3 The President's Commission, from "Dealey Plaza"

3. THE PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION (Lyrics below)
Words and Music by David Newby
Copyright 2013

Juan Halcon, tenor
Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale
David Newby, conductor

Seven cronies, whom the president selected,
Came to the conclusion that the president expected.
Every contradiction, the commission rejected.
The president’s commission kept the president protected.

Johnson told them it was Oswald’s murder.
Johnson told them not to look any further.
Johnson told them that he hoped they’d all obey
Until election day.

REFRAIN
Take a look at the president’s commission,
Take a look at the things they said.
Manipulation and evidence suppression.,
Makes you wonder what was in their heads.
They said they wanted to protect the nation
But they protected the president instead.
While the killers fled.

One lone gunman seemed a little too fantastic.
(A bad shot and a really bad gun)
Arlen Specter cooked up a little magic.
(He had to lie to make it seem so)
Lining up the back wound took ballistic gymnastics
(Seven wounds from a single bullet)
He needed an accomplice to make the evidence elastic.
(And the back wound was just too low.)

Gerald Ford moved the wound location.
Gerald Ford made a fabrication
Ford and Specter said the magic bullet was real.
(And we wonder why . . .)
What did their magic conceal?
(They knew the facts and concealed a lie.)

REFRAIN

Seven cronies: prosecution, judge, and jury.
(No one there to defend the accused)
Dead defendant, so prosecution could be blurry.
(A bogus case but it could not fail.)
Millions of critics thought the process was dirty.
(Even three of the Commission members)
But the president was happy, so they didn’t need to worry.
(Re-elected and not in jail!)

Brought a murder to political solution,
Missed the window for a real prosecution.
Never wondered what the killers wanted to gain.
(Let the killers reign!)
So they can kill again.
(It’s just a question of who and when.)

REFRAIN