Web link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seoy3TUwnRwListed on YouTube as “LBJ RFK WHAT REALLY HAPPENED”
History Channel 2003
-- LBJ vs. The Kennedys--Chasing Demons – originally aired on June 1,
2003.
This is a very good documentary that details
the absolute war that was going on between Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy in
the aftermath of the JFK assassination.
The
reason for this is that Lyndon Johnson had just orchestrated the murder of JFK
in response to the Kennedys trying to utterly destroy him with massive coordinated
media exposes of of his corruption as well as a Senate Rules Committee
investigation into LBJ’s corrupt that was also being instigated by Robert Kennedy
in early November of 1963. The Kennedys were not merely going to drop Lyndon Johnson
from the 1964 Democratic ticket; they were going to napalm LBJ into roasted
ruins.
Also, Here is a link to The Men Who Killed Kennedy, Part 9, The Guilty Men - which was aired in November, 2003:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etv6gKXUqaU
HISTORY CHANNEL DESCRIPTION of LBJ vs. The Kennedys: Chasing Demons
"With
the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, Lyndon
Johnson was thrust into the nation's highest office, starting a new chapter in
his increasingly bitter feud with the dead president's brother, Robert Kennedy.
These two men, who openly despised one another, were now expected to work together
to guide the nation through a turbulent time. This episode goes inside the oval
office to tell the complete story of this strained relationship, using
never-before-heard oral histories and LBJ's White House telephone recordings.
See how the Kennedys saw Johnson as a threat to the New Frontier, while Johnson
maintained a deep-seated fear of being overshadowed by the Kennedys and their
quest to preserve the increasingly mythologized legacy of JFK. Johnson's fear
was made worse by J. Edgar Hoover, whose secret files, break-ins, and phone
taps served to fuel LBJ's paranoia."
QUOTE
The death of President Kennedy thrust Lyndon
Johnson into the nation's highest office--and a new chapter in a bitter feud
with Robert Kennedy. One of the greatest rivalries in U.S. history, this
feature-length look at their tumultuous relationship features
never-before-heard oral histories and LBJ's White House telephone recordings.
We reveal how the Kennedys saw Johnson as a threat to the New Frontier, while
LBJ nursed a deep-seated fear of being overshadowed by an increasingly
mythologized JFK legacy.
UNQUOTE
QUOTE
The strained relationship between former president Lyndon Johnson and Bobby Kennedy is chronicled through Dictaphone recordings; dramatic reenactments; and commentary from many who knew both men. Among those commenting: former Johnson secretary Marie Fehmer; former press secretary George Reedy; and Nicholas Katzenbach, former assistant attorney general.
UNQUOTE
Ronald Simon helped to
produce LBJ vs. the Kennedys: Chasing Demons https://books.google.com/books?id=TM2ewmtVxXkC&pg=PA481&lpg=PA481&dq=LBJ+vs.+The+Kennedys--Chasing+Demon&source=bl&ots=5iockFVp8Q&sig=ACfU3U0FLFjE6Q7xym0zIpYtlUrfNZ_qZw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjR67ms9ePwAhWvSTABHfz6CQwQ6AEwEXoECAcQAw#v=onepage&q=LBJ%20vs.%20The%20Kennedys--Chasing%20Demon&f=false
Robert Caro in Passage
of Power, p. 664 mentions “LBJ vs. The Kennedys – Chasing Demons”
The death of President
Kennedy thrust Lyndon Johnson into the nation's highest office--and a new
chapter in a bitter feud with Robert Kennedy. One of the greatest rivalries in
U.S. history, this feature-length look at their tumultuous relationship
features never-before-heard oral histories and LBJ's White House telephone
recordings. We reveal how the Kennedys saw Johnson as a threat to the New
Frontier, while LBJ nursed a deep-seated fear of being overshadowed by an
increasingly mythologized JFK legacy.
Auto-generated
transcript of “LBJ vs. the Kennedys: Chasing Demons”
00:00
[Music]
00:16
June 1968 for the second time in five
00:23
years President Lyndon Johnson found
00:26
himself at the funeral of a Kennedy
00:27
brother Robert Kennedy shot at the
00:30
height of his campaign to replace
00:32
Johnson as president
00:42
but Johnson was leading the nation in
00:44
mourning for a man he disliked mr. I
00:49
[Music]
00:52
believe that Bobby's have his
00:55
governorship oh man he's hit his mayor's
00:57
examinees nekross and he's dispatched
01:02
one Fe today all of it makes Bobby look
01:05
like a great hero and makes me look like
01:07
a son-of-a-bitching 95 percent of it is
01:10
completely fabricated Johnson's
01:12
overpowering nature hid deep personal
01:15
insecurities and his dislike of Robert
01:18
Kennedy was obsessive this is a story of
01:21
a rivalry that had gulped two great men
01:23
Bobby was at the center of the whatever
01:26
paranoia there was clearly he was a fun
01:28
it was the ring leader of the Opposition
01:31
trying to bring Johnson down in his
01:35
first hours as President Lyndon Johnson
01:36
had put a recording machine across the
01:39
telephone lines into the Oval Office
01:41
tapes of hundreds of phone calls
01:43
intimate and business alike were stored
01:46
away for 30 years now in the open they
01:49
reveal how to men's clashing ambitions
01:51
led to
01:53
we have created many of the scenes you
01:56
will see but the words are the original
01:58
voice
02:02
[Music]
02:13
five years earlier Johnson had presided
02:16
over the funeral of Roberts older
02:18
brother John no transition from one
02:23
president to another is painless but
02:25
Kennedy's assassination had catapulted
02:27
Johnson into the presidency replacing a
02:30
leader who was literally loved by his
02:32
aides we were in their space this was
02:36
their home their White House they had
02:39
worked to get her look affected there we
02:41
did not belong there and they had lost
02:44
their best friend
02:45
they hurt right field for disagreement
02:51
Johnson shared those misgivings hating
02:54
the idea of being regarded as a usurper
02:57
he went out of his way to be considerate
02:59
to the Kennedy family
03:01
he was specially concerned about Jackie
03:04
Kennedy insisting that she continued to
03:06
