lyndon johnson asked me one question "who has the power around here?" i told him "there's only one power, richard russell." johnson doesn't ask for the best committee, he asks to get on russell's committee. he starts saying to late... russell was a bachelor and he was lonely johnson would say "let's get a hamburger." hen-the-he said "why don't you come home for dinner?" russell usually didn't do that. lyndon would say "you've got to eat somewhere." and he started... when you say what are the means by which lyndon johnson rose so fast? a lot of it is just what you're talking about. this interpersonal relationship. >> if i might bring obama in for a second. this is not something alien to him. when he was in the state senate in illinois they was protege of a man named amel jones who was the party leader and he was a profession alison to jones in the way bob has written about l.b.j. being a profession alison to russell and sam rayburn. so he's able to do it but we haven't seen much of in the washington. >> i think one difference is he has a family. he has a

mick, the fact lyndon johnson did not tell his vice president what he was going to say that evening, what does that tell you about the relationship between the two? >> well, i think it tells you more about johnson than anything else, because he didn't tell anybody. i don't think he told his wife. their relationship had its problems, but that wasn't emblem mattic of it i guess. johnson was secretive about things. i'm not sure johnson knew what he was going to do. the other ending was he would continue to be president and work towards peace in vietnam. he made this decision rather late, and so -- i don't know if it's found me, i'm not sure. i know humphrey was told not to tell his wife about any of it, tell muriel about any of the meeting with johnson in the morning. so he was pretty surprised whether it happened. >> in terms of the time line, that announcement took place on march 31st. it was just a couple of days later, april 4th, 1968, in which reverend martin luther king was shot in memphis, tennessee, and it was that evening that senator bobby kennedy, who was running for the democ

you know, bobby kennedy lived to loathe lyndon johnson, as did ted kennedy and the kennedy family. ways a feeling that johnson's presidency wasn't real, that there was just a co-option of kennedy policies. and the proof is in the pudding. that bobby kennedy geared up to run in 1968 over vietnam and wanted to, you know in many ways, help cripple johnson's presidency. >> yeah, i mean, kennedy said like -- he laughed at him as like a river boat gambler. he called him landslide because he only won that election. the '48 election of the senate by 48 votes. used to kid him about having a dishonest election. he felt uncomfortable being in his presence. he didn't like being in the same room at lyndon johnson. let's go to something really important. that's the vietnam war. here's a new tape that came out november 20th, 1963. just two days before the assassination. kennedy had his eye on the situation in vietnam that fall. here is just, as i said, just two days before he got killed, talking about what he was going to follow up with south vietnam. let's listen. >> they were going to have a bri

you know, bobby kennedy lived to loathe lyndon johnson as did ted kennedy and the kennedy family. t johnson's presidency wasn't real, that it was really just a co-option of kennedy policies and the proof in the pudding that bobby kennedy geared up to run in 1968 over vietnam and wanted to in many ways help cripple johnson's presidency. >> i mean, kennedy had these weird -- he laughed at them as kind of a river boat gambler and called them landslide because h gambler, called him "landslide" he won by 87 votes. used to kid him about a dishonest election. felt uncomfortable being in his presence. he didn't like being in the same room as lyndon johnson. let's go to something important to history, the viet nam war. a new tape came out november 20, just released, november 20, 1963 two days before the assassination. kennedy had his eye on viet nam. two days before he got killed, talking about what he was going to follow up with the ambassador henry cabot lodge. >> they were going to have a briefing book for me by saturday. i think i ought to be back here until maybe seven, then i have to

she referred to lyndon johnson as mr. president. it shows that even in that moment of great crisis for her personally, remember, we're going through this as a nation, she's going through it at a very different level, she remembers to refer to johnson as mr. president. it's a very short conversation. it's a little bit awkward. probably she had other things on her mind. that's kind of what i thought. >> there are two copies of these recordings. you have one, and you've donated one to the national archives. can you explain? >> when clifton left the white house he had two identical copies made. why that's the case, there's no one alive who could tell you. which is interesting in and of itself. maybe he wanted to write a book. his name is all over the tapes. so maybe he just wanted a record kept for his own posterity. we felt it was important not only to donate the tape to the national archives so that the american people would have the exact piece that we have but also the information really was not proprietary to us, but that the ameri

