LBJ and Nixon CHA3U - Harris. LBJ LBJ different from charismatic JFK Stereotypical Texas politician...
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Transcript of LBJ and Nixon CHA3U - Harris. LBJ LBJ different from charismatic JFK Stereotypical Texas politician...
LBJ and Nixon
CHA3U - Harris
LBJ
• LBJ different from charismatic JFK
• Stereotypical Texas politician
• Loud, crude, loved to shock people
• Had been Senate majority leader – position gave him great influence over legislation
• Master of compromise –sought middle ground where most people could agree
LBJ
• Saw himself as caretaker for both JFK’s policies and his people
• Asked JFK cabinet and advisers to continue serving under him
• On first day in office, learned of JFK’s antipoverty initiative
• Advisors wanted to implement program slowly – instead LBJ wanted to be big and bold
War on Poverty
• January 8, 1964 – declares War on Poverty
• $1 billion to series of new programs aimed at ending poverty
• Job Corps – work training program for young people
• Head Start – preschool for low income families
The Great Society
• JFK inspired, LBJ delivered
• LBJ pushed legislation through Congress
• 1964 presidential race – called vision of nation’s future The Great Society
• Republicans nominate conservative Senator Barry Goldwater
• Goldwater seen as extreme
The Election of 1964
• Goldwater – “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice…”
• Goldwater bumper sticker – “In your heart you know he is right.”
• LBJ bumper sticker – “In you gut you know he’s nuts.”
• LBJ campaign produced “Daisy Girl” TV commercial
• Implied Goldwater could not be trusted w/ nation’s nuclear arsenal
• Daisy Girl
The Election of 1964
The Great Society
• LBJ moved quickly to make vision reality
• Civil Rights, health care, education, urban renewal were part of Great Society programs
• 1965 – est. Medicare (health insurance for people over 65) and Medicaid (free health care to needy)
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965) gave $1.3 billion to schools in poor areas
Failure of The Great Society
• By spring of 1965 LBJ had shifted focus to Vietnam
• 1966 spending on Vietnam was 18x greater than spending on War on Poverty
• MLK – “The Great Society was shot down in the battlefields of Vietnam.”
The Election of 1968
• After Tet Offensive ¾ of American disproved of LBJ’s handing of war
• Early 1968 – Democratic Senator Eugene McCarthy challenged LBJ for presidential domination
• McCarthy almost defeated LBJ in New Hampshire primary
• McCarthy’s strong showing drew Robert F. Kennedy into race
RFK
• Former senator and U.S. Attorney General
• Strong national following among poor, Hispanics, and African-Americans
• Anti-war critic
• Shocked by split within his own party, LBJ announced he would not seek reelection
• Wanted to spend last months in office trying to end war
The Election of 1968
• McCarthy, RFK and V.P. Hubert Humphrey went head to head in several state primaries
• RFK won most of them including crucial California primary in June
• Seemed destined to receive Democratic nomination
The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy
• After winning California primary on June 5, 1968 – Kennedy addressed supporters in ballroom
• Led through kitchen after speech – shaking hands
• Sirhan Sirhan a Palestinian immigrant emerged from crowd and shot RFK three times
Assassination of Bobby Kennedy
• RFK lay wounded, Juan Romero, dishwasher, cradled his head and placed rosary in his hand
• RFK asked Romero, "Is everybody safe, OK?"
• RFK died next day
1968 Democratic Convention
• Democrats meet in Chicago to select nominee
• V.P. Humphrey wins nomination
• LBJ manipulates convention and Humphrey’s victory from his Texas ranch
• Does not want a nominee critical of his war policy
1968 Democratic Convention
• 10 000 anti-war protestors massed in Grant Park across from hotel where delegates were staying
• Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was furious
• Ordered police to clear protestors
• August 28 – police clubbed and used tear gas on protestors
• Hundreds jailed and injured• Media widely broadcast unrest
The Election of 1968
• Republicans nominate Richard Nixon
• Appealed to patriotism of mainstream America
• Promised he had a secret plan to end the war – revealed no details
• Promised a law and order crackdown on urban crime
• Former Alabama Governor George Wallace runs as third party candidate
The Election of 1968
Richard Nixon
• Wanted to cut costly programs of Great Society
• Had support from middle class voters tired of unrest of 1960s
• Silent Majority • Would face domestic and
foreign policy crisis
Stagflation
• Occurs both unemployment and inflation rose
• Nixon imposed freezes on prices, rents and wages to fight inflation
• Worked in short term
Apollo 11
• July 20, 1969 – Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed Apollo 11 lunar module on Moon
• “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
• b/w 1969-1973 U.S. launched six more Apollo missions
• Space program led to many innovations adapted for everyday life
Oil Embargo
• Arab nations imposed oil embargo in reaction to Yom Kippur War
• Agreed not to ship oil to U.S. and certain other countries who supported Israel
• U.S. was dependent on foreign sources for 1/3 of its oil needs.
• Embargo caused serious problems throughout U.S. economy
Watergate
• After Pentagon Papers Nixon told aides “Do whatever has to be done to stop these leaks…”
• White House organized secret unit called “the plumbers”
• Plumbers were to carry out illegal activity in name of national security
• Activities grew into full scale war to guarantee Nixon’s reelection
Watergate
• June 1972 – 5 men arrested breaking into Democratic National Committee headquarters in Watergate office and apartment complex in Washington D.C.
• Carrying wiretap equipment
• Discovered men were being paid from Nixon campaign fund – “Committee to Re-elect the President”
Watergate
• Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated and discovered truth
• Led to senate investigation of criminal charges and alleged cover up
• Hearings televised • Clear White House deeply
involved• Former White House Attorney
John Dean testified Nixon had been directly involved in cover up
Saturday Night Massacre
• Surprising revelation that Nixon had secretly recorded conversations
• Justice Department Special prosecutor Archibald Cox demanded tapes
• Nixon refused and ordered Attorney General to fire Cox
• Attorney General refused and resigned
• Assistant Attorney General resigned
• Saturday Night Massacre
Watergate
• “People have a right to know whether or not their president is a crook. We’ll I am not a crook.
• July 1974 – Supreme Court rejects Nixon’s argument that tapes were protected by executive privilege
• House Judiciary Committee begins hearings on whether or not to impeach Nixon
Watergate
• Release of Nixon tapes – truth revealed
• Nixon had directed Watergate cover-up and authorized illegal activities
• Facing certain impeachment Nixon resigned on August 9th 1974
• Only president to reign from office
• Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th president
Watergate
Nixon Pardon
• September 1974 – president Ford granted Nixon full pardon for any crimes he may have committed
• Many suspected pardon had been agreed upon in advance in exchange for Nixon’s resignation
• A week later Ford offered clemency to Vietnam draft evaders
• Controversial decisions likely cost Ford 1976 election
Legacy of Watergate
• Fueled growing sense of disillusionment in America
• Shook faith in government
• Many people were cynical and suspicious of government
• Contributed directly to Jimmy Carter’s election in 1976 and Reagan Revolution of 1980s