*I felt privileged and proud to have been at Tampa Theatre last Thursday for the big-screen debut of Lynn Marvin Dingfelder’s well-attended, well-received documentary, “JFK in Tampa: The 50th Anniversary.”
Proud of our historic theater that is not a museum. Proud of our city for its historic reception of President John F. Kennedy that was so notably friendly and enthusiastic. Proud of the emotional paean to coming-of-age Tampa and coming-to-the-South JFK.
*One rule-of-cinematic-thumb I’ve always believed in: If a presentation can induce tears as well as smiles and laughs, it’s a keeper. “JFK in Tampa” qualifies. Those of a certain age will view it as a participant–even if they were nowhere near MacDill AFB, Al Lopez Park, The International Inn, Fort Homer Hesterly Armory or Lafayette Street on Nov. 22, 1963.
The Tampa Theatre crowd, skewed older demographically, was eclectic and electric in anticipation. The sounds of rekindled memories and visceral feelings–from youthful innocence to Camelot imagery–were soon audible. Except for the palpable silences prompted by ominous security references. At times, it was an emotional fine line–but one that was well-walked.
*It was also a VIP affair. Here an Alex Sink and a Betty Castor, there a Pam Iorio and a Steve Yerrid. Everywhere a ubiquitous Ron Weaver. Mayor Bob Buckhorn scored a hat trick: introducing the documentary, appearing in it and working the house.
*Three Secret Service agents, who were part of the JFK detail in Tampa, were among the VIP guests. None were in Dallas. Among their concurring observations about presidential-detail assignments: The best presidential bosses were Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Other favorites: Both Bushes, Bill Clinton. Much less so: Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter. Least favorite: Lyndon B. Johnson. One particularly memorable presidential-visit venue: China with Nixon. Some things, ironically, an authoritarian state does well. Security was so well coordinated, it actually allowed for agents to appreciate The Great Wall and other visitor-magnet sites.
*And if a president asks, for example, that a limo bubble-top be removed or that bumper-clasping agents step down, he will generally be accommodated. But technically, if the Secret Service has specific cause for threat-reducing measures, its agents can countermand the president’s request (or order) and do what they think they have to in order to protect whoever the occupant of the office of president is.
Last final thought.
*It’s noted that the “unthinkable” would ultimately happen shortly after JFK’s uplifting Tampa visit. Indeed, “unthinkable” because it’s always horrific to conjure. Dallas will always be an unimaginable nightmare. Grisly, graphic Zapruder images have seared our memories forever.
But Dallas was also eminently “thinkable” in any objective, professional security context after Tampa. As noted in last week’s column, there were sufficient threats in Tampa to warrant a police/military presence on every floor of every downtown building along the motorcade route that was taller than two stories. JFK’s limo didn’t just have a police escort, it had a phalanx of 34 motorcycled officers in a diamond-shaped cocoon.
In fact, Dallas was “thinkable” after Chicago was canceled earlier that month because of security threats. And it was “thinkable” after motorcade adjustments had to be made for Miami because of threats.
And it was down-right “thinkable” in a city, the regional headquarters of the John Birch Society, then known as the “Southwest Hate Capital of Dixie.” A city where Adlai Stevenson had been cuffed around and spat upon just weeks before. A city where thousands of anti-Kennedy, “Wanted for Treason” handbills were circulated just two days before his arrival and where a full-page, funereal Dallas Morning News ad sarcastically “welcomed” Kennedy the morning of his arrival.
Dallas was a venue that should not have included a presidential-motorcade hairpin turn, one that reduced speed to 11 mph near mid-rise buildings with no interior security.
No, this isn’t Monday-morning quarterbacking or cheap-shot, 20-20 hindsight. This, admittedly, is 50 years of uncapped ire, grief and frustration over what didn’t have to happen. And didn’t have to be whitewashed in Warren Commission cherry-pickings.
Yes, we are still relieved that “it” didn’t happen here. But the critical part of a non-nightmare in Tampa was security pro-activity and jurisdictional coordination. We didn’t just get lucky and dodge assassins’ bullets and a stop-the-presses bulletin. There was a factor beyond fortuity that Tampa was not Dallas.
And, yes, we have been gratefully reminded that there is every reason to legitimately bask in that five-hour mini-Camelot that celebrated Tampa’s entrance on to the national political stage. An historic presidential visit that trumped Jim Crow. A segregated Tampa was integrated that day in its Kennedy welcome. A president with a vision and an “ask not” agenda made common cause with a city whose reach was already beginning to exceed its grasp.