Posted on 12/22/2005 9:05:11 AM PST by lunarbicep
Christened Claudia Alta Taylor when she was born in a country mansion near Karnack, Texas, she received her nickname "Lady Bird" as a small child; and as Lady Bird she is known and loved throughout America today. Perhaps that name was prophetic, as there has seldom been a First Lady so attuned to nature and the importance of conserving the environment.
Her mother, Minnie Pattillo Taylor, died when Lady Bird was five, so she was reared by her father, her aunt, and family servants. From her father, Thomas Jefferson Taylor, who had prospered, she learned much about the business world. An excellent student, she also learned to love classical literature. At the University of Texas she earned a bachelor's degree in arts and in journalism.
In 1934 Lady Bird met Lyndon Baines Johnson, then a Congressional secretary visiting Austin on official business; he promptly asked her for a date, which she accepted. He courted her from Washington with letters, telegrams, and telephone calls. Seven weeks later he was back in Texas; he proposed to her and she accepted. In her own words: "Sometimes Lyndon simply takes your breath away." They were married in November 1934.
The years that followed were devoted to Lyndon's political career, with "Bird" as partner, confidante, and helpmate. She helped keep his Congressional office open during World War II when he volunteered for naval service; and in 1955, when he had a severe heart attack, she helped his staff keep things running smoothly until he could return to his post as Majority Leader of the Senate. He once remarked that voters "would happily have elected her over me."
After repeated miscarriages, she gave birth to Lynda Bird (now Mrs. Charles S. Robb) in 1944; Luci Baines (Mrs. Ian Turpin) was born three years later.
In the election of 1960, Lady Bird successfully stumped for Democratic candidates across 35,000 miles of campaign trail. As wife of the Vice President, she became an ambassador of goodwill by visiting 33 foreign countries. Moving to the White House after Kennedy's murder, she did her best to ease a painful transition. She soon set her own stamp of Texas hospitality on social events, but these were not her chief concern. She created a First Lady's Committee for a More Beautiful Capital, then expanded her program to include the entire nation. She took a highly active part in her husband's war-on-poverty program, especially the Head Start project for preschool children.
When the Presidential term ended, the Johnsons returned to Texas, where he died in 1973. Mrs. Johnson's White House Diary, published in 1970, and a 1981 documentary film, The First Lady, A Portrait of Lady Bird Johnson, give sensitive and detailed views of her contributions to the President's Great Society administration. Today Lady Bird leads a life devoted to her husband's memory, her children, and seven grandchildren. She still supports causes dear to her--notably the National Wildflower Research Center, which she founded in 1982, and The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. She also serves on the Board of the National Geographic Society as a trustee emeritus.
I once lost $40 in a bar bet because I was convinced she was not still alive. And that was 10 years ago.
Long live Lady Bird.
Loved her. Hated him........
I'm so embarassed. I honestly thought she had passed away years ago. Happy Birthday Lady Bird.
So, pull it on someone else and get you money back. One born every minute, you know.......
Keep America Beautiful............I think she started that.......
Same thing used to happen with Mamie Eisenhower - you know, Forgotten but Not Gone....
Happy Birthday Mrs. Johnson!
Very forgiving, given how he treated her.
Don't fret, Niner. You're not alone on that thought.
Ah, seems this thread is turning into a Dead Pool.
If you do the math, you will find out that LBJ was a cradle robber.........
She was all class all the way - he was pond scum.
I hope she has a happy birthday.
She's still 15 years younger than Helen Thomas.
Ever read "Capitol Hill in Black and White?" A tremendous book. I forget the author's name but he was an African American who worked in Congress and did some other jobs for Johnson including chauffering. He makes it clear Lyndon was not exactly faithful to Lady Bird and he could be quite a sleaze.
I always thought Lady Bird was a more decent character until I read in this book that once she refused to let a black secret service agent touch her when she was in the presence of Sen Strom Thurmond's first wife. Mrs Thurmond was a bigot apparently, and Lady Bird didn't want to offend her. My opinion of her went down after that.
According to White House tapes released recently, LJB bragged that he'd had more women by accident than Kennedy had on purpose.
I have a hard time understanding how someone can remain with a serial adulterer.
And she said as much soon after he died.
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