live in the White House residence for
03:08
two weeks after the funeral
03:13
mrs. Kennedy two one nine one oh yeah
03:17
mr. president
03:19
I just want you to know you are loved
03:21
and so many and so much I'm one of them
03:27
I tried I didn't dare bother you again
03:30
delicious wedding the first thing you
03:31
get honor you got some things to learn
03:34
one of them is it you don't bother me
03:36
give me strength but I wasn't going to
03:38
send you in one more letter no we don't
03:40
say anything you just come over put your
03:43
arm around me that's all you do
03:45
yeah I'm glad anything else do let's
03:47
take a walk let's walk around the
03:48
backyard just let me let me tell you how
03:51
much you mean to all of us and how we
03:54
can carry on if you give us a little
03:56
space you know what I wanted to say to
03:58
you about that matter I know how rare
04:01
letter is no president's handwriting t
04:04
know that I've got more in your
04:06
handwriting than I do in Jack now
04:09
and for you to write it at this time and
04:11
then to send me that thing today if I
04:14
want you to just know that you got the
04:17
president relying on you and this is not
04:19
the first thing you had so there not
04:21
many women you know run around with a
04:22
good many presidents so you just you got
04:26
the biggest job in your life ran around
04:27
with two presidents of to say about me
04:31
okay any time thank you for calling mr.
04:35
president people I will come back I will
04:39
from his home in the Washington suburbs
04:41
Johnson tried to keep the kennedy
04:43
cabinet intact
04:45
above all he needed Robert Kennedy his
04:47
brother's closest companion and attorney
04:49
general Kennedy had to be persuaded you
04:53
put yourself and everything that you've
04:55
ever been doing you wanted and needed
04:58
and we care and we must have all the
05:01
capacity we have an all experience he
05:04
needed more than you were so just a
05:07
little I would say that if I didn't
05:10
Wayne had Emma I don't need to say and I
05:12
just to say much obliged IKEA if I
05:15
didn't want it I sincerely on it and
05:17
genuinely wanted they never go separate
05:21
as far as I'm concerned the truth was
05:25
they were old enemies Robert Kennedy had
05:28
opposed his brother's decision to pick
05:30
Johnson as vice president and Johnson
05:32
had never forgiven him have you ever
05:35
seen two dogs walk into a room and all
05:39
of a sudden there's a low growl from one
05:41
and a low growl from the other and you
05:44
have two dogs that are ready to jump at
05:46
each other's throats that was Johnson
05:49
and Bobby Kennedy there was something
05:51
about the personality of Bobby but
05:54
irritated the devil out of Johnson
05:55
something about Johnson's personality
05:57
but obviously irritated Bobby John
06:00
Kennedy treated him with utmost respect
06:03
and deference President Kennedy
06:05
according to the LBJ told me this many
06:08
times
06:08
couldn't have been nicer to him and mrs.
06:10
Kennedy as well but the people around
06:14
Bobby Kennedy treated Johnson with utter
06:18
contempt Uncle cornpone
06:22
some of the Appalachians they applied to
06:24
him and it was quite evident that there
06:28
was this a smiling contempt for Johnson
06:32
he never forgot it what made things
06:36
worse in those early days was that
06:38
Johnson didn't seem to understand the
06:41
full impact on Robert Kennedy with his
06:43
brother's death
06:47
after the assassination Robert Kennedy
06:49
went into a period best described as a
06:52
deep black hole he was not only an
06:58
emotional pain for a period of weeks and
07:01
months but he was in it was physical
07:06
pain for many weeks Robert Kennedy
07:08
avoided the White House rarely attending
07:11
cabinet meetings Johnson still desperate
07:15
for the Kennedy family's public
07:17
endorsement of his presidency wanted
07:19
Jackie Kennedy to be seen giving him her
07:21
blessing hello Jackie I love you I don't
07:32
like these ten o'clock night to light
07:35
still burning over here and and these
07:37
early morning breakfast appointment will
07:40
you please start to take a nap after
07:42
lunch it changed our whole life was
07:45
always sick and when we got to the White
07:48
House he did it every day even if you
07:50
can't sleep and you know Churchill did
07:52
that just can't carry around
07:54
I started today you come down here to
07:56
see me if you don't I'm gonna come out
07:57
there see you and I'll just have all
08:00
those motorcycle cops around your house
08:01
and it tells you all kinds of trouble
08:04
down there I want to tell you I've
08:06
really gotten hold of myself
08:08
you know I'd do anything for you I'll
08:10
talk to you in the phone I'm so scared I
08:12
start to cry again oh you never good I
08:15
mean I never saw anyone is brave is you
08:17
but I need you know I was great I took
08:19
care you know how you know how great we
08:22
think you are and you know I'll talk to
08:26
you I'll do anything I can but don't
08:28
make me well I got to see you for long
08:31
thanks guy I'll call you sometime and
08:35
come back at SLAC thank you well I would
08:39
say that Johnson's performance was
08:44
superb performance and it was a
08:46
performance one never quite knew who was
08:50
the real Lyndon Johnson but
08:53
whether true or false the front that he
08:57
presented to each of the many audiences
08:59
he addressed was very well presented
09:01
indeed he was persuasive to the Congress
09:05
and getting legislation on the track he
09:08
was persuasive to members of the cabinet
09:10
and the White House staff in urging them
09:15
to support him and to stay with him he
09:19
was impressive in his appearances before
09:22
the public and the press as a man who
09:26
had taken over and was a master of the
09:30
house in those first months in power
09:34
Johnson displayed supreme confidence his
09:37
first priority was passage of JFK's
09:40
civil rights bill Robert Kennedy had
09:42
drafted it Johnson had strengthened it
09:44
and went after three months hard work
09:46
House of Representatives approved that
09:49
Johnson was generous in his praise for
09:51
Kennedy's efforts sorry general long
09:54
