Geraldo Rivera on the JFK Assassination: Zapruder Film, Oswald, and Conspiracy Theories

The Zapruder Film and Initial Doubts

• 🎬 Geraldo Rivera recounts how Dick Gregory and Robert Groden brought him the Zapruder film, which he described as astounding, shocking, and horrifying.
• 💥 Rivera's initial reaction to the film was that a shot appeared to come from the front, contradicting the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman.
• 📺 He faced significant hurdles airing the film due to Time-Life's copyright, ultimately signing a document with ABC accepting personal responsibility for its one-time broadcast.

Evolving Views on the Assassination

• 🤔 After 61 years, Rivera has come to believe that Lee Harvey Oswald alone killed John Kennedy, despite his initial interpretation of the Zapruder film.
• 🧠 This shift is attributed to explanations from forensic pathologists regarding body reflexes that can mimic a frontal impact when a shot comes from the rear.
• 🇺🇸 He notes that all high authorities in the US have accepted Oswald as the lone assassin.

Examining Potential Conspiracy Angles

• 🕵️ Rivera suggests that if there was a conspiracy, the focus should be on Oswald's time in the Soviet Union and his engagement with the KGB.
• 💬 He questions why Soviet sources would have described Oswald as a poor shot prior to the assassination, suggesting this period warrants further exploration.
• 🚫 He finds the notion of a vast cover-up implausible, stating that no one can keep a secret that well.

Enduring Fascination with the JFK Assassination

• 🌟 The enduring public interest in the JFK assassination is attributed to Kennedy being perceived as a saint-like figure who embodied the American spirit.
• 💔 The vast difference between the perceived character of Kennedy and the purported assassin, Oswald, makes it difficult for many to accept that Oswald alone could have caused such a profound change in history.
• 📉 Rivera suggests that failures, similar to those seen in the post-9/11 era, have fueled conspiracy theories surrounding the JFK case.

CIA Incompetence and Redactions

• ⚠️ Rivera points to the CIA's bungling and incompetence, citing the Bay of Pigs invasion as a prime example.
• 📄 He believes the redactions in the JFK documents were likely made by the CIA to protect their own incompetence, methods, and agents, rather than to hide a conspiracy.
• 🤷 The analysis suggests that the JFK case may be a prime example of the CIA trying to cover up its own mistakes.