CBS News Inquiry 1967 - Warren Report (Dan Rather carries a rifle package)

[Ross Lidell]

In June 1967 the CBS Television Network broadcast "A CBS News Inquiry - The Warren Report".

The 4-night series was hosted by Walter Cronkite. It investigated issues raised by the critics of the Warren Report.

CBS News correspondent Dan Rather went to Dallas and participated in several reconstructions of Lee Harvey Oswald's actions on 22 November 1963. One considered the claim that the package carried by Oswald on the day of the assassination was too short to contain his Carcano rifle.

Linnie May Randle and Buell Frazier both estimated (from memory) the length of the package that Lee Oswald carried on the morning of the assassination-day was a maximum of approximately 27 inches. This was about 8 inches shorter than the package would be if it contained Oswald's Carcano rifle disassembled. The longest component part of the Carcano was the wooden stock which measured 34.8 inches.

Buell Frazier testified that Oswald carried the package with the lower part "cupped" in his hand and the upper part under his armpit.

Dan Rather asked viewers to consider: Was his demonstration of carrying 35-inch long paper-bag—containing a disassembled Carcano rifle—consistent with how Buell Frazier described Lee Oswald taking the supposed package of curtain rods towards the Texas School Book Depository?

Dan Rather's demonstration is fascinating whether you agree with its premise or not.

[John Agee]

In June 1967 the CBS Television Network broadcast "A CBS News Inquiry - The Warren Report".

The 4-night series was hosted by Walter Cronkite. It investigated issues raised by the critics of the Warren Report.

CBS News correspondent Dan Rather went to Dallas and participated in several reconstructions of Lee Harvey Oswald's actions on 22 November 1963. One considered the claim that the package carried by Oswald on the day of the assassination was too short to contain his Carcano rifle.

Linnie May Randle and Buell Frazier both estimated (from memory) the length of the package that Lee Oswald carried on the morning of the assassination-day was a maximum of approximately 27 inches. This was about 8 inches shorter than the package would be if it contained Oswald's Carcano rifle disassembled. The longest component part of the Carcano was the wooden stock which measured 34.8 inches.

Buell Frazier testified that Oswald carried the package with the lower part "cupped" in his hand and the upper part under his armpit.

Dan Rather asked viewers to consider: Was his demonstration of carrying 35-inch long paper-bag—containing a disassembled Carcano rifle—consistent with how Buell Frazier described Lee Oswald taking the supposed package of curtain rods towards the Texas School Book Depository?

Dan Rather's demonstration is fascinating whether you agree with its premise or not.

Perhaps Oswald used his other hand to balance/hold the package (with the rifle) in front of him? Then the bag/rifle could be slanted a little, so the tip was closer to the center of Oswald's body. The tip of the package would then not be visible from behind. It is a bulky package for Oswald to carry with only one arm with the top apparently not sealed (credit to Colin Crowe there). Dan Rather's bag is sealed at both ends making it much easier to carry with one arm.

[Martin Weidmann]

Perhaps Oswald used his other hand to balance/hold the package (with the rifle) in front of him? Then the bag/rifle could be slanted a little, so the tip was closer to the center of Oswald's body. The tip of the package would then not be visible from behind. It is a bulky package for Oswald to carry with only one arm with the top apparently not sealed (credit to Colin Crowe there). Dan Rather's bag is sealed at both ends making it much easier to carry with one arm.

Ever considered the possibility that Dan Rather's bag does not actually resemble the bag Oswald carried?

[Ross Lidell]

Perhaps Oswald used his other hand to balance/hold the package (with the rifle) in front of him? Then the bag/rifle could be slanted a little, so the tip was closer to the center of Oswald's body. The tip of the package would then not be visible from behind. It is a bulky package for Oswald to carry with only one arm with the top apparently not sealed (credit to Colin Crowe there). Dan Rather's bag is sealed at both ends making it much easier to carry with one arm.

Yes... it's entirely plausible that Oswald angled the paper-bag forward of his body. That would require using his left hand to steady the heavy package.

It would not have been possible for Frazier to know if Oswald's package fitted neatly under his armpit or protruded forward of his body. Only by viewing the front of Oswald's body could he discern that. Frazier only saw Oswald as he walked behind him.

Conspiracy theorists never consider possible alternatives... why not?

[Martin Weidmann]

Yes... it's entirely plausible that Oswald angled the paper-bag forward of his body. That would require using his left hand to steady the heavy package.

It would not have been possible for Frazier to know if Oswald's package fitted neatly under his armpit or protruded forward of his body. Only by viewing the front of Oswlad's body could he discern that. Frazier only saw Oswald as he walked behind him.

Conspiracy theorists never consider possible alternatives... why not?

Frazier only saw Oswald as he walked behind him.

In order to reach this conclusion you need to cherry-pick the evidence.

Conspiracy theorists never consider possible alternatives... why not?

And LNs always desperately look for alternatives rather than simply accept what Frazier said... Why is that?

[Bill Chapman]

Ever considered the possibility that Dan Rather's bag does not actually resemble the bag Oswald carried?

Yep

[Ross Lidell]

Frazier only saw Oswald as he walked behind him.

In order to reach this conclusion you need to cherry-pick the evidence.

Conspiracy theorists never consider possible alternatives... why not?

And LNs always desperately look for alternatives rather than simply accept what Frazier said... Why is that?

In order to reach this conclusion you need to cherry-pick the evidence.

No. Definitely no. Cherry-pick in what way?

You need to provide evidence that Buell Frazier saw Lee Oswald carry the paper-bag looking at the front of his (Oswald's) body.

And LNs always desperately look for alternatives rather than simply accept what Frazier said... Why is that?

-- Because Oswald's rifle was discovered in the TSBD about 45 minutes after the assassination of President Kennedy.

-- Because a paper-bag that was long enough to contain Oswald's "disassembled" Carcano rifle (C2766) was found near the source of the shots fired at President Kennedy. Subsequent forensic examination (by the FBI) found that the paper-bag contained Oswald's right palm-print and left index fingerprint.

This is enough to be curious about the way Oswald carried the paper-bag as viewed by Buell Frazier... and consider alternatives.

Incidentally, I'm not an "LN". On the old version of this forum, I originated the acronym "ODIA".

My conclusion: Oswald did it alone.

[Bill Chapman]

Frazier only saw Oswald as he walked behind him.

In order to reach this conclusion you need to cherry-pick the evidence.

Conspiracy theorists never consider possible alternatives... why not?

And LNs always desperately look for alternatives rather than simply accept what Frazier said... Why is that?

So the guy who drove the eventual prime suspect to the eventual scene of the crime, and (by his own statement) didn't want to be remembered as the guy who drove the eventual prime suspect to the eventual scene of the crime is beyond reproach.

Got it.