Did LBJ in 1968 sound like Chimpy ? Or was he less in denial ?

[steve2470]

Please tell me LBJ was not as bad as Chimpy. Is this situation far worse for us than in 1968 ?

[TheFarseer]

1. he didn't run for re-election

that should tell you something. Not necessarily that he was a great guy, but it should tell you something!

[misternormal]

2. But remember...

Just before ordering more troops to South East Asia, LBJ did say... "...American boys should not be doin' what Asian boys should be doin' for themselves..."

[madaboutharry]

3. There is a difference:

If you believe the historians, LBJ was genuinely bereft by what was going on in Viet Nam and was worn down and broken by it. At least that is what is said. Bush has no ability to experience any of this.

[napi21]

4. LBJ was never as bad, nor was anyone else!

You have to remember LBJ was in his first (real) term, and decidied not to run for a second. Shrub isn't in that spot. He doesn't care what people think of him. His Pubs in Congress do though! Most of them are running as far from him as they can!

Listen to KGO Radio tonight if you can. Bernie Ward did a great job last night. It's streamed from San Francisco at 10PM PST. I'm on the EC so it's a bit of a challenge for me to stay awake that late (1 AM EST) but I really love listening to him. He is the best arguer with the Pub callers I've heard! Every one of them either backs down or just hangs up in frustration.

[steve2470]

5. Yes I like Bernie Ward a lot. I wish our Dems were more like him nt

[Yupster]

6. I don't remember LBJ speaking

to the country very often.

Did he have many press conferences? Maybe, but without cable TV, I don't remember watching many. I don't remember the nightly news showing him speaking or out much either. Was a long time ago though.

[jzola]

7. He was not

as bad as Chimpy. This whole administration is the most cynical, lying,thieving, disgusting group of people that have been in power in my life time. I expect that it my be ever. They are truly evil. LBJ actually was concerned about poor people. Who knows what line he was fed by the military industrial complex to make him blow everything on that war. I hated that war and I hated LBJ. But I never doubted that my country would survive him. This time I think our survival as a democracy is in doubt. As well as our planetary survival.

[MazeRat7]

8. He took it pretty bad. After he left office...

he let his hair grow out and spent most of his time on his ranch panting. While I don't have the exact quote, he said something like "painting helps me get the images of those boys I sent to die out of my mind"... or something along those lines.

MZr7

[Cleita]

9. LBJ could speak sense in complete sentences.

He also brought us some good social programs like Medicare and the War on Poverty that included educational programs like head start. Chimpy is nothing more than hot air.

[Greeby]

10. I thought the reason LBJ decided not to run again

Was because Gene McCarthy nearly beat him in the most recent primary, and was going to crush him in the next one :shrug:

Of course, his withdrawal led to Bobby Kennedy getting in the race. *sigh* what might have been, eh? :(

[Botany]

13. Nice story but not true

Some of McCarthy's vote in N.H. was from people who wanted more bombing.

The Tet offensive, Johnson's realization that Vietnam was un-winnable, and his wanting
to bargain a peace treaty w/ the communists led to his withdrawal. Nixon signed basically
the same treaty Johnson had negotiated in 1968 in 1973 .... but we had many more dead by then.

Johnson for all his flaws (and he had many) deeply cared about the common people .... from which
he was from unlike bush who has no empathy for anybody that isn't rich.



The war really ate at him as can be seen from this picture.

[Greeby]

14. I stand corrected

:blush:

[Botany]

17. Glad to help

World's of difference between LBJ and *.

One was a real cattle rancher who could ride a horse, gave us medicade, the voting rights act,
the space program, and tons of other stuff ....

* is just a turd that is a useful tool of the rich and powerful

[MissWaverly]

11. LBJ was a seasoned arrogant, cynical politician

but he stayed up until 4:00 am every night reading the letters of military familites. He
had empathy and I think that in his own way he cared about the American people, just
beyond the beltway mind set. Also, I think that every president but this one, was aware,
and respected the role of Congress and the Judicial Branch. Although he was disliked,
remember Medicare came in on his watch. Name one single program initiated by Bush, that
wasn't a sweetheart deal for corporations and I include the prescription drug plan in
that category. LBJ was a leader.

[demosincebirth]

12. LBJ was a savvy and shrewd politician.

[theHandpuppet]

15. Could you ever imagine a photo of the Chimp like this?

http://history1900s.about.com/library/photos/blyviet37.htm

(From: http://history1900s.about.com/library/photos/blyindexvietnam.htm )

[Old and In the Way]

16. Not at all...but I think he decided not to run when he realized that

the Party was going to split on the issue of VietNam. I think he realized that he was railroaded into escalating the war by bad advice. Actually, I think Nixon was much more like Bush in his handling of the war....the secret bombings of Laos and Cambodia, the secret plan to end the war....even he finally had the sense to shut it down.

[Generic Other]

18. He aged overnight. Quit joking or smiling

Famous Life magazine picture of him staring out the oval office. Pensive. In shadows.

[SaveElmer]

19. It killed him in the end...

And if you listen to the LBJ tapes...they are available on C-SPAN...you can tell the whole thing was really killin him...he talks about doubts he had sending troops, talks about sending sons of friends of his etc...

It was the great blot on his administration, but it doesn't seem to me he took it lightly...