meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The James Altucher Show

Inside the JFK Conspiracy: How Brad Meltzer Unearthed a Forgotten Assassination Plot

The James Altucher Show

James Altucher

Education, Business

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 January 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A Note from James:

Probably no president has fascinated this country and our history as much as John F. Kennedy, JFK. Everyone who lived through it remembers where they were when JFK was assassinated. He's considered the golden boy of American politics. But I didn't know this amazing conspiracy that was happening right before JFK took office.

Best-selling thriller writer Brad Meltzer, one of my favorite writers, breaks it all down. He just wrote a book called The JFK Conspiracy. I highly recommend it. And we talk about it right here on the show.

Episode Description:

Brad Meltzer returns to the show to reveal one of the craziest untold stories about JFK: the first assassination attempt before he even took office. In his new book, The JFK Conspiracy, Brad dives into the little-known plot by Richard Pavlik, a disgruntled former postal worker with a car rigged to explode.

What saved JFK’s life that day? Why does this story remain a footnote in history? Brad shares riveting details, the forgotten man who thwarted the plot, and how this story illuminates America’s deeper fears. We also explore the legacy of JFK and Jackie Kennedy, from heroism to scandal, and how their "Camelot" has shaped the presidency ever since.

What You’ll Learn:
  • The true story of JFK’s first assassination attempt in 1960.
  • How Brad Meltzer uncovered one of the most bizarre historical footnotes about JFK.
  • The untold role of Richard Pavlik in plotting to kill JFK and what stopped him.
  • Why Jackie Kennedy coined the term "Camelot" and shaped JFK’s legacy.
  • Parallels between the 1960 election and today’s polarized political climate.
    • Timestamped Chapters:
    • [01:30] Introduction to Brad Meltzer and His New Book
    • [02:24] The Untold Story of JFK's First Assassination Attempt
    • [05:03] Richard Pavlik: The Man Who Almost Killed JFK
    • [06:08] JFK's Heroic World War II Story
    • [09:29] The Complex Legacy of JFK
    • [10:17] The Influence of Joe Kennedy
    • [13:20] Rise of the KKK and Targeting JFK
    • [20:01] The Role of Religion in JFK's Campaign
    • [25:10] Conspiracy Theories and Historical Context
    • [30:47] The Camelot Legacy
    • [36:01] JFK's Assassination and Aftermath
    • [39:54] Upcoming Projects and Reflections
    Additional Resources:

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Transcript

    Click on a timestamp to play from that location

    0:00.0

    Probably no president has fascinated this country in our history as much as John F. Kennedy, J.F.K.

    0:16.1

    Everyone who lived through it remembers where they were when JFK was assassinated.

    0:23.0

    He's considered the golden boy of American politics. But I didn't know this amazing conspiracy that was happening right

    0:30.2

    before JFK took office. Best-selling thriller writer, Brad Meltzer, one of my favorite writers,

    0:36.9

    breaks it all down.

    0:37.9

    He just wrote a book called The JFK Conspiracy.

    0:39.9

    I highly recommend it.

    0:41.2

    And we talk about it right here on the show.

    0:48.5

    This isn't your average business podcast,

    0:51.3

    and he's not your average host.

    0:53.5

    This is the James Altasier show.

    1:01.7

    Brad Meltzer, author of the JFK conspiracy. Brad, welcome back to the podcast. Good to be back, my friend. Best

    1:12.5

    selling author. I think we've, last episode with you, we completely broke down as much as we could.

    1:18.8

    Your writing style and process. I tried to analyze what a Brad Meltzer book was. And you did it again

    1:26.2

    with the JFK conspiracy, which is sort of a fictionalized

    1:30.0

    version of the first assassination attempt on JFK. And I've read a ton of JFK biographies.

    1:37.3

    I did not know about this incident until I read your book. Yeah, and it's not fictionalized.

    1:42.1

    It's a true story. This is a real story that happened. We all know the story of Lee Harvey Oswald, killing JFK. But what no one, very few people know, and I didn't know until we started researching the book, is there was a plot in 1960 to kill JFK. It's true. This really all happened. There's 30 pages of footnotes in the back of this

    2:02.5

    book that JFK at the time in 1960 is coming out of his house. He's just been elected. There's a guy in a car

    2:11.9

    with seven sticks of dynamite waiting for him. He picks and waits for JFK to go and meets him in Palm Beach, Florida,

    2:19.6

    because he thinks that JFK's security is the weakest there, which he's right about that.

    2:23.8

    And he also knows that every day at just before 10 o'clock, JFK comes out on Sunday mornings to go to church.

    ...

    Please login to see the full transcript.

    Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from James Altucher, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

    Generated transcripts are the property of James Altucher and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

    Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.