Today, indeed marks the 100th birthday of our 36th president Lyndon Baines Johnson or LBJ (1908-1973), who was a Democrat from Texas. It is ironic that this day coincides with the Democratic convention in Denver. He was president from 1963 to 1968.
LBJ is best known for passing the Voting Rights Act and issuing civil rights initiatives for African-Americans. He is considered to be a liberal figure, though many on his side of the political fence criticized him for getting involved in Vietnam. LBJ also beat Republican Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater in the heated election of 1964 which featured the classic 'Daisy Ad' that we posted on this blog several months ago.
LBJ was also the subject of a trivia question I heard on NPR today as he was the last sitting president not to attend his own convention in 1968. That Democratic Convention in Chicago is the subject of a recent film called "The Chicago 10," which now out on dvd. My friend Moviezzz has a review of it on his blog (see link below).
LBJ was also the father-in-law of former Virginia senator Chuck Robb who defeated infamous right-winger Oliver North in his own heated senate race in 1994. That campaign was the subject of the brilliant documentary "A Perfect Candidate."
In an article for "Rolling Stone," Bill Clinton said LBJ was a tremendous influence on him. He said that LBJ took a huge risk with his civil rights initiatives as they helped bring the conservative movement to the South.
Racial tolerance remains a huge issue in American life. But, as one commentator said last night, LBJ would be delighted to see an African-American running for president in America if he were alive today.
Useful Links:
http://www.talkingmoviezzz.blogspot.com
PS_This marks the 900th entry for Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time. To think, there was a time when I was so unsure of what to say here that I actually posted my grocery list!
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