night oh we got this president ever
09:58
fired him no president ever dared fired
10:01
indeed Johnny Kennedy kept him on and
10:04
Johnson was one time asked why didn't
10:08
you get rid of Hoover and he said I'd
10:11
rather have Hoover inside the tent
10:14
pissing out than outside the tent
10:16
pissing in from the security of
10:19
Johnson's tent Hoover started cutting
10:22
Kennedy out of the action the turning
10:24
point came in the spring of 64 with an
10:27
atrocity in Philadelphia Mississippi
10:29
three young civil rights volunteers were
10:32
kidnapped and murdered by the Ku Klux
10:33
Klan two days into the search Hoover
10:36
bypassed Kennedy to report to Johnson
10:39
that his agents had found the missing
10:41
boys station wagon a McClellan Ithaca
10:44
that the car has been found
10:47
the car was burning has been found and
10:50
that agents are endeavoring now to get
10:53
inside the car
10:54
what I find out the last word I just
10:57
thought was that the inside of the car
11:00
from the intense heat has melted and
11:03
learned everything into ashes now we've
11:06
got to therefore apply the doors open
11:09
which we're doing and getting into the
11:12
inside to examine to see whether there's
11:15
any human bones inside of the car hi
11:18
Gideon keep me informed now the first
11:19
thing you hear you comb yes I will as
11:24
the murder hunt progressed it became
11:26
clear but in the struggle for power
11:28
between Kennedy and Hoover the president
11:31
was on Hoover's side the Attorney
11:36
General colony on I know the president
11:40
yes well Kevin Kennedy was aware that
11:44
the civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther
11:46
King was to visit Mississippi he
11:48
complained to the president that he
11:50
couldn't protect King because the FBI
11:52
was no longer under his control
11:54
can we have FBI people there and have
11:57
them keeping the eyes and ears open well
12:00
it's difficult been a suppose we can
12:03
again I have no dealings with the FBI
12:08
anymore so why don't I call him and say
12:10
but anyway teller had the slightest
12:12
indication that there he did all to
12:14
cooperate with you and he never
12:17
indicated thing like it to me or well I
12:21
think it's to any news or numbers you
12:25
know it's very difficult situation I
12:26
think for everybody here now
12:28
or whether it's Nick or me or anybody
12:31
that has to deal with them but I mean as
12:34
I say we'll all get through the while
12:39
Kennedy added a personal grouse for 40
12:42
years Hoover had been assembling an
12:44
explosive collection of personal files
12:46
Robert Kennedy knew it included reports
12:49
on his dead brother's private life and
12:51
he suspected the president of using
12:53
Hoover to spy on him I don't know of any
12:59
communications in which the FBI sent to
13:01
the president that Bobby didn't know
13:04
about certainly we were not and tattling
13:07
on Bobby didn't have to he was tattling
13:10
on himself but some of the things that
13:12
he was doing but I know no runaround
13:15
concerning Bobby I do know that they
13:17
were parent they suffered from paranoia
13:21
regarding this particular matter they
13:24
felt it was a [ __ ] in the armor of
13:25
Camelot and I understand that you know
13:27
and all kinds of reports over to you
13:30
about me and about the Department of
13:32
Justice irony what I'm saying well I
13:36
just understand that that they got me
13:40
planning and plotting things but he
13:42
hadn't hence had many report on you are
13:45
on the department an attack but Kennedy
13:49
disbelieving Johnson persisted well I
13:52
had understood that he had he had heard
13:55
there can report though about me know
13:58
overthrow the government by force and
14:00
violence
14:00
huh oh that's a that's an era he
14:05
nourished said that an indicator given
14:08
any indication oh I say well I'll get
14:12
through okay I'll get on Danton back not
14:19
even Johnson can have imagined Robert
14:21
Kennedy planning a coup but the Johnson
14:23
was using the FBI to report on Kennedy
14:26
andand other real or supposed opponents
14:28
was true he did have a back-channel
14:32
he read them I think to make him feel a
14:36
little more comfortable with what he
14:40
thought were his enemies I have a little
14:42
more information on his enemies they
14:44
would be a hand carried to a male
14:47
assistant and the president would read
14:49
them in the presence of that man and
14:52
hand them back to that man they were
14:54
they were handled very carefully
14:57
Johnson's perception of Kennedy as a
14:59
rival was reinforced in the spring of
15:02
1964 when Kennedy traveled as a private
15:05
citizen to Europe he drew adoring crowds
15:08
in communist Poland got a lot of media
15:10
attention at home look that troubled the
15:13
president he managed to disguise it on
15:15
Kennedy's return Oh mr. president I've
15:21
nothing to world traveler - you've worn
15:24
out well no not too bad that's very
15:26
encouraging very exciting well you know
15:29
it just makes you feel so good about
15:30
them you know and when you and when we
15:32
talk about all our problems here in the
15:34
United States and foreign aid and all
15:36
that it's not doing any good our you
15:38
know when you go to a country like poems
15:40
and hearing bad things for the people
15:41
for 20 years about the United States and
15:44
and how that people is enthusiastic
15:46
about our country as they are you know
15:49
you know I just think it's just a damn
15:51
inspiring thing for the United States
15:53
well sure glad you back anybody needs it
15:55
a little invigoration or leave
15:58
Washington oh boy what a difference but
16:02
underneath the pleasantries their
16:04
relationship had broken down the
16:07
presidential election of 1964 the first
16:10
true test of Johnson's popularity was
16:13
only six months away what excited the
16:16
press was Kennedy's political future did
16:19
he want to be vice president alongside
16:21
Johnson and did Johnson want him as he
16:25
watched others give their loyalty to to
16:29
Lyndon and still remember his brother
16:32
and loved him I think I I think he felt
16:34
he could do the same and beyond that I
