Anchoring MSNBC's live coverage of the murder of five police officers in Dallas, Brian Williams on Thursday night repeatedly connected the tragic killings to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Referencing JFK’s murder from 53 years ago, Williams lectured, “[Dallas] has struggled mightily since 1963 to be associated with something other than gun violence, something other than the murder of our former President, John F. Kennedy.”
At 12:35am Williams reminded viewers about the city: “Some of this is playing out right near where President Kennedy was murdered.”
Talking to Sarah Mervosh of the Dallas Morning News at 1:50am on Friday, he announced that this was their busiest night “certainly since the most violent day in the lives of most Americans in November of 1963.”
(The “most violent day in the lives” of Americans was probably September 11, 2001.)
At 3:13am, Williams indicated he would not let this comparison go:
WILLIAMS: I've been saying all night for those of us who are, as they say, a certain age, Dallas, Texas, entered our psyche at least, if you're not from there, because of what happened in November of 1963. It has since then spent decades getting beyond that, becoming a large prosperous metroplex.
T. Becket Adams of The Washington Examiner noted the response Williams got on Twitter.
Transcripts of some of the JFK references can be found below:
MSNBC Live coverage
7/8/16
12:36BRIAN WILLIAMS: At 12:35am east coast time, we have something of a national emergency in north Texas. And that is, especially for people of a certain age, some of this is playing out right near where president Kennedy was murdered.
1:04am ET
WILLIAMS: Scott, one of the sad details beyond, of course, the loss of life, beyond what this may mean for our country is what it means for the city of Dallas, that as we were saying in the last hour, has struggled mightily since 1963 to be associated with something other than gun violence, something other than the murder of our former president John F. Kennedy. The downtown for people who have not traveled there for business or pleasure is a beautiful place.
1:50am ETWILLIAMS: [Talking to Sarah Mervosh] Sarah, thank you very much, we realize this is the busiest night for your publication in the modern history of the Dallas Morning News. And sadly, we keep on pointing this out, certainly since the most violent day in the lives of most Americans in November of 1963. Thank you very much for being with us.
...
3:13am ET
WILLIAMS: I've been saying all night for those of us who are, as they say, a certain age, Dallas, Texas, entered our psyche at least, if you're not from there, because of what happened in November of 1963. It has since then spent decades getting beyond that, becoming a large prosperous metroplex.
