also this weekend, more from our series on key political figures who ran for president but lost, but changed political history. the contenders, a look at eugene debs this weekend on c-span3. .. changed the world from the

beginning of those who inspired documents, the declaration of independence and the constitution and of the coming century america will play a leading role on the world stage by virtue of our commitment to those exceptional principles. >> for more information on this and other summer reading lists visit booktv.org. >> clint hill recalls his day-to-day actions with jacqueline kennedy during the four years he was assigned to protect her including his actions to shield the first lady from armed falling assassination of president kennedy on november 22nd, 1963. this is about 40 minutes. >> good evening. money is clint hill. our special guest tonight is an exceptional figure in american history and although he has been cited for bravery and courage his place in history is one he

would certainly not wish on another sold. on the permit twenty-second, 1963, fifty years ago, he was part of the secret service detail assigned to protect president and mrs. john f. kennedy. the assassination of president kennedy on that day but our guest in the iconic film frames, photographic images and collective memories that recall one of the most dramatic moments in our country's history. a history known viscerally to anyone living at that time and sure to be known by generations to come. what is less known about our guest is on that tragic day and for three years before and almost a year afterwards he was assigned to jacqueline wikipedia kennedy -- jacqueline kennedy. is that assignment to got an intensely private former first lady that is the subject of his

new book "mrs. kennedy and me". tonight we are pleased the co-author of "mrs. kennedy and me" lisa mccubbin lens our special guest in conversation. she co-authored the book the kennedy detail and is an award winning journalist and tv news anchor and reporter. please join me in welcoming lisa mccubbin and clint hill. [applause] >> thank you for coming out tonight. great to see you all here. what we would like to do is have an informal conversation with clint hill and i will ask him some questions and he will share stories with you and we will open up the questions and answers. he is very willing to answer whatever questions you have. he has heard them all. don't be shy.

sir mr. hill, i called him clint hill. everybody wants to know first of what this emir's you were silent about this subject and you didn't do any interviews, you didn't talk about those years with the kennedys. why at this phase of your life did you decide to write a book? >> i've out i would never write a book or contributory book. then a friend of mine decided to write a book and he enlisted myiasis sins by asking me to contribute and he hired you as his rider. he introduced you to me and over a period of time i began to trust you and have confidence in you and you had sir information from me that i didn't think i would never release and i found

it was rather cathartic to do so. i have some friends who were former reporters at the white house who were there in the 1960s and covered mrs. kennedy. they would never permit interviews with her and they said what the new document it? it was historical significance and maybe it was a dumb idea. then simon and schuster came to us and suggested we write a book and that is how this book got started. >> it was a rewarding experience for me. i don't think we ever had one fight. we worked very well together. i felt very privileged to have a

window into those years and relived it with clint. it was wonderful for me as well. we started off the book and decided to start at the beginning when clint was first told that he was going to be assigned to mrs. kennedy. president kennedy had just been elected and it was november 1960. clint was 28 years old. how did you feel when you were told you were going to be assigned to jacqueline kennedy? >> i was really disappointed. i was devastated. i had been with president eisenhower. we had been all over the world. i had seen the relationship first ladies at and the activities they participated in and i knew it would be fashion

shows and tea party and ballet schools and i didn't want any part of that. i wanted to be where the action was so i'm extremely disappointed and i said to mrs. kennedy after that election in 1960 at her residence in georgetown near washington d.c. she was an elegant, classy lady, extremely pregnant and she was not too please that she was going to have somebody around her 24 hours a day and i was not too pleased that i was going to be part of that group sell at first it was not a mutual admiration society. but over time we became good friends. >> people might be interested to know that at that time there were only two agents assigned to the first lady. so there was clint and another

agent and you were in charge of protecting her around the clock. you were not exactly working the 40 hour work week. is that correct? >> that is correct. we didn't get paid for overtime. it was a great experience and a great responsibility because i was assigned to protect the wife of the president of the united states and look after his children and those are the things he loved the most and i had that hanging over my head all time. >> in the end what made it such a great assignment? >> a lot of people don't know that mrs. kennedy was extremely athletic. she loved to ride horses and was an accomplished equestrian. she loved to play tennis and water ski. she played golf.

