Lyndon Baines Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson the 36th President of the U.S was a charming bully. He could be friendly and generous, for instance he helped the poor and promoted civil rights on the other hand he was a bully. He was one of the most powerful and skillful senate majority leaders ever to have served (Burgan 23). In 1948 he was elected to the senate. Due to his charm he was able to advance rapidly in the senate. He became the democratic whip within two years. When the Republicans won a majority in he senate he became the minority leader. In 1955 he was elected majority leader and transformed the position into one of the most powerful posts in American government. He was elected the president of the U.S. in 1964 after the assassination of Kennedy.
Johnson is renowned for his domineering personality and his coercion of powerful politicians in order to advance legislation. He promised favors to a senator, flattered him, called in a past political debt or threatened him just to ensure that he supports his legislation. He was a 6 feet 3 inches tall and over 200 pound, hence used his height and body to bully senators into supporting his bills. Johnson action of granting interviews to reporters while tending to bodily function in the presidential bathroom goes further, emphasizing the kind of bully he was.
L.B.J had his staff phone producers and entertainment venues all across the U.S. to not book Eartha Kitt by threatening them about income tax record inspection and other threats. This was after Eartha Kitt criticism of the Vietnam War during a white house luncheon. The photograph showing him picking up his dog by the ears goes further to illustrate how much of a bully he was. He escalated the direct American involvement in the Vietnam War; his push for the Vietnam War polarized the country. His push for the Vietnam War polarized the country. An antiwar movement gathered momentum after an increase in the American causalities (Burgan 7). This made him to leave the office of the presidency as one of the least popular Presidents in the American history.
Works Cited
Burgan, Michael. Lyndon Baines Johnson. Minneapolis, MN: Compass point books, 2004.
