot that includes the cia organized crime and big oil oil texas. a lot of people have written books alleging that l g b b j was behind the assassination what makes your book different i have a lot of first hand information meaning i had the opportunity to spend substantial amount of time with president richard nixon to ask him about his views of the kennedy assassination he was of course in dallas he has recorded on the white house tapes the watergate tapes the saying the warren commission was the greatest hoax ever perpetrated he told me directly. lyndon johnson and i both wanted to be presi