edgar hoover, head of the fbi, and the president, lyndon baines johnson, you had become the assistant attorney general for civil rights, you moved up a notch. >> right. >> and we'll listen to a little bit of this and you can explain to people what they're hearing. >> mr. president -- >> yeah. >> -- i wanted to let you know we found the car. >> yeah. >> now, this is not known. nobody knows this at all. but the car was burned. and we do not know yet whether any bodies are inside of the car because of the intense heat that still is in the area of the car. the license plates on the car are the same that was on the car that was in philadelphia, mississippi, yesterday. and apparently this is off to the side of the road. it wasn't going toward meridian, but it was going in the opposite direction. now, whether there are any bodies in the car, we won't know until we can get into the car ourselves. we've got agents, of course, on the ground and as soon as we get definite word i'll, of course, get word to you. but i did want you to know apparently what's happened these men have been killed. alth

nnedy calling in and talking with lyndon johnson. we're able to kind of do a recreation.bviously what people are looking for is who killed kennedy. i think the big question still remaining is why did oswalddo it. and why did, for example, when oswald was arrested and he was interrogated by police,hy wasn't that tape. why was so security so lax that jack rub can shoot him. these are burninguestions that american people have. we're approaching charlie the 50th anniversary in november 2013 of the kennedy assassination. tom hank is working on an hbo documentary, a long one about all of this. i know a number of very good authors th are working on books dealing with this. so i think in the next year or too we're going to be relooking at that day because along with 9/11 and pearl harbor where people don't forget where the were. >> charlie: when you look at all of this, what do you feel about the motivation of lee harvey oswald and any connection to either cuba or the mob. >> well, i've always, i mean norman mailer wrote an unusual book trying to go to minsk and follow what a osw

he comes to the senate and gets on the wrong side of lyndon johnson, difference respects johnson, and johnson gets mad. gives him the worst committee assignments he can possibly give him. and muckie sulks for a while and then realize johnson has given him a favor. johnson put him into the position of becoming an environmental leader because the environment became the issue that it did right in the early '60s. so muskie is very famous for that. and then there's robert byrd on the cover. >> going to take a short break and be back to talk with ira how the world has changed in terms of the senate over the years. thank you. >> we're descending into single digit favorability. i want to quote -- i want to chat with you a little bit and get your views as to what has happened. the senate was once a quite respected institution. that is certainly not the case right now. nor is the house. let me quote from your prologue. this is what you say. the election of 1980 -- that was the reagan year -- shattered the great senate and the senate has never really regained its stature or reclaimed its special

if lyndon johnson ainru why you think he would or would not have won the election? >> that's a tough one. i think that that's the kind of question that can't be answered except to say that his election would have depended on the war as well, i believe. he might have been more adamant about ending it or fintiding so way to not have the war work against him if he had run. he might have had better luck that way. and i don't know if he would have won. it would have been really interesting. i think it would have still been a close election. this was in such con start to 1964 when he won before vietnam was really an issue. this is also makes it clear how vietnam had become the decisive issue. in 1964, he went some 43 of 50 states or something along those lines. if the north vietnam meche saw a divided government that can be used against him, so he had to still serve the president as vice president. he had johnson tells him he would cut all the funds and everybody -- and all the support he had, what little support he had if he came out against the war. he had at least a ha

we're not going to debate him, and nixon said the debate is with lyndon johnson. he wouldn't mention the opposition. he's a good man, but my quarrel is with lyndon johnson. it was frus freighting to romney. we had private polls showing us to beat him 5-6 to 1. in a contested primary, we get about 75% of the vote and he gets 15%. so he was getting polls that showed he was going to get clobbered, so he got out. that's when the ball was for rockefeller. you have to do this yourself. rockefeller had problems at the time. he got up and announced, i'm not running. >> personal problems. >> tim, we'll go to you next. >> hi, pat. tim from ohio. i'm curious to get your perspective on the 1970 kent state shootings that left four students dead and nine injured. i'm curious how that affected nixon's public image, if at all. >> that was one of the speeches i worked on, was the cambodian incursion or what they called invasion. we went in 630 kilometers for 30 days to clean out the vietcong base camps in cambodia. i think that speech was on april 30th, 1970. 1970, right. and the

