Lyndon Baines Johnson

Libertyville HS

LBJ’s Swearing In

• 11/22/63, in plane hanger after JFK’s assassination

• Formed Warren Commission to investigate assassination– Headed by Earl Warren,

Chief Justice of USSC– Investigation: one shooter

• LBJ promised to carry on JFK’s legacy

Lyndon B. Johnson

• Born to poor family in TX in 1908; father became congressman

• Went to college and became teacher

• LBJ elected to Congress in 1938 (platform=New Deal)

• Served in US Navy during WWII

• Elected to Senate, 1948• Majority leader, 1954

Vice President Johnson• Ran in Dem primary, 1960• Convention: “Stop

Kennedy” coalition• Offered VP by JFK, to help

him beat Nixon in South• As VP, LBJ powerless

– Wasn’t really trusted by Kennedy insiders

– Worked with African Americans on civil rts issues

– Handled minor international affairs for JFK

President Johnson

• Johnson promised to fulfill legacy of Kennedy– $11.5 billion tax cuts– 1964 Civil Rights Act– 24th Amendment (banned

federal poll tax)• Would it be enough to get

elected?

1964 Election• Dems nominated LBJ,

Hubert Humphrey• GOP nominate Barry

Goldwater (AZ)– GOP badly split between

conservatives and moderate-liberal wings

– Goldwater an arch-conservative

– Many moderate GOP voted for LBJ

• “Daisy” ad

ResultsLBJ: 486 ECV / 43.1 millionGoldwater: 52 ECV / 27.1 million

LBJ’s margin of 61% highest since 1820

LBJ’s “Great Society”• LBJ’s domestic agenda

– Commitment to improving the quality of life of all Americans

– LBJ’s vision: Completing New Deal

• Programs– 1965 Voting Rights Act– Elementary & Secondary Ed. Act

of 1965– Higher Ed Act of 1965 (grants,

work-study, gov’t loans for students of poor)

– Est. NEH, NEA, CPB

“What’s that big word, there?”

LBJ’s “War on Poverty”• Est. Appalachian Regional

Commission• Created the Office of

Economic Opportunity– Coordinated anti-poverty

programs (food stamps)– Head Start program– VISTA (Volunteer in Service

to America) Act – domestic peace corps

• Housing Act (low-rent, gov’t subsidized housing)

• Medicare Act of 1965

Other Legislation of LBJ’s Term• Continued space research• Est. Dept of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) (develop policy on housing and cities)

• Est. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) (“ensure fast, safe, efficient transportation network”)

• 1967: 25th Amendment (provides means of replacing pres. in case of disability; fill VP vacancy)

Downfall of LBJ• Downfall came about due to

the unpopularity of the Vietnam War & strained race relations– “Credibility Gap” (lies)– “Long Hot Summers” – frustration

of A-A inner city– Economic slowdown– LBJ lashed out at “preachers,

liberals and reporters” who had ‘turned’ on him

• March 31, 1968: announced he “would not seek, nor accept” the Democratic nomination

Watts, 1968

Election of 1968• Democratic nominee looked to be

RFK– RFK assassinated after CA primary– RFK’s death threw race up for grabs

• Dems nominate Hubert Humphrey– Chicago convention marred by anti-

war protests, brutal suppression– Humphrey supported peace in

Vietnam, expansion of Great Society

• American Indep. Party (state’s rights): George Wallace

• GOP candidate: Richard Nixon– “Southern Strategy” – effort to

appeal to “solid south”– Theme: restore “law and order”

ResultsNixon: 301 ECV / 31.7 millionHumphrey: 191 ECV / 31.2 millionWallace: 46 ECV / 9.9 million

1968 Election

• Realigning election (first since 1932 election of FDR)– GOP won 5 of next 6

presidential elections & 7 of next 10

• Why did Dems lose?– Intraparty split over civil

rights, Vietnam, “culture wars”

– Dems lost South to GOP