"As The World Turns," TV soap opera, is interrupted by Walter Cronkite at 1:40pm EST, who gives bulletins describing the attempt on the life of President John F. Kennedy. From KLRD in Dallas, Eddie Barker reports on the condition of the President: "He is dead... shot by an assassin." Cronkite continues coverage from the CBS Studio newsroom in New York; he confirms at 2:38pm EST that 38 minutes ago at 2:00 PM EST President Kennedy died. Cronkite has a difficult time composing himself and after a brief moment continues his report. CBS continuous coverage of the assassination begins with picture transmission at 2:00 PM EST and the following broadcast excerpts follow the events as they happened.
The facts reveal that Kennedy was shot at 1:30 PM EST and pronounced dead at 2:00 PM EST. The motorcade approached the Texas School Book Depository, and then made a sharp 135 degree left turn onto Elm Street, a downward-sloping road that extends through the plaza and under a railroad bridge at a location known as the "triple underpass." The giant Hertz Rent-a-Car clock on top of the Schoolbook Depository building was seen to change from 12:29 to 12:30 as the limousine turned into Elm Street.
Most of the witnesses recalled that the first shot was fired after the president had started waving with his right hand. After the third shot, the limo driver and police motorcycles turned on their sirens and raced at high speeds to Parkland Hospital, passing their intended destination of the Dallas Trade Mart along the way, and arriving at about 1:38 p.m. (EST).
