Today in 1973, President Lyndon Johnson died at his ranch near Johnson City, Texas. The former president died of a massive heart attack while his beloved spouse Lady Bird and their daughters were shopping in Austin.
I was a small child during the Johnson presidential years, but I often heard my parents and grandparents talking about all the things this man had accomplished, both as a state politician and as a United States Congressman and Senator. I remember my grandparents were pleased with Congressman Johnson because he served a very prominent role in getting electricity to the farthest corners of the Hill Country and those parts of Central Texas which were still off the young electrical grid. Mr. Johnson was equally popular with my parents and grandparents for another reason. It seems that the future president of the nation was not very particular about his voters' status; no, not as to whether these voters were of legal residency and age, but rather, whether they were alive or dead!
President Johnson's expertise at securing the vote of those "who have gone before" proved crucial in his first senatorial race. Mr. Johnson was head to head in a race with the very popular Texas governor, Steven Coke. At that time in Texas, the Republican Party was a non-factor in most elections, meaning that whomever won the Democratic Primary had in effect won the November general election as well. In the Democratic Primary, after a long, lively mudslinging campaign, approximately 250,000 votes were cast in that 1948 election. After the votes were counted, Lyndon Johnson was declared the winner....by 87 votes! Not only were those 87 votes suspected of belonging to residents of a cemetery in Webb County, Texas, but the new Senator acquired a nickname that so vexed him - Landslide Lyndon.
Lyndon Johnson became a very powerful senator over the next three decades, keeping wayward Democrats in line, and getting for Texas the lion's share of federal money and projects. During his tenure as a US senator, Mr. Johnson was never seriously challenged by any other candidates. Senator Johnson's power, both in Washington DC, and in Texas, made him the best candidate for Vice-President in the 1960 election. The ticket of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson easily carried the election. After the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, it was Johnson's political clout with the Congress that allowed President Kennedy's ideals to become practical social programs in the years following Kennedy's death. These programs were known as Johnson's "Great Society." President Johnson threw his support behind the 1965 Civil Rights Act and even met with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Some have said over the years that President Kennedy might not have been able to implement these programs himself, as he did not have as much sway over Congress.
President Johnson did not want the Viet Nam War that he inherited upon the murder of John F. Kennedy. He had not supported the war while he was in Congress, and he intended to end the United States' role in Viet Nam as soon as possible. Instead, his advisers convinced him that if South Viet Nam fell into Communist hands, all of Southeast Asia would be taken by the communists as well. These advisers further believed that this "domino effect" could leave the United States alone to stand against communism. Thus, instead of ending the fighting, President Johnson presided over the largest expansion of the war since 1954. The Viet Nam war, or "police action" was the longest conflict in United States history until it was recently overshadowed by the Afghanistan conflict. Unfortunately for President Johnson, at least 30,000 American soldiers lost their lives in Viet Nam by the end of his term. By contrast, only about 2200 soldiers have been killed to date in Afghanistan.
The Viet Nam War took a huge toll on President Johnson, both in emotional well-being and in physical health. In one of his most famous speeches, the President made it clear that he would not campaign for or accept the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968. With the way cleared by Johnson, Republican Richard Nixon won the election. President Johnson left Washington DC and retired to his Johnson City ranch. In the years after his presidency, Mr. Johnson worked long days on his ranch, his daily schedule nearly as full as in his White House days, although with much less stress. But the President never lived down his involvement in the Viet Nam War. Many of those around him in his final years said that Mr. Johnson believed his part in escalating the Viet Nam conflict overshadowed his many accomplishments as Congressman, Senator, and President of the United States. It may be that this bitter feeling weighed very heavy on the President during his last years.
President Johnson may have managed to arrest some of his bitter feelings by immersing himself in the daily operations of his ranch. He worked side by side with his ranch hands, and every day was a full day. President Johnson encouraged his hands to care for each animal as if each head of cattle was a prize animal. He died that morning in 1973 while he was thus engaged, doing what he loved. President Johnson was only 64 years old at the time of his death. Whether or not President Johnson was a great man or great president, he was certainly a colorful and tall, tall Texan.