16:37
think he did not understand the depth
16:41
with which Lyndon Johnson had come
16:44
to dislike him in those in those in
16:48
those months after the after the
16:51
assassination he wanted to go on and
16:53
serve the country clearly he hoped to be
16:57
pressed in the United States and I think
17:01
he felt that coming from where he did he
17:06
came and was the background that he had
17:09
in government and with his knowledge of
17:11
politics then he could serve as vice
17:14
president wouldn't be the most pleasant
17:16
service in the world
17:18
Bobby's private ambitions are revealed
17:20
in a recently released oral history
17:22
recording made at the time for the
17:24
Kennedy Library while he saw the vice
17:26
presidency as a stepping-stone to the
17:28
top job a close relationship with
17:30
Johnson would be unworkable with one
17:34
thing Lyndon Johnson wanted being vice
17:36
president who's concerned about whether
17:39
he could be forced into that so I think
17:41
he's terrible about how we could try to
17:44
avoid having be or having to ask until
17:46
and that's what he spent most of the
17:48
time I've seen though the last what he
17:51
can do what he's done in the last three
17:53
months and and the fact that he's able
17:56
to eat people up any people rather
18:00
strong figures and I think it's vice
18:02
president and I could have a name :
18:04
have to pay attention to me whatsoever I
18:06
think he is I don't think you could
18:07
afford to break with him now I don't you
18:09
can afford to break with you while he's
18:10
president either I'm not sure that's top
18:13
story to have an influence or to get it
18:17
good yeah I could possibly be my first
18:20
to do so well I think you should I know
18:23
how unpleasant would be for you and
18:24
disappointing for you personally I'm
18:26
just talking now but I Linda Johnson
18:28
didn't have any the Lyndon Johnson
18:30
didn't isn't you influenced the people
18:33
of the United States clearly Kennedy was
18:36
tempted and his friends were urging him
18:38
on why I as a historian who should have
18:42
known better did not swear strongly
18:43
counsel Robert Kennedy against such a
18:47
temptation heaven alone knows I suppose
18:49
what it was in his mind was as a vice
18:52
presidency might serve as a kind of
18:53
rallying point for the Kennedy people in
18:56
the administration that he might be able
18:57
to bring pressure to bear on keeping the
19:00
Johnson administration on course but it
19:03
was a not a sound idea no indeed
19:10
secretly Johnson called Kennedy an
19:12
ambitious little runt and Kennedy
19:14
thought Johnson an animal compared to
19:17
our president his brother a president
19:20
was the gentleman the human being but
19:24
not know it means bitter
19:27
vicious animals anyway he's got this
19:32
other side of him in relationship he
19:34
would be make it very difficult when she
19:36
want to kisses behind all the time
19:39
he's able to heat people up he was not
19:43
an animal he was not a brute he was not
19:46
that at all
19:47
nobody who cared as much as he did for
19:51
the poor and the old and the sick and
19:54
the black can be garmet it in words such
19:59
as Bobby use but he was a difficult man
20:05
but he was also a great man when Johnson
20:10
became president he needed Robert
20:12
Kennedy now six months later he was
20:14
scheming up a way to get rid of him for
20:22
the public holiday on the 4th of July
20:24
the Johnsons and the Kennedys went their
20:26
separate ways to follow their separate
20:28
pursuits the Bostonians went north to
20:36
the Kennedy compound on Cape Cod
20:41
was their first family reunion since
20:44
John Kennedy's assassination it was a
20:46
time to sale to get the wind in their
20:49
hair to try to cheer up make home movies
20:53
John John JFK's three-year-old son
20:58
countless small Kennedy cousins and
21:01
Caroline dead president's daughter
21:04
a short and packed weekend for Robert
21:07
Kennedy now head of the family at only
21:09
38 2,000 miles and half a world away the
21:18
new president was back in cattle country
21:20
deep in the heart of Texas where folks
21:22
know when you're sick and care when you
21:24
die
21:25
[Music]
21:33
Johnson's guests on the banks of the
21:36
cardinalis River were expected to
21:38
conform to local custom for his aides he
21:42
ordered Texan outfits at a special price
21:44
of $25 a head and for himself well he
21:48
placed a call to his tailor go ahead sir
21:52
hello hello mister yes yo Hager y'all
21:56
made me some real lightweight slacks I
22:00
need about six pairs for summer wear I
22:03
need to haunt them half inch large in
22:06
the waist and they were before except on
22:09
two or three inches of stuff left back
22:11
in there so I can take them up out very
22:12
10 to 15 pounds a month the pockets when
22:16
you sit down on the chair the knife and
22:18
your money comes out so I needed at
22:20
least another ancient and pocket now
22:24
another thing that Crites down or you're
22:26
nuts Hank is always a little too tight
22:29
so when you make them up give me a eat
22:31
that I can read out there because they
22:34
cut me it is like riding a wire fence so
22:38
leave me
22:40
you never do have much margin there
22:42
let's see if you can't leave me about it
22:44
deniz from the floor the zipper is round
22:48
under my Maxima bunghole so I'm rented
22:52
out there if I need to if you get those
22:55
coming hours sure be grateful to
22:59
families socially and politically
23:00
incompatible and yet from time to time
23:03
each put out feelers to the other later
23:06
that day an unexpected call from Robert
23:08
Kennedy in Hyannis Port come on now hi
23:12
Jenna
23:13
fine Jail good day Texas pretty hot we
23:18
had a good day good well I'm sure glad
23:20
to hear it and I hope you have a good
23:23
four words and I'll see you Monday I'm
23:25
talking coming your girlfriend cheer
23:26
what hi Jackie how are you happy fourth
23:31
of July
23:32
thank you my dear did you have a good
23:34
day yeah are you at your ass now yes I
23:38
just came off the lake I've been out in
23:39
a boat all afternoon
23:41
hope you doing alright yes I'm fine mr.
