The trajectory of his life changed forever on November 22, 1963, when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Sworn in aboard Air Force One with Jackie Kennedy standing by his side, Johnson inherited a grieving nation.
: As Senate Majority Leader, LBJ became arguably the most powerful man in Congress. He was famous for the "Treatment"—towering over colleagues, invading their personal space, and using a mix of flattery, threats, and sheer will to force legislation through. The Presidency: The Great Society and Vietnam lyndon johnson
: He created Medicare and Medicaid, launched Head Start, and declared a "War on Poverty". The trajectory of his life changed forever on
Demoralized by the war and facing a bitter re-election challenge, Johnson shocked the world in March 1968 by announcing on national television, "I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President". : As Senate Majority Leader, LBJ became arguably
Born in 1908 in the "hardscrabble" Hill Country of Texas, Johnson’s family lived in a farmhouse with no electricity or running water. His father, a local politician, eventually lost the family farm to debt, a humiliation that fueled Lyndon’s lifelong obsession with security and power.
He used the tragedy to push through a massive domestic agenda called the :