History: The Stealing of JFK

One November 1963 morning chaos reigned. Panicked FBI agents are on the brink of brawling with staff and police officers over who has jurisdiction over JFK's dead body. Texas law meant that the body had to be autopsied before it could leave the premises. But…they had only been there an hour. Does this apply to a very recently slain American president? No…the "body"guards decide. Gun barrel's flash inside the echoing halls signaling that the dispute has now reached a critical point. As if a single minded entity, the agent's bolt forward with the casket of their dead commander throwing the enemy violently to the ground. Jackie's dress gloves, white but now sporting flecks of crimson, never relinquish their self-assigned station upon the wood grain death bed until they are safe in the cargo hold of Air Force One. Agents demand immediate take-off fearing the onslaught of vengeful deputies.
Other details on that sad day:
Jackie insisted that Catholic rights be given to Jack before an official time of death could be given. Upon the father's arrival, JFK's body had already been covered save for one foot sticking out that appeared white and bloodless. Jackie had been sitting outside the emergency room door in a metal chair with arms stretched out straight and her hands between her knees. She seemed composed but in a state of shock…and it had been apparent that no one had tended to her needs as she was still covered in blood.
Even though they had successfully (technically stole) retrieved the casket and loaded it into the cargo hold of the plane to fly back to Andrews AFB in Washington, D.C., they found that Lyndon Johnson demanded he be sworn in as president of the United States before the plane take off. He placed Jackie on his left side for the cameras (to show the public that he and the Kennedy administration were working together). Johnson did not want there to be any doubt that a transfer of power had officially taken place. Jackie was amazing in that horrible time. Lady Bird Johnson said that she dreaded going in to sit with Jackie by the casket to give her condolences, but Jackie made it "as easy as possible." The rest of the flight was one of stone silence.
As the plane stopped on the tarmac at Andrews, Bobby, who had remained home during the Texas trip, ran through the plane desperately searching for Jackie. He knew that she was in reality a very timid person and he wanted to act as her shield; to him that was all that mattered. Unfortunately, as he rushed through the cabin he failed to address or even acknowledge the new president…Johnson then viewed this as another of Bobby's snubs. He became infuriated.
The two Kennedy brothers never really liked Johnson. A fact that Johnson knew all too well; the feeling was mutual. As vice president, LBJ felt humiliated. He was kept from all important matters and the issues that he should be dealing with as vice president was given to Bobby instead of him. A recording reveals that Johnson was paranoid of Bobby's power. Even though LBJ had already been sworn in as president, as Attorney General, Bobby could potentially pursue a way to keep him from office.
It didn't help that it was Johnson that was the one to break the bad news to Bobby. These were two men that already hated each other and Bobby knew that if Lyndon had called him personally and at home (while sitting by the pool eating a sandwich) the situation was bad. Part of LBJ's hysteria was the fact that no one knew what was actually taking place. Was there a lone shooter or was there a conspiracy? Was he a target and destined to die that day too? Would there be another attack? Resentment between the two administrations remains.
Once at the white house LBJ immediately fired Rose Lincoln, JFK's secretary, and replaced her with his own. He then asked his new body guard "where's my hat?" Rufus Youngblood replied... it's probably back in the motorcade car in Texas. LBJ said "Damn it Get Me My Hat!" For the man who thought his political career was over, he now was the most powerful man in the world and it was business as usual.
Do you realize how fast this all took place? JFK was at the hospital within 7 minutes…he was dead within 45 minutes (probably earlier), back on the plane sometime around two hours after the initial incidence, and LBJ was president within 4 hours I'll have to look at the exact time, but it was probably earlier too).
LBJ was kept in the dark during the initial couple of hours. People several states away could watch TV and know more than LBJ did at the time. Essentially LBJ didn't know if he was president or not. Do you realize that if this had been a world war we would have had no commander to give command within that time? It was disorder and chaos. Hopefully they have come up with a plan by now. Scary.
Information from History Channel – Kennedy week.