Tuesday, May 20, 2014

On LBJ

We meet again, old vague acquaintance.

I never did get the hang of you last time.

Your entry into the White House was sudden, unexpected, tragic. It was inevitable for you to end up in Jack's shadow. History didn't change that.

Your domestic experience gave you no credit among students of diplomatic history. Whatever foreign policy you led, we usually accounted to your predecessor's memory. Besides, your foreign policy = Vietnam.

You are little more than a footnote in books about U.S. policy in the Middle East, and he only thing really worth mentioning is your strong support for the State of Israel (but then this isn't exactly unique among American presidents).

You are said to be one of the main inspirations behind Kevin Spacey's character in "House of Cards" (along with King Richard III of England). Good for you.

Your name. Lyndon! It sounds like a character from a 1950s superhero comic (though no the hero. Not the villain either, I think. The jury is still out). The only U.S. politician sounding more like a superhero comic character is Spiro Agnew. You can't beat that.

You did leave a legacy in domestic politics. But I don't study domestic politics.

You're from Texas. Which called for another footnote in the books about U.S. policy in the Middle East, as you were already accustomed to deal with oil companies. So no need to mention that part of your foreign policy either.

Your wife is called Lady Bird. That is all.

You share initials with your wife (and your daughters, and your dog), though I think it would be much more entertaining if you also shared her middle name. Lyndon Bird Johnson makes you sound even more like a character from a superhero comic (though still not the hero).

We were never friends. I don't think that will change this time either. But perhaps I might get to know you a little better, at least?

I am not sure how I feel about that.

4 comments:

CA Heaven said...

But he did at least get a space center named after him >:)

Cold As Heaven

Kelly said...

Well now, this is interesting and different.

I'm racking my brain trying to remember his dog's name (though I can tell you plenty of other presidential dog names). I must go look that up...

Cruella Collett said...

CA - Really? I did not know that. I did know he named the Kennedy Space Center, which is the most famous one. One of his first acts as president, if I remember correctly.

Kelly - I don't remember the dog's name anymore either; and I only read the reference yesterday. Couldn't have been that memorable ;)

CA Heaven said...

Johnson Space Center in Houston, that's were they had the mission control. The Apollo spacecrafts (and the Space Shuttles) were launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Also, LBJ's hometown has been renamed Johnson City, Texas. I've been there once, or more correctly, we drove through. It's a small town with a couple of hundred citizens >:)

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