August 17th, 1976
CBS NEWS SPECIAL REPORT COVERAGE
BREAKING NEWS: PRESIDENT ROCKEFELLER WOUNDED IN SHOOTING AT KEMPER ARENA; HOSPITALIZED, CONDITION UNCLEAR
Walter Cronkite: "Good evening once again. We have more information coming out right here at the Kemper Arena, the site of the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. When we last left you, six shots rang out at the President somewhere from behind inside the auditorium. We are turning it over to Dan Rather, who is outside the Kemper Arena where the shooting occurred. What do we know now Dan?"
Dan Rather: "Good evening Dan, at 5:00 PM CST, President Rockefeller was sitting with the New York State delegation in the front row, chatting with fellow delegates during the second day of the 1976 Republican National Convention, when gunfire rang out. About six shots were fired at the leader of the free world and the nation's top official in the federal government. As several hundred people applauded President Rockefeller during a video presentation highlighting achievements and accomplishments of the Rockefeller administration, one of the deputy staff members unexpectedly walked down from the right-side of the steps leading toward the suites, we don't know the identity or know the whereabouts of the shooter. According to eyewitnesses, President Nelson Rockefeller was struck in the back and fell to the ground face first to the floor to the absolute horror of the New York State Republican delegates. We also hear that two Secret Service agents were also struck by bullets including five other people. Immediately afterwards, President Rockefeller was carried into his limousine and rushed to the North Kansas City Hospital a couple of minutes away."
Cronkite: "Now how did this exactly happen? You would assume that precautions were being taken especially after President Ford's assassination in 1975."
Rather: "Walter, this will certainly be investigated extensively and thoroughly. From what we know right now, the Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the President, had extensively screened those attending the Republican National Convention, but greatly erred by allowing an unscreened group of people to be seated in the suites on the right side of the Kemper Arena."
Cronkite: "Now getting back to the important question facing everyone in the world: What do we know about the current condition of President Rockefeller?"
Rather: "Our information is quite limited at the moment here Walter, so I would prefer not to speculate. What we do know is, the 67-year-old President was apparently hit in the back twice and was seriously wounded by the shooting. One of the police officers of the Kansas City Police Department that I was able to speak with said, the President, two of the wounded Secret Service agents and six of the attendees were promptly rushed to the North Kansas City Hospital not far from here. As for the updates on the President's condition, I am afraid I don't know at the top of my head right now because we haven't been getting new information. Out from the six shots fired, three hit Rockefeller and the other three hit two of the Secret Service agents. The other shots hit several members of the New York State delegation."
Cronkite: "That sounds very bad and not good, but we can just hope and pray for President Rockefeller's recovery. Is it too soon to ask about the whereabouts of the shooter?"
Rather: "That's the problem Walter. We just don't know anything on the whereabouts of the shooter. Whoever he or she is, the assailant almost certainly wanted to hit President Rockefeller. We don't know the motive, whether its political or not. Secret Service and the Kansas City Police Department will be expected to issue a joint statement later on this evening."
Cronkite: "Do we have any reaction from the White House yet? It is known where Vice President Brooke is?"
Rather: "One of our colleagues reporting from the White House just telephoned our team here in Kansas City and said the Vice President didn't have any events outside Number One Circle Observatory on his schedule today. We were told Vice President Edward Brooke was in a meeting with members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the situation escalating in Argentina following the failed coup attempt against Argentine President Isabel Martinez de Peron. We can certainly assume that Vice President Brooke was already briefed on the situation in Kansas City. No word yet on whether he'll address the nation, though that could happen any moment now."
Cronkite: "Thank you very much Dan for these important, albeit tragic, news developments. We're now awaiting for an official reaction from Washington, DC on the situation here in Kansas City."