Nellie Connally and November 22, 1963

[MRM]

If you're interested in a long read, I recommend this piece on Nellie Connally from the November 2003 edition of Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/the-witness-2/ Nellie Connally was the wife of John Connally, who was governor of Texas in 1963. They were riding in the car with JFK and Jackie when JFK was assassinated. At the time of the article she was the last surviving passenger of the president's car.

JFK's appearance in Texas that fall was controversial and there was fear that the motorcade would face protests. Instead, adoring crowds lined the streets. Nellie, relieved and finally satisfied with the public's reaction, turned back to JFK and uttered the famous words, “Mr. President, you certainly can’t say that Dallas doesn’t love you”. As Nellie finished her sentence Oswald's first shot rang out. John Connally, in the jump seat ahead of Kennedy was a WWII veteran and avid hunter. He recognized the sound of the shot for what it was immediately. Hearing the second shot, shouted, "My God! They’re going to kill us all!”. He slumped over with a bullet in his back. Nellie pulled him over and shielded John with her own body, protecting him from the shooter and inadvertently saving his life by closing his wound.

But what makes the article interesting and compelling is that there is so much more to Nellie Connally than just being the last surviving passenger in JFK's limousine on November 23, 1963, or even of being John Connally's widow. Although mostly forgotten now, John Connally was a giant in the 1960s and 70s. Besides being governor of Texas he was LBJ's protege, who he hoped would be come president. Connally became Treasury Secretary under Nixon, and was Nixon's first choice to fill the vice presidential vacancy left by the resignation of Spiro Agnew. After he left politics for business he struck it rich, rubbing shoulders with other characters on the gilded stage of the go-go 80s, including a young Donald Trump. He planned to retire to his ranch in South Texas and to commute to his office on his private plane, splitting his time between properties in the Caribbean, Washington, and several places in Texas, each more lavish than the next.

And then his John's empire came crashing down, and Nellie with it. He died soon after and she lived a long life in a nondescript condominium crowded with mementos as a widow to John and the last surviving member of that fateful motorcade. Yet somehow, in a story of great people living lives larger than life, she comes off as being the greatest and living the largest life of them all.

It's a good read.

[stevej37]

Sounds very interesting. I'll check it out.

I vividly remember the moment I was told...our bus driver got off the bus before allowing us to enter to tell us. After getting home...my family was glued to the tv for the rest of the day.

[Tobra]

Texas Monthly used to be a great magazine

[Nostril Cheese]

That WAS a good read. Thanks.

[greglepore]

Thanks for posting that. I get a lot of Texas Monthly articles in my pocket feed, but not that one, and it was excellent.

[Seahawk]

I can't comment on the article because it would go to PARF in a second. I can, however, say, like Nellie: “Well,” she said, “I’m glad that deal is over.”

So am I.