she walked and walked and walked and i had to be part of that all time. i came from north dakota where we did not have a great deal of water. i had no ability playing tennis whatsoever so i started out as a complete novice at everything she did. it was rather evident. >> you also had some pretty nice places to go to where she spent her time. tell us where you spent most of your time when you were with her away from the white house. >> when we were away from the white house it was a routine schedule that they had. memorial day, fourth of july,

labor day and thanksgiving we would be in massachusetts. for christmas, easter, there was palm beach, florida. in between a had leased a place in middle byrd, of virginia where we spent the weekend in the country and in the summer mrs. kennedy always liked to go on a cruise so we would cruise the mediterranean. 1961 we were aboard the north wind off the coast of onassis -- off the coast of greece. we spent part of the summer in italy aboard a yacht and in 63 we spent the time in the greek islands on a massive yacht christina and in 64 we spent time in the mediterranean on a

yacht. four summers all cruising in the mediterranean. not bad for a kid from north dakota. >> when you traveled all over the world she was extremely popular. tell us about the crowds that would come and the difficulties of protecting her in those kinds of environments when it was just you and one other agent. >> it was real unusual. a first lady -- whenever we traveled, generated a crowd equivalent to or larger than the president. when she was with the president the crowd doubled. when she was by herself she would have the least as many people who would come to see the president with it they were in paris or athens or new delhi, it

didn't matter. no matter where we were. to talk that off when she was in a country such as france or south america she spoke the native language and that made her really popular to the local populace. those crowds created problems for us and we really had to rely on local governments to assist us to keep crowds under control. >> it curtailed the things she enjoyed doing. you telling great story in the book about what happened when she decided to go shopping in palm beach. >> you wanted to go christmas shopping and decided to go down where the shops were in palm beach. in years past she had done that no problem. we walked down the street and

looking a few windows and went into a store and the clerk recognize us and the customers recognize us. the word went out and people in the street began to form in front of the store and it became apparent this was not going to work. when we finished, went back to the car and came to realize that from this point on, that was not going to be the way it was. so i became the shopper. when she needed something wanted something i would go and buy it. it kept her from the populace and was a good security idea. >> make up at elizabeth arden. swim trunks for the president at abercrombie and fitch. >> that is what i was doing.

i didn't have to go there. >> since we are in new york city tell everybody the places you love to go to in new york city that you have the opportunity to go to. >> she always stayed at the carlyle hotel the girl the thirty-fourth floor. a beautiful place, wonderful hotel and she loved to go to various restaurants, pretty french restaurant that no longer preexists, quality club and places like that or various museums in new york city and she loved central park. she was not able to go into central park. >> but as we were being introduced the thing people know you most for is that day in dallas. we tried to make this book as

much about the good times, that was the day that changed everything. so can you take us back to that day, november 22nd, 1963. >> that was the end of the age of innocence for the united states. it was the day -- a beautiful sunny day in dallas. crowds were extremely large, both sides of main street in dallas, people were hanging out of windows. there was no central air conditioning in 1963 had some most of the buildings had windows that people with open and hang out.s, twd to and hang out. they were responsive and respectful and we were driving through downtown dallas on main street and turned right and the

crowds dropped off and we went down about a block to a street the texas school book depository. and as we proceeded down 8200 feet from the intersection of houston i was scanning to the left a grassy area and heard an explosive noise from the right rear, over my right shoulder. miley scan took me immediately to the right and my eyes passed the rear of the presidential vehicle. what i saw was the president grab at his throat and move to his left. i realized something had happened to him. he was in trouble. i was in the car immediately behind the president so i jumped from that car and started to

run. i wanted to get on top of the presidential vehicle, place own self over the top of mrs. kennedy as a shield sir nothing further could be done. they tell me when i was running there was a second shot. b st bownore i got to the car there was the third shot that hit the president in the head. a massive wound, bone fragments came out of the wound all over the car and all over myself. i was trying to get on top of the car. the driver accelerated. i regained my step and got up there and mrs. kennedy came out of the truck trying to retrieve some material that came out of the president's head. she didn't even know i was there. i grabbed her to get it back in

the seat. when i did that the president's body fell to the lownt onto her lap. his face was on the right hand side. i could see his eyes and a gaping hole in the upper right rear. i could see right into his head. looked like somebody had taken this tune and removed gray matter. mrs. kennedy screamed they shot his head ofnnin i beat on the trunk of the car, scream that the lead car tsher to get to the hd cpital and shes carried at he got us to the hospital where we arrived shortly after the incident occurred. >> people said you were a hero that day. you don't like that term at all but everybody tries to put

themselves in your shoes and wondered if they would be able to do the same thing. we applaud you for your actions that day. thank you. [applause] >> now we would like to open up for some questions. >> absolutely. >> we start in the front row. >> kennedy -- [inathe iibleyou d >> she did that one white house to or but she didn't accept interviews. >> so private. she wasn't one that was electewn >> that is riíi t. she didn't understand why everybody was fmyning over her.

