'Reaching for Glory': The Workings of Lyndon Johnson's Mind

The New York Times (Book Review) ^ | December 29, 2001 | GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS

[eno_]

...Abe Fortas, calls to report that the president's longest-serving aide, Walter Jenkins, has been arrested for performing oral sex on another man in the basement pay toilet of a Washington Y.M.C.A....

Speaks volumes about the Democrat party. I don't care what this guy does in his own bed, but the fact he's got to be cocksucking ina YMCA basement bathroom tells me the guy has serious psychological problems irrespective of his orientation. And he wants to have a power position in government, and probably wants to do to the U.S. what numerous anonymous men have done to his butt.

[elbucko]

If, as George Will has written, Bill Clinton is the worst person we've elected as as president, than Lyndon Johnson is the worst president we've elected.

[glorgau]

A generation later, the programs Johnson had enacted that frenetic year -- Medicare, Head Start, the Voting Rights Act -- continue to strengthen America.

Where to start...

This all seems like a set-up for continued bashing of the Republicans.

Johnson was a failed president. He set up the goverment for overspending, charged head-first into a failed war, and practically resigned from office.

[backhoe]

Just FTI--

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, Early provocation, or early example of "spin..."

[B. A. Conservative]

Lyndon Johnson was sadistic SOB and unquestionably the worst president the United States has ever had to endure. Bill Clinton could never have been elected if Lyndon had not set the stage.

The United States is in the twilight of its decline into disintegration much like the disintegration of the Soviet Union thanks to FDR, LBJ, Bill Clinton and the Democratic Party. The US will not survive another Democrat in the Whitehouse with a Democratically controlled Congress and it may not survive long enough to see that combination of power again anyway.

[elbucko]

''I'm no military man at all.''

That certainly is a fact Lyndon. Made manifest as you sent 58'000 of America's youth to their death. Bill Clinton is the same kind of dirty, no account damn coward that you were, Lyndon.

[jwalsh07]

Johnson is the worst President bar none. The scumbag let untold numbers of American men die in Vietnam without trying to win. Scumbag First Class whereas Clinton was your ordinary run of the mill scumbag who did harm alright but in sheer numbers Johnson wins hands down across the board, from the ghetto to the jungle.

[elbucko]

''I'm no military man at all.''

That certainly is a fact Lyndon. Made manifest as you sent 58'000 of America's youth to their death. Bill Clinton is the same kind of dirty, no account damn coward that you were, Lyndon.

[Donald Stone]

bump

[elbucko]

''I'm not temperamentally equipped to be commander in chief.''

NOW, you tell us, Lyndon.

You were all the time an empty suit, just like your political progeny, Bill Clinton.

[elbucko]

Johnson is the worst President bar none.

I'll drink to that. The mind however reels at the thought of the harm Clinton would have done, had Clinton had Johnson's Democract Congress. (PUKE).

[PJ-Comix]

What happened to the third volume of Robert Caro's biography of LBJ? The first two volumes, "Path To Power" and "Means Of Ascent" were the best biographies I've ever read. The last one was published about 10 years ago so WHERE is the third volume? If you have any info on this, please post it here.

[elbucko]

I think we both hope, for our country's sake, and "the last best hope of man", that we've turned from this direction, however how little.

[elbucko]

I have both books too. I Looked, as you did for the third. I think what Caro found out made him sick and he stopped writing no.3.

[NativeNewYorker]

Beschloss authored a book with Strobe Talbott, Clinton's Oxford roommate and pompous State Dept oaf. Stephanopolous has been playing Goebbels for Clinton for a decade. Having these socialist shills analyze a Democratic president is laughably masterbatory.

[Nightstalker]

Lyndon Johnson may very well be one of the most tragic Presidents in history. While it is easy to damn him for his actions during the war at least three other President's before him and one after him made many of the same mistakes. It is hard to believe that in 1964 any President including Goldwater (then Candidate, Kennedy, Nixon, Truman or Eisenhower would have acted any differently given the threat of the Soviet Union, the Cuban missle crisis, the increasing size of the Soviet nuclear arsenal etc, and Communist activity in China. While it might be easy to view things differently now, given the mindset at the time by both conservatives and liberals on the communist threat in the third world it is hard to imagine any political leader acting differently. Nor did any of the candidates of those days have any better ideas. There were no doves in the 1964 election.

On the plus side Johnson achieved a great many domestic gains. (Unmatched by any subsequent President) These include Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights. When he left office the country was divided over Vietnam, yet the budget was balanced and unemployment was at historic lows. With time both his supporters and his critics will be taking a more balanced view of his Presidency.

[elbucko]

"Aides like Bill Moyers and...."

One last comment, Bill Moyers should be tried for War Crimes, along with R. Strange McNamara.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FREE REPUBLIC!

[Ditter]

I too have been wondering about Robert Caro's 3rd volume on Johnson. I saw him on some cable show a year or so ago so I guess he is still alive. I wish he would finish it, the first 2 were riveting.

[dougd]

Clinton was your ordinary run of the mill scumbag who did harm alright but in sheer numbers Johnson wins hands down

Unfortunately, we may not have felt all the repercussions of X42's treacheries - letting Saddam get away with his little WMD projects, technology to PRC, to name just 2 we all may have to pay dearly for in years to come. He may yet eclipse Johnson.