WE ARE OPEN - WEEK TWELVE - PRESIDENTIAL SERIES: LANDSLIDE - February 16th - February 22nd, 2015 - Chapter Eleven - No Spoilers, Please

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

This is rather interesting found in the Chicago Tribune Archives - I will place this in the glossary as well:

Kennedy wins Presidency (November 9, 1960) - look at how much younger he looks in 1960 before taking on that job - the presidency ages these people)

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/19...

What is interesting is that even Lyndon looked a lot better - slimmer - looked like he was taking care of himself and younger in this 1960 photo - a lot younger than in 1964 after assuming the mantle of presidency in 1963 after JFK's sad demise and after being miserable as vice president.

[Tomi]

I was impressed by Darman's explanation ( pg. 326) of the significance of midterm elections. Wish I had this when I was teaching - very simple and would have been great to present to my students!

[Cary]

Throughout this chapter I kept flashing back to all the LBJ achieved in those first 100 days. Outside of Vietnam, there was the civil unrest that was being put out in the media more than ever.

My general observation was that LBJ became the first president to have to endure a large amount of media coverage over a variety of mediums; he enjoyed being a media darling then had to endure intense media scrutiny. This sort of coverage was very new at the time.

For me the statement at the top of pg. 320 ("The conditions in the cities were not in fact much worse...but three years earlier, the collapsing urban centers hadn't been on TV every night) shows that there was some "piling it on" by the press and LBJ's detractors. As asked in an earlier post, one has to wonder how JFK's administration would have fared given the conditions LBJ was enduring by this point of his presidency.

To take this further, one can ponder too how either of these men would have held up in today's instant media gratification.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Midterm elections are extremely important and that is a good find Tomi - thank you for talking and posting about it.

That is what I like about this book - it is as if Darman is having a conversation with us.

[Bryan]

Well put, Cary, I think there is truth in that: we are reading about the development of the "TV presidency." TV adds a lot of influence if you are in the White House, but as you said, it can be a double-edge sword.

I do believe the riots would have occurred if JFK lived and it would be interesting to see how his administration would have handled it. I think you get a sense of it from the intervention of the civil rights protestors. Yet, it is different.

[Michael]

Bryan wrote: "I do believe the riots would have occurred if JFK lived and it would be interesting to see how his administration would have handled it. I think you get a sense of it from the intervention of the civil rights protestors. Yet, it is different."

Had this been the case or say the riots occurred in 1961 or 1962 do you think the Camelot imagery Jackie instituted would have had the same or any impact? Camelot in my mind raises images of a sort/form of Utopia.

[Ann D]

Thanks for correcting my mistake Bentley. It was a typo. I meant to type that Johnson died at 64 - almost the norm of 65 for his family.

I have corrected my note.

[Ann D]

Hmm. McCain has no lines on his forehead. Botox? Of course, he would not be the only politician to use it.

[Jerome, Assisting Moderator - Upcoming Books and Releases]

Michael wrote: "Bryan wrote: "I do believe the riots would have occurred if JFK lived and it would be interesting to see how his administration would have handled it. I think you get a sense of it from the interve..."

Tough to say, but it probably would have called the Camelot imagery into question at the very least.

[John]

The funny thing is that McCain has looked the same to me for the past 20 years or so. I saw a picture of him from the 2000 election and I could have sworn it was from this year.

[John]

I agree with his feelings about his health. I also think he just knew he wasn't going to pull it out this time and that would have been a stressful campaign on his health anyway. I don't believe he was going to put his health or his ego through that.

[Katy]

Ann wrote: "Hmm. McCain has no lines on his forehead. Botox? Of course, he would not be the only politician to use it."

Ha ha. I thought the same thing. I have my share of wrinkles, but hoping that I don't look as old as LBJ did.

[Dave]

The sense of depression and failure surrounding LBJ in this chapter is overwhelming. I can't imagine what that must have been like, especially for a personality like Johnson's. To achieve your dream, to have what some would call the ultimate political power, and to win it in such dramatic fashion - and so soon after to have everything collapse around you. Domestic issues. Foreign policy. I'm a bit surprised that his heart held up as long as it did.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

John wrote: "The funny thing is that McCain has looked the same to me for the past 20 years or so. I saw a picture of him from the 2000 election and I could have sworn it was from this year."

I agree John (smile)

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Dave wrote: "The sense of depression and failure surrounding LBJ in this chapter is overwhelming. I can't imagine what that must have been like, especially for a personality like Johnson's. To achieve your dre..."

Great post Dave and very true and he started letting himself go to pot as soon as he was out of the White House as well.

[Vincent]

a bit late anf I lost all my copy looking back so just a few notes on top of all your observations.

Pg 329 Darman bringing Tom Wicker (was a NY Times great reporter) lends creditability and insight to the Darman vision of Nixon - very interesting.

Why didn't LBJ get out of Vietnam? - at any time before or even after the mid-terms and do we not have to realize that he had two wars - the "equaltiy war" and Vietnam?

Darman's book is about the two landslide elections - LBJ in 1964 and RR in his presidential race (or did Darman mean the 1966 governor election of 1966 - not sure I cannot find the notes) Was not maybe the 1966 election the telling landslide for both men - it swept RR into power and showed the fall of power for LBJ.

I will make a couple of other notes but from the first page of msgs so as not to lose this again.

Jean Edward Smith

[Vincent]

Kathy wrote: "I am interested in what you all think about the subtitle of this book: The Dawn of a New America."

I think the dawn of the new America could be the moving away from "career" politicians (except Ike) in that Reagan arrived and invigorated unexpected folks to support him - think of Obama - Ted Cruz etc - we have had a move towards less strong long term politicians I think.

[Vincent]

Lewis wrote: "Page 316:
"Kennedy had spoken..."
"Johnson had passed programs..."
Do words speak louder than actions??"

Hi Lewis
Regarding this and your other messages I think that accomplishing things does more than words.
JFK was elevated and has been insulated due to his martyrdom - and the subsequent work of RFK & Jackie etc.
LBJ did medicare - LBJ supported the civil rights movement - LBJ did not hide from MLK
LBJ failed to get out of Vietnam - JFK started American troops in Vietnam.
JFK did the Bay of Pigs
and we remember FDR - more than words
not withstanding the Gettysburg Address - Lincoln did accomplish things

I don't deny JFK our acceleration into space - I don;t deny him the Peace Corps - but LBJ has much more influenced real life in America I think.

Just sharing my thoughts

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Thanks for the comments Vince