>> the head shot, you personally express an opinion about -lau [inaudible] >> texas school book depository. i don't there's any puuestion about that any longer. quite sure that is exactly what did happen. one heard and smy indicate that is where it came from. [inaudiblshe w

>> i had a chance to interpfew -- cabarrus 12, 1991, said to me i still have the images in my mind. very happy -- ask you about the automobile. >> tha> p you. >> you said to me -- with you all the time as well. >> own mindppllausomething eve day that reminds me. asleep that niíi t one of the s, tages i have is seeing the president lying in his wiferyi

lauldin the rear of the car. is something that never goes away. >> yes, ma'am? >> was there something in your upbringing that made youppl- d ynathe iyour leyou d >> i have no idea. i was born in a place in lmy rigidly became an agent reamter had been in the army and in special agent for counterintelligence. i like that kind of investigative work and had crd csed workppl- is extremely small organization. 269 agents worldwide total. very difficult to get in unless somebody retires or dies. awomivody retired and i got the spot.

i was very fortunate. >> i will throw in something here because i know a lot about his life the personal something a lot of people don't know. his adoptive mother was severely e earing s, tpaired. e e grew up being very protectie of her beeper still growing up in that kind of eat mironment y have the sins about him that he wants to protect. >> that is a eve ir statement. my adopted mother -- we tried to look after her the best we could. she was a great lady. i grew up in a big town of 112 people. i came to new york city when it was a litexpre different. >> i will go over here. yes, sir?

>> knowing how powerful enere t in and out of government were determined to see that happen. >> i don't thi> p we would have gone to dallas if that was the case. there is nothing to indicate we were going to have a serious prs wlem. no intelligence from anyone. there had been two incidents prior to our arrival. ain hai stevenson had been ther and been spit on and he was getting into a car. second incident was a retired general, very co that wero cf1 o gtive retired general sitting in his office one day and someone shot at him and tried to kill hs, t d missed. turned out that after the asaere bination of president kennedy the rifle that was used was located it was the same rt hle used to attempt to kill

general walker. >> yes, sir. :soo 5 tweeting the hotel one year after the assassination and was given that responsibility. during the next four years periodically--mostly about children, something that was going to happen. she had asked the secretary of the treasury in a letter, traveled abroad would they make me available to go with her. that never happened but that was

what she had requested. last time i saw her was after robert kennedy was killed. i saw her at his funeral in washington. >> yes, sir. >> as a member of the first family -- >> i had been with president eisenhower and was called back to washington where we were right after the election in 1960, ike went down there to play golf. i was called aside and told to report to the chief. i thought i was about to get fired. went into his office. the chief was there and assistant chief. and they started to interview me at. i didn't know why. they never did tell me they were interviewing me for that job.

after 90 minutes they conferred and it was off and on and terrible and finally came to me and said we made a decision. you are going to be -- i felt i had been hit in the guts. >> over here, sir. >> the terrible day the photograph of lyndon johnson's war been on the plane before it takes off to come back to washington. in that photo mrs. kennedy is in the photo at one point. a narrative that there was tension as a result of that. would you enlighten us to how that came about. not much attention whether there was wasn't but -- >> when we were on the ground in dallas vice president johnson should be sworn in while we were still on the ground before we

took off so we had to find a federal judge to do that. a legal requirement. mrs. kennedy was approached to -- perhaps wanting to clean up, case closed and she refused to do so. so she stood beside vice president johnson as he took the oath of office in effect happen of air force one. you see me in the photograph immediately behind the doorway. we swore in the new president. everybody had a different job that day on that aircraft. mrs. kennedy was with the body in the back of the aircraft the entire time. i was in the forward part of the

aircraft trying to insure what we were going to do when we got to washington. the question about where the autopsy was going to be performed. originally they thought we would do it at the walter reed army hospital legally navy officer and a naval facility. a lot of things had to be made like radio traffic. for the most part she was very occupied where the body was placed and the president and his staff were busy with their new administration. >> back here. >> the photograph on the cover. that focus on that? >> sailing yacht.

the president of the yacht corp. in italy when we were there in 1962 and gave provisions -- she had a wonderful time. gave a great amount of privacy in the deep water and go very slowly. a beautiful yacht. >> what do you think she is saying to you in that shot. >> probably telling me to keep the press away. >> was there much compensation when the shock said in? >> she was in shock moments after the incident occurred. i was on the phone with washington almost all the time. the agent working with really personal paul harrison was with mrs. kennedy and there were two

trauma rooms and she was in and out if various times. >> [inaudible] >> very well received by everybody including director of the secret service. i have gone around to almost every major office in the secret service and talked about that book and they were pleased with the information contained. >> the secret service had a favorable response. very nice. yes, sir? [inaudible] >> 47 years, back in 2010.

the discovery channel decided they wanted to do a documentary based on the book the kennedy details. we as agents never discussed the assassination. never discussed it with our families or among the ourselves. it was one of those topics we didn't want to talk about. when jerry blaine started writing that book people came out to help him. she got information from all the agents that were involved including myself. when they put the information together they decided to do this documentary and decided to have a reunion of all the agents. it would be nice to get together and have a chance to talk about it and that is what we did in dallas. it was very emotional but we did.