23:43
president how the children I'm fine
23:45
thank you at your good friend is
23:48
worthless Lucy's in Washington having
23:49
dates I know I noticed he didn't come I
23:53
thought it was something sinister like
23:54
that you know she came in and said that
23:56
she wanted a very special birthday
23:59
present on July the 2nd and we asked her
24:01
what it was and she said she just want
24:03
to go one whole day without an agent how
24:07
do you reckon happen all you ready
24:11
happen sure good to hear your voice now
24:19
hope did you feelin all right honey yeah
24:21
nice to talk to you give my love to lady
24:24
how long to see you thank you dear Ms
24:33
Lyndon Johnson and Jackie Kennedy liked
24:36
one another we know but Johnson always
24:38
quick to find an ulterior motive on
24:40
Robert Kennedy's part sought out his
24:42
secretary Marie Famer
24:44
I remember afterward the look of the
24:50
Meuse mode on his face and I can only
24:54
say that he thought a lot less of Robert
24:58
Kennedy after that call than he did
25:00
before he took it he felt that it took a
25:03
very ambitious and callous man to use a
25:07
grieving widow his leverage Johnson's
25:12
target for the November election was a
25:13
massive landslide with an approval
25:16
rating of 75 percent in the opinion
25:18
polls he clearly didn't need Robert
25:20
Kennedy indeed they showed that Kennedy
25:22
might cause heavy losses among
25:24
conservative Democrats in the south
25:26
Johnson called a friend Governor
25:28
Connally of Texas Don rustled up South
25:32
Carolina says de Pape Kennedy's on the
25:34
frigate headman health couldn't say
25:36
South Carolina
25:37
I think es take Bobby home to goddamn
25:39
fight let's take you
25:41
Veronica penis in sang fail and would
25:45
even be Pope and I don't think very
25:47
question he would be delighted
25:49
can you defeated returning to Washington
25:53
Johnson consulted a cabinet member he
25:55
knew disliked Kennedy as much as he did
25:58
this is very very ambitious young man
26:01
now you just unbelievable on a mission
26:04
well Messiah I just can't wrap my mind
26:09
around that kind of ambition I don't
26:11
know how to understand it I don't need
26:12
this consuming the compassion is
26:14
something that just came into my home I
26:16
guess it does ruthlessness about it too
26:19
just as a him out of a what it is to me
26:21
to the question then was no longer
26:24
whether to cut out Kennedy but how at
26:27
the end of July at Johnson invited his
26:29
Attorney General to the White House they
26:32
left differing versions of their
26:33
exchange but they agreed that Johnson
26:36
told Kennedy he didn't want him as his
26:38
running mate Johnson phoned his chief
26:41
aide with george bundy I said I ought to
26:45
know that I've been concerned about a
26:48
matter that's of interest to you and to
26:49
me I've concluded you should hear it
26:51
from me direct first roots the decision
26:56
that would be inadvisable for you to be
26:59
a candidate for the number two spot this
27:02
year he said if you decide who is going
27:05
to be and I said no I decided several
27:06
that I don't think put in and I haven't
27:10
decided the ultimate they want
27:12
he said they got it walked to the door
27:16
and left the door to answer a few to ask
27:19
my opinion I would have told you that
27:21
could have been a hell of a lot of help
27:23
to you
27:25
Johnson was afraid that Kennedy might
27:28
fight back and split the party my god
27:32
treated me very bad Big Brother's
27:35
McMahon hearing this has
27:36
for him if he did I think every - at the
27:40
whole Kennedy image in the whole Canada
27:42
picture - beast trying to have a dynasty
27:45
this quick and move right in and take
27:47
over
27:48
what infuriated Kennedy was that Johnson
27:51
gave selected reporters highly colored
27:54
account of their meeting Johnson called
27:56
a few of us and he talked to in this
27:58
graphic detail about scene Bobby
28:01
Kennedy's little Adam's apple go up and
28:04
down when he filled him this and how he
28:06
gulped and all of this and shuffled his
28:08
hands and Johnson was was terrible when
28:11
he was cutting up people and he was
28:13
cutting up Bobby it was very funny it
28:15
was very amusing it was fascinating
28:17
Johnson wanted Kennedy to announce that
28:20
he wasn't interested in being vice
28:21
president Kennedy refused telling
28:24
reporters he had nothing to say one man
28:28
he did talk to was his friend John
28:30
Seigenthaler Bob complained bitterly to
28:33
to I think everyone who's close to him
28:36
about it
28:37
it was the harsh abrupt cold nature
28:43
character of the know the loud immediate
28:48
slamming of the door that I think he
28:50
found everything Kevin thing
28:54
having disposed of Kennedy Johnson now
28:57
said about picking a running-mate he
28:59
knew would be obedient he chose
29:01
Minnesota senator Hubert Humphrey the
29:03
favorite of party managers Johnson asked
29:06
a mutual friend Jim Rove to sound ugly
29:08
out I want you to have a good set to
29:12
with this this man from Minnesota he
29:15
better make up his mind now that he's
29:16
ready to go with me all the way on my
29:19
platform on my views on my policy I'm
29:22
willing always listen to him and always
29:24
willing to consider what he got say but
29:26
when I make up my mind I don't have to
29:28
kiss ass or the vice president that's
29:30
right
29:30
I've got to see these lawyers I got to
29:32
be serious for me within the hour
29:34
Humphrey was on the phone Roy yes Sara
29:40