to salute the glenns with vice president lyndon johnson. as the president of the united states arrives at cape canaveral, to be greeted with john and a cheers of thrilled l of proud americans, incemonies center, president john f. kennedy presents the distinguished service medal to john glenn. as annie and david glenn proudly share applause with the other astronauts and with the world. as john's parents learn firsthand about friendship 7, as does marine corps general david m. shoop and the president of the united states. and this rainy day in washington is a happy day as the president and the astronaut arrive. to drive through rain-washed crowd-flooded streets for a reception as john and annie glenn with vice president lyndon johnson greet distinguished guests, including alan shepard. god speed, john glenn. god speed into the future. into the hearts of all americans. welcome to washington. welcome back to this planet. from the nation's capital to the towers of manhattan to the ticker tape parade of new york, cheering crowds roar a mighty wel

and congressman brooks and lyndon johnson were in the motorcade in downtown dallas. november 22nd when president kennedy was assassinated. president johnson went back to the airplane air force one. he took the oath of office. the presidency, with jack brooks and other people looking on. in that year of '64 after the assassination, after kennedy -- i mean after johnson became president, the civil rights bill was brought forward. and with president johnson's leadership and the leadership of others including jack brooks, they brought that bill to fruition. i believe it was signed july the 2nd, 1964. that changed everything. in the south and the united states with respect to segregation. that broke the back of segregation in the south. it was a huge step for johnson and brooks and other americans. brooks was one of 11 southern congressmen who voted for it. all the other southerners -- brooks was a major player in this huge change. he went with johnson the next year in the voting acts riots of '65 and the housing act of 1968. so jack brooks who's featured here on this stat

in working with lyndon johnson, jack brooks voted for some very important and controversial new laws, especially the civil rights act in 1964. before this law in 1964, there was widespread discrimination and segregation against black people in the united states, especially in the southern united states. black people were barred from going in restaurants and cafes, motels, and movie theaters. they could work there, but weren't welcome as customers or clients. there was widespread discrimination. many people thought that should be changed. during the year of 1963, proposw civil rights law, and he was doing this in part based on rising tensions in the south, especially in birmingham, alabama. and president kennedy in his administration introduced a sweeping civil rights bill, but now, and wasn't being passed. there was opposition from the south and other people, and then they made the trip to dallas. president kennedy andhnson made in november of '63, while pendi. and a number of people went with them, including congressman brooks. lyndon johnson were in the motorcade in downtown dallas,

and view the goldwater spot in 1964 and you'll see no creative progression until you get to the lyndon johnson campaign. we will look at a few of the eisenhower spots. they are creative mainly in the sense this they represent the first spot advertising in american poll particulars and -- american politics and we will see those now. >> eisenhower answers america. >> they say we have never had it so good. yet, i have had to stop buying eggs, they are so expensive. >> no wonder, you pay 100 difference tax on one egg. we must cut costs which means we must cut taxes. >> eisenhower answers america. >> general, how would you clean up the mess in washington? >> my answer? it's not a one agency mess or a one department mess. it's a top to bottom mess. and i promise we will clean it up from top to bottom. >> eisenhower answers america. >> can you cut taxes, mr. eisenhower? >> we can and will if you help. taxes have gone up steadily for 15 years the democrats say they have to go up more, help me put the lid on crazy government spendsing. >> eisenhower, answers america. >> my children hear so much good go

