What if Nixon had gone on live TV in 1974 and accused the CIA of killing JFK?

Strategos' Risk

For the record, I am not endorsing any conspiracy theory regarding JFK (except maybe the South Vietnamese did him in as revenge for Ngo Dinh Diem because that one is funny as hell). At this point there is so much murk regarding the nature of his assassination that there is no pragmatic, consequentialist reason to believe any particular way about it. It's just endless myth making at this point.

The premise of this thread is about what if a president tried to make some myth of his own, in order to save his political bacon, or done it to sabotage his enemies. Certainly Nixon has a myth as well, that of him as the ill-tempered, vicious, paranoid man who was comfortable as coming off as deranged. Maybe he'd be vindictive enough to throw the CIA or J. Edgar or somebody under the bus on the way out with a live grenade, just because.
 

ejpsan

If Nixon does give a speech like that, his Chief of Staff, Alexander Haig would have shut down the broadcast once anything said came close to any mention of involvement by the CIA in the Kennedy Killing.
The Cabinet, led by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Secretary of Defense John Schlesinger, would have invoked the 25th Amendment and removed Nixon from power with Vice President Ford becoming the Acting President.
Nixon would have been then sent to Bethesda Naval Hospital for a full course of "Physical and Neurological" exams to determine his fitness to return as President.
Just before Nixon resigned, Secretary Schlesinger told the Joint Chiefs of Staff to inform him of any orders that Nixon may have issued, and only obey them if given the go ahead by him.
As for the impending Impeachment of Nixon, there would either been a call to accelerate the processes or because Nixon being sidelined, the need to proceed would not have been imperative.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top