to have to comment on your 900 you got
29:43
this big man panicky yeah
29:46
now mr. president yes sir I have plenty
29:49
yours in my office here an image in roll
29:52
fishing he Gilbert a little message that
29:55
you sent along and I want to come right
29:59
to the point with you if if your
30:02
judgment leads you to select me I can
30:06
assure you I'm qualified Lee personally
30:10
with all the sincerity in my heart
30:12
complete loyalty no I know that
30:16
I just want you to know it and that goes
30:18
for everything all the way the way you
30:20
want it like for the end of the line
30:25
even so Johnson still worried that
30:28
Kennedy might somehow worm his way into
30:30
the vice presidency now sent Jim rode to
30:33
Hyannis Port to spy on his own attorney
30:35
general Rowe rang the president from a
30:37
call box the Kate are you are you
30:40
writing talk yes they're being this
30:43
weekend at Hyannis Port but I relay who
30:47
is ADA Kennedy people I can check it out
30:52
try to get some more data go to white
30:54
side just like hawk every damn thing you
30:56
do for the line because they got a bunch
31:00
of planted wires coming in now three or
31:02
four states and I think he's acting very
31:07
very ugly and very mean newspaper gossip
31:11
about a Kennedy counter-attack fueled
31:13
the president's paranoia he read
31:15
extracts to his aides fuming down the
31:18
phone I'm getting my barrage of
31:22
unnecessary heckling and lasting today
31:26
from Hyannis Port attorney general
31:29
Kennedy received a barrage of telephone
31:31
calls and messages from supporters
31:34
angered at the matter in acting manner
31:37
in which President eliminated him as a
31:40
credit counter the any farm sources said
31:43
the colors back to the Attorney General
31:45
and the late President Kennedy asked the
31:48
Attorney General what their next move
31:50
should be not Hyannisport a lie yes yes
31:54
by God and ain't nobody knows about the
31:56
Blodgett call without his knowing it
31:58
I'll have to agree there they just keep
32:01
on a most shocking ride the first I
32:02
don't do that
32:05
Johnson's persecution complex was
32:07
alarming his own people who worried that
32:10
his obsession with Kennedy was verging
32:12
on mental instability two of them Bill
32:17
Moyers and Richard Goodwin decided that
32:19
their chief was having delusions
32:20
inventing enemies Bobby was at the
32:25
center of the whatever paranoia there
32:27
was clearly he was the one who was the
32:30
ring leader of the opposition trying to
32:32
bring Johnson down and I began to
32:35
discuss it with bill moyers and he
32:39
agreed with me and we began to worry
32:42
about Johnson's sanity Goodwin was
32:47
keeping a diary at midnight lawyers
32:50
called me to talk about Johnson he said
32:53
he was extremely worried he went down
32:58
and look at medical textbooks on
33:00
paranoia everything pointed that way
33:02
doesn't seem to be much doubt about it
33:05
mama
33:05
but that Johnson was guilt
33:11
[Music]
33:18
Johnson wanted a carefully stage-managed
33:21
convention no drama no violence yet the
33:25
prospect of pulling that off seemed dim
33:27
for president who demanded complete
33:29
control the convention is a minefield
33:35
arriving in Atlantic City from
33:37
Mississippi was a small group of civil
33:40
rights activists calling themselves the
33:42
Mississippi Freedom Party to Johnson's
33:45
dismay they were trying to unseat the
33:47
elected all-white delegation from that
33:50
state and outcome he feared would split
33:52
the Democrat Party into the freedom
33:57
Democratic Party is not seated now I've
34:00
questioned America is this America the
34:05
land of the free and the home of the
34:07
brave now we have to sleep with our
34:11
telephones off of the loop before I
34:14
might be Fred Bailey because we won't
34:18
the mill its teeth and human beings in
34:21
America not without reason
34:26
Johnson was afraid that if the regular
34:28
Mississippi delegation were successfully
34:30
dislodged conservative Democrats from
34:32
other Deep South States would defect to
34:35
his Republican challenger senator
34:36
Goldwater less reasonably he persuaded
34:40
himself that Robert Kennedy was pulling
34:42
the strings behind the scenes he's
34:46
trying to get mantid every weekend and I
34:48
think this is not his trap if he would
34:50
like to see the water leak but no but I
34:53
think he lacks him because all of them
34:55
trouble he can and maybe like he told me
34:57
when he left me with the snare on his
34:59
face I think I would have been able to
35:01
help you luck and I think he won't to
35:04
prove that Johnson now turned to his FBI
35:08
liaison officer deke DeLoach not
35:11
Sorensen the dig gloat mr. dillos we
35:15
could get some mystical Oh sir well
35:16
getting right quickly came yes sir
35:19
DeLoach arranged with his chief edgar
35:22
Hoover to send a platoon of agents some
35:25
posing as journalists to spy on the
35:27
freedom party delegates at a total of 17
35:31
agents the agents who knew the
35:34
organization to be involved one agent to
35:36
handle the report writing record-keeping
35:39
another agent to handle electronics and
35:42
also certain inform us from various
35:44
other places who would keep us advised
35:46
if any upheaval would plan
35:48
to convention we have specific
35:50
instructions to report to but at Walter
35:53
Jenkins achieve aide to the president
35:55
- Billy Moyers and to clip are those
35:59
three and we kept in touch with them by
36:02
community various communications and as