>> yes, sir? >> the book on robert kennedy -- did you already know that? >> i didn't speak to robert kennedy. of on the phone with washington. the white house switchboard travels with us. i was connected to the dallas white house from washington and according to my boss the operator cut in an attorney-general wants to talk to you and he got on the phone and said what is happening? what is going? i tried to explain the governor had been shot, the president had been shot and was in the emergency room and he had no knowledge how serious this was. j. edgar hoover had placed a call and simply said the president has been shot and gave some information. when i talked to him he was

curious what the situation was. so how serious is it? i didn't want to tell him that his brother was dead so i said it is as bad as it can get and i hung up. that is how he found out. >> in very young man in the eisenhower detail. how did you get recruited? >> when i came in there was an intelligence agent so i had the background of investigative experience. that gave me the opportunity. during my first -- first year i was inspired to go back to the white house for a 30 day evaluation period the personal through various jobs of the

white house detail and see what they want. told me there after -- i never left. >> in the back. [inaudible] >> we never discussed it. he never asked me about my sex life and i never asked about his. we did not have those kinds of conversations. i was not aware of anything that was going on. >> president kennedy wanted to integrate, there were no african-americans.

>> there were african-americans. we didn't have very many i will be very honest. charlie was in new york city working mostly under cover. and extremely capable agents. he died six months ago and gradually agents -- on the detail in texas that day, happened to be working the midnight shift. it is a fully integrated organization. they have a great number of women agents. we had them in my day because it helped when we went into certain stores to buy certain items.

>> yes? >> what do we do now? 75 -- [inaudible] >> i was retired in july started writing this book. it has been very cathartic emotionally. [inaudible] >> we were not social friends. had a nice conversation with her. told her about this book being written. no problem with that whatsoever.

all wonderful young lady. >> yes, man? [inaudible] >> really not true. there where the same number of agents that day in dallas as their normally were. you have to understand in those days there were 34 agents assigned to the president. at any one time there were probably five agents plus a driver. that was it. that was one shift working and the shift would go to the spot we were going to that they, would have been at the merchandize bar in dallas awaiting our raw. so the number of people was very limited. we relied heavily on the assistance of state government

officials, dallas police department, department of public safety, they do an outstanding job. >> you guys weren't taken care of. you were on your own. you didn't eat for 13 hours. is that normal? [inaudible] >> kind of like being on a book tour. >> similar. it is considerably -- we were given $12 a day for room, board, dry cleaning and anything else we required. on this day in texas we boarded air force one and left the white

house morning of the 20 first and flew to san antonio, texas. on board the aircraft, we went from san antonio to houston. quince houston to fort worth and got into fort worth after midnight. we hadn't had a chance to eat anything because we were on the go all the time. wasn't that unusual. we usually had a bag of peanuts in our pocket. >> there weren't enough people. >> not enough people, not enough time. >> one or two more questions. yes, sir? [inaudible] >> is there anything that we don't know that you or anyone else is not telling?

[laughter] >> there's nothing that i am aware of that hasn't been revealed. all the information is out there. the only thing i am aware of that may not have been revealed is tax information. i understand there was some lot that required that particular information to not be revealed. anything regarding this assassination is out. >> did you ask a question already? yes, sir? >> a great picture of you and kennedy. >> i was thrown in the missouri river when i was 7 or 8 years old. i've learned how to swim. >> thank you all very much. it has been a pleasure.

>> you are watching booktv on c-span2, 48 hours of nonfiction authors and books every weekend. >> what are you reading this summer? booktv wants to know. >> three books rolling right now. passage to power by robert caro about the competition and interaction between president kennedy and lyndon johnson and lyndon johnson's vantage point. pretty interesting kind of hard-nosed politicians both publicly and behind-the-scenes jockeying for position throughout the primary election in 1960 and throughout the convention which is interesting and the other book is the social conquest of earth by edward wilson which is basically how

our species came cause -- came to rely on social interaction emotional intelligence and the way we communicate with each other and build the social networks we have and how far back that goes. it is a really interesting book to be reading at the same time you are reading about the kennedy/johnson interactions because there is so much perception and the emotional intelligence needed in politics and reading people and all this and something our species has been devolving with for a long time. in the final book, by father thomas keating called heartless. he is our originated -- someone who started to promote centering prayer which is a christian brunner--- christian based meditation and has wrote a lot about having some meditation

connected to your religion and how that really deepens our connection to god and everything else and he wrote this book based on conversations that he had. it is a beautiful book about christian meditation. we have a wide range of reading material. >> for more information on this and other summer reading lists visit booktv.org. >> this weekend katie have which -- katiepavlich details fast and furious. >> this captured the mexican people as well. there are hundreds of citizens murdered as a result of this but the only thing we knew outside the government program was ben's to american gun dealers were going into mexico and causing problems with the cartel when