Of all of the scenes in the Godfather Part II, my favorites are Michael's discussion with Tom, Al, and Rocco about killing Roth, and Roth's assassination. These two scenes have so many layers of subtext, and I will examine a few of them. First the discussion scene, Michael's learns that Roth will be arriving in Miami, and he will be taken into custody by the police, the FBI and custom agents. Michael wants Roth to be assassinate in public in front all of these lawmen. Hagen says that it is impossible that "it would would be like trying to kill the President; there's no way we can get to him." Michael's response to Hagen is perhaps one of the most chilling lines ever utter in all of cinema "Tom, you know you surprise me. If anything in this life is certain - if history has taught us anything - it's that you can kill anybody."
This exchange between Tom and Michael can be interpreted in many ways. First, Michael's response can be view as literal because throughout history there have been examples of people who no matter how high and mighty they are have have been killed by low and weak. Second, Michael's response could be interpreted in something much more bigger then killing Roth. Coppola using Michael and Tom to subtly hint at the assassination of President Kennedy. Coppola is implying that a conspiracy could have murder the president. Coppola knew that even in the early 1970's Conspiracy theories surrounding the Kennedy assassination were believe by many Americans, and Coppola may have used that belief to implied a conspiracy. However, the scene itself is perhaps more then an implied suggestion of Coppola to hint to conspiracy. Michael's is surround with his most trusted men, men would never betrayal him and who will never tell their secrets to anyone. This scene show that there probably was a been conspiracy, but it might not have been as big as most of the public would believe. It might have been a few men, some rogue element in the FBI, CIA, etc lead by a Michael Corleone like figure that conspire to murder the president and succeed. This connection to the Kennedy assassination is even more implied with Roth's assassination. The scene is very similar to how Lee Harvey Oswald was assassinated in the basement of the Dallas Police Department surrounded by dozens of officers and patrolmen. Roth before he is shot mention that he want to vote in upcoming presidential election another implication to the assassination.