36:05
a matter of fact we loaned them at their
36:07
request walkie-talkies it would be keyed
36:09
in to our powerful radio a transmitter
36:12
and receiver we kept him constantly
36:14
advised of what was going on certainly I
36:17
was used i was not within my
36:19
jurisdiction
36:21
but Jenks is telling me the president
36:24
didn't want anybody else to handle it
36:26
did he appreciated my loyalty and would
36:29
I do it for him and analyze it for him I
36:31
guess appeal to me and I did it but
36:35
again that would beyond the scope of FBI
36:37
jurisdiction the FBI agents in Atlantic
36:42
City sent reports back to the White
36:44
House that communists had infiltrated
36:46
the Mississippi Freedom Party it was
36:48
precisely the kind of rumor to raise the
36:51
presidential temperature country's going
36:53
to hell while I'm talking about the
36:55
freedom party Mississippi is made up of
36:57
nine tension but our questionable people
37:00
you ought to look at the report to FBI's
37:02
got on individuals it's just shocking to
37:05
combine a pretty bad bad much customers
37:11
[Music]
37:14
Tuesday August 25th was the second day
37:17
of what Johnson had planned as a
37:18
coronation
37:22
Press reports from Atlantic City told
37:24
him it was becoming a shambles
37:27
[Music]
37:30
at 9:15 that morning riding at The Oval
37:32
Office Johnson told Murray famer not to
37:35
put through any telephone cones
37:39
this was unusual there were no people
37:41
going in and out and he had the door
37:44
closed between our office and his that
37:47
door when he didn't have appointments
37:49
was usually open and I remembered that
37:51
today because I went to the people two
37:54
or three times to look through the
37:56
people to see if he was all right
38:01
for the next 90 minutes Johnson was
38:04
alone apparently working on his
38:06
acceptance speech of the convention just
38:09
[Music]
38:11
before 11:00
38:12
he called his press secretary George
38:14
Reedy here's what I think how much they
38:17
down on that fateful November day last
38:19
year I accept responsibility person
38:21
asking God's guidance to help all of our
38:23
people
38:24
tonight month I appeared on as
38:26
effectively as I could our country faces
38:28
very dangers these dangers must be faced
38:31
and met by United people under leader
38:33
they do not doubt after 33 years in
38:36
political life most manokwari enemies a
38:38
ship's accumulated barnacles the times
38:41
require leadership about which there is
38:42
no doubt and a voice at men of all
38:45
parties in sections in color can follow
38:47
I've learned him to try very hard I'm
38:49
not that Louis or that leader
38:51
therefore that of consideration be
38:54
guilty to me because I'm absolutely
38:58
unavailable there was a quality to his
39:02
voice and my immediate reaction is my
39:05
god he's a must have having a brain
39:07
hemorrhage or something you know the
39:09
reasons that he was advancing were
39:11
absolutely asinine blacks were not going
39:15
to vote for Barry Goldwater queues were
39:18
not going to vote for Barry Goldwater
39:20
organized labor one univille for Barry
39:23
Goldwater but this was absolutely
39:25
ridiculous and at that particular point
39:28
nobody could have defeated Lyndon
39:30
Johnson I think you could have run God
39:32
Almighty in the Republican ticket and
39:34
Johnson would have won that year but
39:38
Johnson insisted that nine months in
39:39
power was more than enough and I don't
39:43
want this power the bomb and I just want
39:45
these decisions that men acquire to
39:47
making a tofty conniving it's required
39:50
and onto disloyal yet it's rounded I
39:52
want the bomb rhenium and efficiencies
39:55
solution quite an uproar yeah I think so
39:59
I think it's too late surely I know it's
40:01
your decision you're the best have to
40:03
bear the brunt right now I think this
40:05
just isn't going to be the goldwater all
40:07
right I don't care I have a desire
40:10
unites people and the south is against
40:15
me no it's against me Meg Griffin
40:17
against me
40:19
well if you got insults or in a way that
40:21
you can prove this I'm not going to make
40:23
it very long I'm just about ready to
40:24
sign at all be glad to had could gather
40:28
your statements there's a king bee
40:30
hatred okay
40:34
[Music]
40:36
Johnson had always hated conflict past
40:39
few days blacks had questioned his
40:41
commitment to civil rights while White's
40:43
had attacked him as a traitor to the
40:45
south not for the first time or indeed
40:48
the last Johnson was thinking of running
40:51
away
40:52
[Music]
40:56
he told Reedy to warn reporters to
40:59
expect a presidential statement at 3:00
41:01
p.m. then he sent what he'd written to
41:04
the residential quarters for his wife to
41:06
read Lady Bird Johnson was familiar with
41:10
her husband's occasional fits of
41:11
depression she wrote him a letter
41:15
beloved you are as brave a man as Harry
41:19
Truman our FDR our Lincoln you can go on
41:24
to find some peace some achievement
41:27
amidst all the pain you have been strong
41:31
patient determined to beyond any words
41:34
of mine to express I honor you for it so
41:38
does most of the country to step out now
41:41
would be wrong for your country and I
41:45
can see nothing but a lonely wasteland
41:47
for your future in the final analysis I
41:50
can't carry any of the burdens you talk
41:52
of so I know it's only your choice I
41:56
love you always
41:58
bird late that afternoon a crowd of
42:10
3,000 people gathered on the Atlantic
