The Triumph & Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson

Before this book, Lyndon Johnson was, in my eyes, a president not to be liked. Whenever my parents talked about him, they always recounted how they hated his increased involvement in Vietnam, and how he was such a jerk to others around him. Yet, whenever the subject of programs like Head Start, PBS, or The Civil Rights Act came up, my parent's opinions would change, acknowledging his accomplishments, but not letting go of his issues with Vietnam. So when I had to read a biography on him for my presidential biography challenge, I wanted to see a balanced opinion of him, understand who he is, and what made him want to help others so much. Did I get that? No, but for this book, that can't really be helped.

Firstly, this book is less a biography, and more of a memoir of the author, who served as a top aid to Johnson during his terms in office. As such, we get to see Johnson's decision making process as he considers what to do on everything from domestic policy and working toward his Great Society programs, to the constant ache that is the war in Vietnam. One element that struck me was just how adept he was at understanding politics. For better or worse, LBJ knew how to work the political system in a way that politicians today can only envy. He knew what to say and do within his own style, so he could get the bills he wanted. Today, we have many different public works programs including PBS, and Head Start, and the Civil Rights Act. Much of this was accomplished due to LBJ's careful planning and political maneuvering.

Without exception, Vietnam will always be known as Johnson's war, as it would serve as a constant headache for him throughout his presidency. What I found most interesting, having heard accounts of the men on the ground, and those who lived through that time, was seeing the war from LBJ's perspective. He had to consider how pulling out of Vietnam would look to both the Russians, and the allies of NATO, as well as to those at home. This seems to be his one major area of weakness as he, like Kennedy before him, and Nixon after him, could not solve the problem of Vietnam with either brute military force, or subtle political maneuvering.

And this is the book's biggest strength. We really see the presidency of LBJ as it happened, with many emotions, both good and bad, from different people in the White House during this time period. This makes for a very well done historical account, as far as the challenges facing LBJ.

Yet, that leads me into this book's biggest weaknesses. While there are accounts from the author about what LBJ did in office, such as the Civil Rights Act and other bills of his Great Society, there is very little analysis of the impact these bills would have. We do not see what these laws and programs have become in the intervening years, nor what ones would prove unsuccessful. It is as though we are a fly on the wall in many scenes, where Johnson talks about wanting to get X done and to call Y senator and the author then describes how Y senator did not want to do X, and Johnson had to bully him into it. All this means that while there is a recounting of interesting events that happened, the lack of analysis can leave some readers wanting more.

And on that note of Johnson bullying people, this book also seems to have a kinder portrayal of him than what history would demand. Johnson was crude, rude, and brash, with both senators and secretaries alike. He would often make them deliberately uncomfortable (such as LBJ swimming naked in a pool, and asking a senator to jump in) in order to help impose his will on whomever he wanted. What would become known as the ‘Johnson treatment' is a famous tactic that is brushed over, at best. If it is mentioned at all, it is within the guise that this is for the greater good of X Great Society bill he wants passed. His famous affairs and sexual exploits are also almost wholly ignored as well.

Couple this with the fact that there is no explanation as to how Johnson got this way. Why does he seem to care so much about African Americans? This author doesn't say. What drives him to help the poor and disenfranchised? The author is silent. This made me want to go looking elsewhere for an explanation. Perhaps this is a case of me wanting this book to be more than it is, but still, I find it frustrating that the motivations of LJB are absent from this book.

Overall, Johnson can be described, at best, as a Presidential anti-hero. A man whom many personally would dislike, his accomplishments exceed many Presidents both in his time and after. This book is also the same way. While it may be an excellent account of Johnson's time in the White House from the viewpoint of an aide, I found the author's softer portrayal of LBJ to be more unsatisfying than the author intended. I give it a three out of five.