LBJ’s 1964 attack ad ‘Daisy’ leaves a legacy for modern campaigns

Washington Post ^ | September 5 | Drew Babb

[TBP]

Fifty years ago, on Sept. 7, 1964, a political ad called “Daisy” aired on behalf of President Lyndon Johnson. The commercial opened with a little girl in a meadow, then a horrific nuclear blast filled the screen. We’ve been feeling the fallout ever since.

It was only a minute long. The paid ad ran on national television only once, and only on one network, NBC. But that’s all it took.

[TBP]

Today marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most shameful episodes in American political history. This was likely the worst smear and lie ever told about a candidate. And they all knew it, too.

[Steely Tom]

Bill Moyers’ moment of glory.

[A_Former_Democrat]

I was reading about this recently and didn’t realize it was shown only once

The negative repercussions of this “ad” will be felt forever

[Gay State Conservative]

LBJ is perhaps the most universally hated President of recent history.Marxists hate him because of Vietnam (too ruthless) and respectable people hate him for welfare,Vietnam (not ruthless enough) and many other things.

Landslide Lyndon,indeed!

[Jack Hammer]

Remember it well - I was a kid and it scared the sh*t out of me.

[Nuc 1.1]

That add ran a number of times. I was there I saw it multiple times. The Washington Post is a scumbag lying organization. But I repeat myself

[JRandomFreeper]

I hate him because I'm from Texas.

/johnny

[Chode]

once or one day, cause i actually remember seeing it

[narses]

“This was likely the worst smear and lie ever told about a candidate.”

No, LBJ was a master of the hate filled falsehood. Study his life and times if you want to understand the depth of nasty. Ditto FDR.

[Signalman]

LBJ...who said he would never send American boys to fight a war in Vietnam.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Both this article and the one I read both mentioned it: once only, and only on NBC

I don’t recall seeing the ad, but have been aware forever of it and its supposed effect.

[laplata]

Bill Moyers’ moment of glory.

---

Moyers will always be lower than scum.

[jazusamo]

I don’t know if the political campaign only ran it once but it aired many times on news shows and I remember it well.

LBJ was a corrupt and ruthless Rat, Goldwater was the first presidential candidate I voted for.

[MeshugeMikey]

The Bomb We Have All Been Waiting For.

Barack Hussein O’Bomber!

[MeshugeMikey]

[Chode]

this must have been where i saw it cause i remember my Dad getting REAL pizzed off...

The ad was immediately pulled, but the point was made, appearing on the nightly news and on conversation programs in its entirety.

[BobL]

Maybe the president should see it, along with some people on this site - it might help them understand that getting into a war with Russia over Ukraine could have an unfortunate ending.