John B. Connally

Governor, this Commission has met today for the purpose of taking the testimony of you and Mrs. Connally concerning the sad affair that you were part of. If you will raise your right hand, please, and be sworn. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give before this Commission will be the truth, the whole truth, and. nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

You may be seated, Governor. Mr. Specter will conduct the examination.

Will you state your full name for the record, please?

John Bowden Connally.

What is your official position with the State of Texas, sir?

I am now Governor of the State of Texas.

Did you have occasion to be in the automobile which carried President John F. Kennedy through Dallas, Tex., back on November 22, 1963.

Yes, sir; I did.

Will you outline briefly, please, the circumstances leading up to the President's planning a trip to Texas in November of last year?

You want to go back to--how far back do you want to go, a few days immediately prior to the trip or a month before, or all of the circumstances surrounding it?

Well, just a very brief picture leading up to the trip, Governor, starting with whatever point you think would be most appropriate to give some outline of the origin of the trip.

Well, it had been thought that he should come to Texas for a period of many months, as a matter of fact. There was some thought given to it during 1962. The trip kept being delayed. Finally in the fall of 1963 it was decided that he definitely should come, or should come in the fall of last year as opposed to waiting until this year, when his appearance might have more political overtones.
So I came up, I have forgotten the exact date, around the middle of October and talked to him about it, discussed the details, asked him what he would like to do.