42:12
City Boardwalk under pictures of the
42:14
three civil rights workers murdered in
42:16
Mississippi
42:17
[Music]
42:20
inside the hall black Mississippians
42:23
were battling with stewards Johnson
42:25
watching television of the Oval Office
42:27
tried to restore order by remote control
42:31
gave us an invitation to come in we sit
42:34
with them awhile and we wanted to fit in
42:36
our own safe a hearing at Freedom Party
42:40
has got the seats of the regular
42:43
Mississippi delegates been coming in
42:45
taking them just but I put security men
42:47
around the Mississippi delegation is but
42:49
a bunch of not let anybody come in see
42:50
any better do it now because you gotta
42:52
ride on iPad right quick somebody better
42:55
get her White House records show that
43:05
Johnson left his office that evening at
43:07
10:15 he was looking for his press
43:09
secretary to take him for a walk in the
43:12
White House grounds we get out in the
43:14
lawn and then he again reiterated his
43:17
determination to quit except this time
43:20
he was using some very sly say earthy
43:23
language language that I wouldn't want
43:26
to repeat in TV like certainly language
43:28
they would not use in the presence of a
43:30
lady and my god this time he really
43:35
frightened me
43:36
because he was so firm on it so definite
43:39
so clear he was going to tell him to
43:42
take that blankety blankety blank job
43:44
and to place it in a very improbable
43:47
place and Higa and by the time was over
43:51
I went home that night in a state of
43:55
terror because I thought he'd meant it
44:02
we don't know what the President and
44:05
Lady Bird said to one another that night
44:07
but in her diary she remarked that she
44:09
couldn't remember ours she ever found
44:11
harder next day Wednesday August 26th
44:17
was the day of Johnson's formal
44:19
nomination
44:20
George Reedy still and no idea what his
44:22
chief was going to do I get up earlier
44:24
next morning went down to the White
44:26
House and to my surprise you're just
44:30
acting is over a normal day he didn't
44:34
tell me he's going to go up there and
44:35
accept the nomination but he acted like
44:37
a man that was I came to the conclusion
44:39
that he was probably a manic depressive
44:45
that he would alternate moves of extreme
44:48
relation with moods of extreme
44:50
depression and sometimes four or five
44:52
times in one day at 3:30 on the
44:59
afternoon of August 26 Johnson left for
45:02
his party's convention but those closest
45:05
to the president didn't know what he
45:07
would do when he got there he flew up to
45:09
Atlantic City he's still not knowing but
45:14
but again with a feeling my god he
45:17
couldn't act like this if he's really
45:18
going to resign but I didn't know salmon
45:29
atomic my fellow Americans I accept your
45:38
nomination
45:40
[Music]
45:40
[Applause]
45:45
and with that the state was cleared or
45:47
Johnson's announcement of his choice of
45:49
Vice President Robert Kennedy is not in
45:52
the Hall are closed my longtime my
45:57
trusted colleague senator
46:04
[Music]
46:05
[Applause]
46:13
[Music]
46:17
but still it was not the exclusive
46:19
adulation Johnson had longed for the
46:22
convention program included a tribute to
46:24
John Kennedy and his brother Robert was
46:27
to read a eulogy from Johnson's orders
46:30
the tribute had been postponed until
46:31
after he was Humphreys nomination in
46:34
case it should touch off a flaw
46:36
demonstrations in favor of Kennedy for
46:38
Vice President
46:39
for many it was the one truly
46:41
spontaneous unforgettable moment the
46:43
convention
46:49
robbery Kennedy came on and there was a
46:51
kind of absolute release motion from the
46:55
cow
47:01
was one of the most emotional moments in
47:05
my life I walked up just behind him onto
47:11
the platform and the minute his face
47:13
became visible to the audience was
47:15
almost a guttural roar people were
47:20
crying and went on for twenty-seven
47:24
minutes was a hell of a long time we
47:27
dedicate ourselves he frequently did
47:31
through all of you when he spoke when he
47:33
quoted from Robert Frost said the woods
47:38
are lovely dark and deep but I have
47:41
promises to keep and miles to go before
47:43
I sleep and miles to go people are I
47:46
believe in line with protocol the
47:51
president was not in the hall during
47:53
Robert Kennedy's speech it was an
47:56
impossible act to follow by common
47:58
consent the President's speech was not
48:00
one of his best
48:03
Louie has sought to divide us
48:06
they have only helped to unite us
48:16
let us tomorrow and to our new past let
48:22
us be on highway
48:26
[Music]
48:29
this is not a story with a happy ending
48:33
although Johnson helped Kennedy win
48:36
election to the Senate and although
48:38
Kennedy came to admire Johnson's
48:40
progressive social achievements they
48:42
never did rise above their intense
48:44
mutual dislike for Kennedy the breaking
48:49
point came with Vietnam when 1967 he
48:53
publicly voiced the doubts he had
48:54
expressed privately to Johnson three
48:56
years earlier the tragedy for the
48:59
country was that because of their
49:01
mistrust of each other these warnings in
49:04
the spring of 64 and then dismissed a
49:07
voice of moderation as the country
49:10
plunged into war who's never heard
49:12
Johnson's presidency that he had wanted
49:15
to see defined by his commitment to
49:17
social issues was to unravel on
49:20
battlefields 12,000 miles from
49:30
[Music]
No comments:
Post a Comment