Transcript of Lady Bird Johnson's Audio Diary

Page Two Kennedy lying over the President's body. They led us to the right, the left and onward into a quiet noom in the hospital - a very small room. It was lined with white sheets, I believe. People came and went - Kenny 0 'Donnell, Congressman Thornberry, Congressman Jack Brooks. Always there was Ruf right there, Emory Roberts, Jerry Kivett, Lem Johns and Woody Taylor. There was talk about where we would go -- back to Washington, to the plane, to our house. People spoke of how wide. spread this may be. Through it all, Lyndon was remarkably calm and quiet. He said we had better move the plane to another part of the field. He spoke of going back out to the plane in black cars. Every face that came in, you searched for the answers you must know. I think the face I kept seeing it on was the face of Kenny 0 'Donnell who loved him so much. # It was Lyndon as usual who thought of itfirst although I wasn't going to leave without doing it. He said, "you had better try to see if you can see Jackie and Nellie. We didn't know what had happened to John. I asked the Secret Service men if I could be taken to them. They began to lead me up one corridor, back stairs and down another. Suddenly I found myself face to face with Jackie in a small hall. I think it was right outside the operating room. You always think of her - or someone like her as being insulated, protected -- she was quite alone. I don't think I ever saw anyone so much alone in my life. I went up to her, put my arms around her and said something to her. I'm sure it was something like, "God, help us all," because my feelings for her were too tumultuous to put into words # And then I went in to see Nellie. There it was different, because Nellie and I have gone through so many things together, since 1938. I hugged her tight and we both cried and I said, "Nellie, it's going to be all alright". There has been enough bad that has already happened. // It wasn't the President I was thinking about. It wes Kathleen, of course. And Nellie said, "Yes, John's going to be alright. Among her many other fine qualities, she is also tough. Then I turned and went #