Source: Robert A. Caro. The Years of Lyndon Johnson:
The Passage of Power (2012)
The Passage of Power (2012)
In the late-1950s, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson didn't think that any U.S. Senator was a serious challenger to his pursuit of the Democratic nomination in 1960, including John F. Kennedy. But, to be fair, most everyone in Washington, D.C. had misread JFK to this point in his political career. While both Senators seethed with Presidential ambition, their backgrounds and how they approached their job in the Senate varied greatly.
LBJ's experience in World War II was of a "behind the scenes" sort; he spent a total of 13 minutes in action as an observer on a plane in the Pacific. As Senate Majority Leader, LBJ wore a silver star pin on his label, and regaled his colleagues with his WW II "experiences". In reality, this self-proclaimed "Tailgunner" was an intelligence officer who debriefed pilots behind a desk. JFK was a "Millionaire Playboy" Congressman, and then Senator, who lived lavishly, but was a decorated WW II hero. JFK basically phoned-in his duties as a member of Congress; no serious legislation bore his name in his nearly decade-and-a-half as a Congressman/Senator . . . but there were physical & political reasons for doing so.
LBJ's experience in World War II was of a "behind the scenes" sort; he spent a total of 13 minutes in action as an observer on a plane in the Pacific. As Senate Majority Leader, LBJ wore a silver star pin on his label, and regaled his colleagues with his WW II "experiences". In reality, this self-proclaimed "Tailgunner" was an intelligence officer who debriefed pilots behind a desk. JFK was a "Millionaire Playboy" Congressman, and then Senator, who lived lavishly, but was a decorated WW II hero. JFK basically phoned-in his duties as a member of Congress; no serious legislation bore his name in his nearly decade-and-a-half as a Congressman/Senator . . . but there were physical & political reasons for doing so.
In 1952, JFK shocked everyone when he not only announced that he was running for U.S. Senator against the powerful and popular incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (both candidates pictured bottom-right), but that he actually won (by a very narrow margin). While LBJ was a genius at gathering votes in the Senate as Majority Leader, JFK was very effective as a campaigner gathering votes. When JFK ran for the Senate against Lodge, Jr., he sent out thousands of invitations to women voters to "Meet JFK in Person" at voter rallies. While LBJ had very powerful Texas businessmen and politicians in his corner, JFK had his father, Joseph Kennedy - JFK's father bailed out a Boston newspaper to the tune of $500k, and then made sure the newspaper endorsed his son for the Senate race.
JFK had very serious health problems, including chronic back trouble, as well as Addison's Disease. Part of the reason why JFK wasn't a constant physical presence in the Senate was that he had two major back surgeries; upon his return to the Senate in 1955 after an almost two-year absence, the views of his colleagues towards him remained unchanged. Despite his relative lack of import in the Senate, JFK almost became Adlai Stevenson's Vice-Presidential candidate in 1956, being narrowly edged out on a floor vote among delegates by fellow Senator Estes Kefauver.
Below: The 1956 Democratic Convention Vice-President Nomination Ballot
JFK had very serious health problems, including chronic back trouble, as well as Addison's Disease. Part of the reason why JFK wasn't a constant physical presence in the Senate was that he had two major back surgeries; upon his return to the Senate in 1955 after an almost two-year absence, the views of his colleagues towards him remained unchanged. Despite his relative lack of import in the Senate, JFK almost became Adlai Stevenson's Vice-Presidential candidate in 1956, being narrowly edged out on a floor vote among delegates by fellow Senator Estes Kefauver.