during the 1964 election campaign, lyndon johnson has signed the civil rights act. he's losing support in the south and mrs. johnson alone obviously with a staff and companions, but makes a trip through the south, stopping to speak to the public. strong arming in an oh so polite way governors and leaders in that state to meet with her. to here's my point of view. and takes an abuse from the public and then will say, well, you have had your turn. i have listened to you and i hope you'll listen to me. knowing that southern gentlemen have to -- southern gentlemen has to listen to and greet a southern lady. >> the dress. tell us how she picked the design for this. >> it's a beautiful yellow, made by john moore texas dress designer. and it's actually -- mrs. johnson, well, who's of course the wife of the senator, a wife of a member of congress, used to do constituency tours to the smithsonian institution. so she was very familiar with the exhibit and she says at one point that, you know, the beautiful embroidery and the light fabrics, they're beautiful. but they won't las

lyndon johnson tipped off police to new clues. his body was found last week. >> pfizer is recalling 1 million packets of 28 packaging pills. this has inadequate hormone levels that could lead to pregnancy. >> no more sleeping on mcpherson square. park police officers are keeping an eye on the camp. so far no enforcement. we're live to explain why. >> right now all of this is caught up in semantics. take a look at the sign, and it clearly says camping prohibited. look around here, and it looks like people are camping. but apparently a tent is not the camp unless you are sleeping in it. >> ofprotesters appeared inspired today by a small court victory. a judge has ruled park police will not be allowed to evict the protesters without a hearing and even then they must get at least 24 hours warning. to go i think that is a huge victory for us. the ruling comes just days after park police were expected to begin sweeping tents. the judge ruled park police cannot remove the tent because they're considered personal property. >> that is real

i think that was one of the convincing things, was that johnson had been with lyndon johnson. he was broken on the wheel of vietnam. he had stood down, and quite clearly one argument we had was if the democratic party cannot unite itself, it's fighting in the streets of chicago. this isn't experience unparalleled in mystery. 32 years from now most of americans living today will celebrate a new year that comes once in a thousand years, eight years from now in the second term of the next president we will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the american revolution. by this selection we all listening on television and radio, we will determine what kind of nation america will be on its 200th birthday. we will determine what kind of a world america will live in in the year 2000. >> as you know, pat buchanan, every campaign is about the future as much as it is about the past. >> i give the president great credit. he was always looking to the future. he was always talking about the younger generation in the year 2000, and this was the greatest time and place to be alive. i think he re

lyndon johnson signed the civil rights act. he is losing support in the south and mrs. johnson alone obviously with a staff and co companions but makes a trip through the south, stopping to speak to the public. strong arming a an, oh, so polite way governors and leaders in that state to meet with her. and speaks to the a public. saying here's my point of view. and takes an abuse from the public and say you have had your turn. i listened to you. now i hope you will listen to me. knowing that southern gentlemen have to let you -- southern gentlemen is going to have to listen to and greet and be polite to a southern lady. >> the dress, tell us about how she picked the design for this. >> it's a wonderful dress. beautiful yellow. made by john moore, texas dress designer. and it's actually -- mrs. i don't know son, while, of course, the wife of the senator, the wife of a member of congress. constituent tours at smith sewn i don't know institution. the lady's exhibit when touring washington. she was very familiar with the exhibit. she says at one point that, you know, the beau

and here in this city is also where president lyndon johnson brought forth and signed the landmark civilicans help lead our nation in all facets of life, from government to the military, to the law, from business to the arts. to medicine and education. this museum will share these stories and will pay tribute to the many lives known and unknown that has so inmeasurably enriched our nation. the national museum of african-american history and

and here in this city is also where president lyndon johnson fought for and signed the landmark civil rights act of 1964. today african-americans help lead our nation in all facets of life, from government to the military, to the law. from business to the arts to medicine and education. this museum will share these stories and will pay tribute to the many lives known and unknown that have so immeasurably enriched our nation. the national museum of african-american history and culture began as a bipartisan effort through legislation, sponsored by representatives john lewis and jc watts and senators sam brownback and max cleland. my husband, president bush, was proud to sign it into the law in 2003. and to envision the museum to be pit built on the mall where we honor soldiers and inventors and statesman. i'm particularly proud that the -- of the museum's vision. which is dedicated not simply to this building, but also to reaching out to communities around the nation. the museum has already begun traveling expeditions and artifact preservation programs. it's a museum dedicated to welcom