I was a small child during the Johnson presidential years, but I often heard my parents and grandparents talking about all the things this man had accomplished, both as a state politician and as a United States Congressman and Senator. I remember my grandparents were pleased with Congressman Johnson because he served a very prominent role in getting electricity to the farthest corners of the Hill Country and those parts of Central Texas which were still off the young electrical grid. Mr. Johnson was equally popular with my parents and grandparents for another reason. It seems that the future president of the nation was not very particular about his voters' status; no, not as to whether these voters were of legal residency and age, but rather, whether they were alive or dead!
President Johnson's expertise at securing the vote of those "who have gone before" proved crucial in his first senatorial race. Mr. Johnson was head to head in a race with the very popular Texas governor, Steven Coke. At that time in Texas, the Republican Party was a non-factor in most elections, meaning that whomever won the Democratic Primary had in effect won the November general election as well. In the Democratic Primary, after a long, lively mudslinging campaign, approximately 250,000 votes were cast in that 1948 election. After the votes were counted, Lyndon Johnson was declared the winner....by 87 votes! Not only were those 87 votes suspected of belonging to residents of a cemetery in Webb County, Texas, but the new Senator acquired a nickname that so vexed him - Landslide Lyndon.
Lyndon Johnson became a very powerful senator over the next three decades, keeping wayward Democrats in line, and getting for Texas the lion's share of federal money and projects. During his tenure as a US senator, Mr. Johnson was never seriously challenged by any other candidates. Senator Johnson's power, both in Washington DC, and in Texas, made him the best candidate for Vice-President in the 1960 election. The ticket of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson easily carried the election. After the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, it was Johnson's political clout with the Congress that allowed President Kennedy's ideals to become practical social programs in the years following Kennedy's death. These programs were known as Johnson's "Great Society." President Johnson threw his support behind the 1965 Civil Rights Act and even met with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Some have said over the years that President Kennedy might not have been able to implement these programs himself, as he did not have as much sway over Congress.
President Johnson did not want the Viet Nam War that he inherited upon the murder of John F. Kennedy. He had not supported the war while he was in Congress, and he intended to end the United States' role in Viet Nam as soon as possible. Instead, his advisers convinced him that if South Viet Nam fell into Communist hands, all of Southeast Asia would be taken by the communists as well. These advisers further believed that this "domino effect" could leave the United States alone to stand against communism. Thus, instead of ending the fighting, President Johnson presided over the largest expansion of the war since 1954. The Viet Nam war, or "police action" was the longest conflict in United States history until it was recently overshadowed by the Afghanistan conflict. Unfortunately for President Johnson, at least 30,000 American soldiers lost their lives in Viet Nam by the end of his term. By contrast, only about 2200 soldiers have been killed to date in Afghanistan.
The Viet Nam War took a huge toll on President Johnson, both in emotional well-being and in physical health. In one of his most famous speeches, the President made it clear that he would not campaign for or accept the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968. With the way cleared by Johnson, Republican Richard Nixon won the election. President Johnson left Washington DC and retired to his Johnson City ranch. In the years after his presidency, Mr. Johnson worked long days on his ranch, his daily schedule nearly as full as in his White House days, although with much less stress. But the President never lived down his involvement in the Viet Nam War. Many of those around him in his final years said that Mr. Johnson believed his part in escalating the Viet Nam conflict overshadowed his many accomplishments as Congressman, Senator, and President of the United States. It may be that this bitter feeling weighed very heavy on the President during his last years.
President Johnson may have managed to arrest some of his bitter feelings by immersing himself in the daily operations of his ranch. He worked side by side with his ranch hands, and every day was a full day. President Johnson encouraged his hands to care for each animal as if each head of cattle was a prize animal. He died that morning in 1973 while he was thus engaged, doing what he loved. President Johnson was only 64 years old at the time of his death. Whether or not President Johnson was a great man or great president, he was certainly a colorful and tall, tall Texan.
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