Below: The 1956 Democratic Convention Vice-President Nomination Ballot
LBJ, after Joseph Kennedy's prompting, appointed JFK to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; foreign policy was the one area that JFK embraced as a US Senator. LBJ figured that since JFK's father "owed him one", he had JFK lined up to be HIS Vice-Presidential running mate in 1960. LBJ measured Senators by what they had accomplished, and in his estimation, Senator Kennedy didn't measure up to his standards. To LBJ, "Work Horse" Senators did their job, while "Show Horse" Senators, such as JFK, were merely posers. Had LBJ known JFK's "Back Story", what it took for JFK to even get to Capitol Hill, LBJ may have significantly revised his opinion of JFK. (Pictured: Senators Johnson, Kennedy, and Hubert Humprey (MN) in the center)
Below: JFK, early in his first term as Senator, talks about US involvement in SE Asia
Below: JFK, early in his first term as Senator, talks about US involvement in SE Asia
JFK overcame crippling health problems en route to Congress; LBJ just assumed that Senator Kennedy was a wealthy and lazy dilettante. In fact, JFK had very few days in his life when he wasn't in pain or sick in some way. He was diagnosed with deteriorating lumbar / discs in 1940, yet he served in the Navy in the Pacific in World War II. JFK wanted to serve on a PT Boat, which was the worst possible posting for a man w/ his back condition. JFK was beyond-heroic after his PT boat (PT-109) was cut in half by a Japanese destroyer (historians are still divided on his activity beforehand): during the six days before their rescue, JFK spent far more time in the water than out, helping his men to shore, and trying to signal for help. Not long after, JFK got command of PT-59, and 5 men from PT-109 followed him as part of his crew. JFK was in command for six weeks, then the degeneration of his discs reached a point in which he could no longer actively serve his nation in the Navy.
Once JFK became used to campaigning (in pain) in 1946, he found that he had a talent for making connections with voters. His quick wit, intelligence, people skills, and an ability to speak whether prepared or "off the cuff" resonated with voters . . . that was a side of JFK that LBJ never saw, or bothered to see. But once in elected office, health-related problems kept JFK from doing what his colleagues saw as the bare-minimum to be an effective member of Congress. After years of jaundiced-skin and vomiting with little-or-no appetite, JFK was finally diagnosed with Addison's Disease in the late-1940s. JFK's adrenal glands were failing, and he had lost significant weight, experienced fevers and fatigue - his doctor thought that he only had a year left to live.
Cortisone injections saved JFK in terms of stopping the immediate effects of Addison's Disease - he gained weight and energy, while his yellow skin was passed off as a nice sun tan. However, those same life-saving injections actually made his back far-worse . . . JFK, before he even pursued the Democratic nomination for President in 1960, was in very bad physical condition. In addition to his physical state being a limiting factor in terms of his workload in the Senate, JFK also saw being an obscure Senator as a drawback to pursuing the Presidency, so he spent as little time in the Senate as possible, choosing to focus on the upcoming Democratic primary elections.
Cortisone injections saved JFK in terms of stopping the immediate effects of Addison's Disease - he gained weight and energy, while his yellow skin was passed off as a nice sun tan. However, those same life-saving injections actually made his back far-worse . . . JFK, before he even pursued the Democratic nomination for President in 1960, was in very bad physical condition. In addition to his physical state being a limiting factor in terms of his workload in the Senate, JFK also saw being an obscure Senator as a drawback to pursuing the Presidency, so he spent as little time in the Senate as possible, choosing to focus on the upcoming Democratic primary elections.
JFK recognized the value and potential that TV had for gaining popularity and votes, while LBJ (as well as most other politicians) didn't see TV as an asset in 1956, or even in 1960. One added benefit of the cortisone injections was that JFK was far more telegenic by the late-1950s. Not only did he look very handsome and knowledgeable, but his self-deprecating humor blazed through the TV set as well, which he used to tremendous advantage.
JFK's media appearances drowned out his lackluster performance and attendance in the Senate, much to the chagrin and irritation of his colleagues, especially LBJ. JFK and his campaign advisors (such as Theodore Sorensen) knew that they would have to secure the nomination on the first ballot; in other words, they needed to have a clear majority of undisputed delegates committed to them before the convention opened. If they failed to have that majority heading in, then the nomination would very likely be decided, literally, in a "Back Room", where LBJ would almost certainly be able to maneuver and be able to corral enough delegates for the nomination. JFK knew that LBJ was counting on that outcome, and starting in 1958, JFK and his campaign advisors started to aggressively organize their efforts in the primaries, and JFK started to make many appearances as a candidate for the Democratic nomination. LBJ, on the other hand, decided to spend his hours working in the Senate as Majority Leader, hoping-and-assuming that he could secure the Democratic nomination without campaigning in the primary elections.
Below: JFK addresses an audience in Wisconsin on the topic of direct primaries
Below: JFK addresses an audience in Wisconsin on the topic of direct primaries