realization that it was -- it was vital that both hamilton and jefferson, in the immortal worlds of lyndon johnson about j. edgar hoover were kept insite the tent pissing out rather than inside the tent pissing in. and that's not a plug for the movie. >> in your first lecture you described a washington who was seeking self-aggrandizement and power and prestige and money and status. and today you basically talked about a washington who had no ego and was doing everything for the benefit of the country. that's a complete turnaround in where he was coming from. what do you attribute the significant change in his outlook and his sense of accomplishment? >> yeah. i accept the broad description. i would take issue -- i think he had an ego, he had -- i don't think it's as drastic as you suggest. it is, i think, an evolution and i think it is the key to washington's greatness. but it's also, in many ways, what makes washington one of us. i mean, the american dream is a dream is not only to accumulate worldly wealth, but to live a useful life and to share one's talents and to be part of the civic life of o

as john and annie glenn with vice president lyndon johnson greet distinguished guests including astronautenn. godspeed into the future. and to even greater accomplishment. into the hearts of all americans. welcome to washington. welcome back to this planet. from the nation's capital, to the towers of manhattan, to tap cheering crowds roar a mighty welcome, shared by all americans, by free people everywhere. ♪ and across the land, the scene is the same and the heart is the same, as john glenn comes home to new at the capitol, there's an introduction by the speaker of the house, the honorable john mccormick. >> members of the koccongress, is a p arivige high honor to present to you a brave and courageous american. a hero in world war ii and in the korean conflict who notable glory and prestige to our country. the first united states astronaut to have achieved orbital flight, lieutenant colonel john herschel glenn, united states marine corps. [ applause ] >> mr. speaker, mr. president, members of the congress, i am only too aware of the tremendou this joint meeting of the congress today. thi

college and this was stopped by personal intervention of russell long acting at the request of lyndon johnson. if johnson hadn't been on the ticket, that request would probably not have been made and it would have been hard for russell long to argue the case. as it turned out the state central committee voted 51 to 48 to put kennedy elect tors on the ballot. so it was very close and could easily have gone the other way. johnson's campaigning was extremely important in the south and is almost certainly responsible for kennedy carrying south carolina and possibly north carolina as well. so when you kind of add it all together, johnson was one of the few cases in history where a vice presidential candidate actually made a difference. sam rayburn after the election said it was the most important vice presidenti vice presidential candidacy since teddy roosevelts back in 1900. so johnson had an unusual role to play as it turned out. the election turns out to be much closer perhaps than the kennedy people expected. but nixon had problems at the state level in, for example, illinois, where you had a

lyndon johnson had the civil rights movement. i think we begin with that. this book comes out at a moment when the country sees the power and possibility of occupy, 99%, and how that has shifted. it is still evolving. it has shifted the center of political gravity of our dialogue. the issue has been off the radar for so long. >> roosevelt surfed and harnessed those movements. he used them to get legislation passed to initiate programs. obama is still getting on his wet suit. to read the essay she wrote in 2008, there was a sense of exhibits -- exuberance. you say that hope is not optimism that expects things to turn out well. it seems like he confused those two things. >> i will come back to what i write about in the book. the expectations were so great and high. go back to 2008. the back to the election and year when we are fortunate region were fortunate enough to be living with debates that were not cruel reality shows. every week, there were debates among the democratic candidates. barack obama embodied change. it seemed he brought into politics a gener

is daisy and how did the art of going nuclear in campaigns evolve there that famous spot that lyndon johnsonan against barry goldwater? how did we get from there to today? what is the cumulative effect of all this negative advertising on our political culture? and if nuclear campaign ads, if these negative ads are so effective, why don't commercial brands use the same types of tactics to go after their debt to haves? so i think -- competitors? so i think that'll be an interesting discussion later on. so these are the issues and the questions that we're going to be considering today. i'd like to now introduce my partner in moderation, michael duffy is the executive editor of "time" and the magazine's former washington bureau chief. he's covered congress, he covered the first bush presidency and the clinton white house. he's won numerous journalism awards and written a couple of books, but most saliently i should mention that his upcoming book, "the president's club: inside the world's most exclusive fraternity," is coming out, will be published by simon & schuster in april, and i know i, for