Read The Passage of Power Online
Authors: Robert A. Caro
In attempting to learn about and describe Johnson’s campaign for the presidency, I also made use of other files kept by Jenkins and other members of Johnson’s staff that document what Johnson did with the information that was coming in.
The other basic source for Johnson’s campaign for the presidency are my interviews with the people on Johnson’s staff during this period: Jenkins himself (in a series of interviews with me before his death in 1985), Reedy, Busby, and Colonel Kenneth E. BeLieu, Yolanda Boozer, Ashton Gonella, Harry McPherson, Mary Rather and Siegel, and with Johnson’s Washington allies Corcoran, Fortas and Rowe, and with Johnson’s brother, Sam Houston Johnson,
and with all the others cited in the chapter notes that follow.
I had not long begun researching the fight between Kennedy and Johnson for the 1960 nomination when I realized that the western and mountain states had been a key battleground, and that two of the key figures in the duel for those states had been, on the Johnson side, Irv Hoff, and on the Kennedy side, the clan’s youngest brother, Ted. In 1960, then twenty-eight years old and a relative political novice, Edward M. Kennedy was initially assigned to those states
because the Kennedys felt there was little chance of taking them away from Johnson. Luckily for me, both of these men were willing to talk with me at length about what transpired
in the West. Senator Kennedy asked me what he could do to be truly helpful to me. I said that if he really wanted to help, he would have someone find the notes, including notes on individual delegates, that he had been given by Kennedy headquarters and that he took out west with him, and
go over them with me, so that I would know in detail what happened there. He did that: During a memorable weekend talking with me in his home in Washington, the senator went over his trip to the West (on which he first proved that, novice or not, he was a possessor of all the Kennedy political magic) state by state and almost delegate by delegate. As it happens, few of the specific incidents the senator recounted have made their way into the book, but the overall understanding he
gave me of the battle informs, page after page, what I wrote. It does so because it tallies so perfectly with what the man working those states for the other side—the Johnson side—told me. Irvin Hoff was as generous with his time as Senator Kennedy was with his.
F
OR THE ASSASSINATION
of John F. Kennedy—the events of that day in Dallas and on Air Force One thereafter—there is, among the seemingly unending torrent of books and articles on the subject, also a basic foundational source in the Johnson Library: the reports that the Secret Service agents guarding Kennedy and Johnson typed up and submitted to Secret Service headquarters. Most of them are dated November 29, which meant that they
were written within the week following the assassination, and are at least somewhat contemporaneous. Some are even more contemporaneous: for example, that of Special Agent George H. Hickey, which was written on November 22. Others, like that of Special Agent Glenn Bennett, were written the next day. Herschel Jacks, the driver of Johnson’s car, wrote his on November 28. These reports are included in a grey binder labeled “CONFIDENTIAL—Report of the U.S. Secret
Service on the Assassination of President Kennedy” that can be found in the “Special Files on the Assassination of President Kennedy” that the Johnson Library has compiled, and that are described below.
F
OR THE
K
ENNEDY SIDE
of all these events, Theodore Sorensen was endlessly helpful to me. As I said at his Memorial Service,
I live on Central Park West, and Ted lived on Central Park West, and on my walk to and from my office I walked by his apartment.
I was interviewing him for my book, and some of these interviews we would have in the late afternoon. And sometimes I would be writing away at a scene in which he participated—either in the Kennedy White House, because that is part of this book, or during his period working for Johnson, and I would find that I hadn’t quite understood something he had told me, or that I needed to ask about some little detail, and I would call him up to ask him, and he would
say stop by after work, so again, I would come over in the late afternoon.
We would sit there and Ted would talk. He would be sitting on one sofa in the living room, and I would be on the other sofa facing him. The living room overlooked Central Park. It would be late afternoon. The light would start to fade. I would still have questions. Ted would answer them. The light would be fading, and across from me Ted would be talking—about the Cuban Missile Crisis, about civil rights, about so many things I needed to know
about.
I didn’t want him to stop, because I felt I was hearing something unique, something irreplaceable. He was not just answering, he was explaining. Because I hadn’t been there, in the White House or at the ranch, and he had—and he wanted me to get it right.
When I asked a question, Ted never answered quickly, or glibly. He took his time answering, choosing his words. Sometimes he would say he wanted to think about what I had asked, and I should call him back the next day. Sometimes he himself would call, unsolicited because he wasn’t satisfied with what he had said. I realized that he was taking a remarkable amount of time and trouble for me. I felt he was doing it because he believed it was important that he find
the precise right words—because it was important that history got it right.
Among the other persons associated with John or Robert Kennedy whom I interviewed, especially helpful were John Culver, Jeff Greenfield, Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, John Seigenthaler, Jean Kennedy Smith and William vanden Heuvel. I must acknowledge that Ted, and probably some of the others, would not agree with everything I have written. But whatever success I have had in re-creating accurately the events and persons about which I have written is due in large measure to
the effort of these people to help me understand them.
A
MONG OTHER INTERVIEWS
which proved especially helpful were those with former senators Herman Talmadge of Georgia and Ralph W. Yarborough of Texas. I have described these interviews in the Note on Sources in
Master of the Senate.
M
OST OF
J
OHNSON’S STAFF MEMBERS
have been extremely generous with their time and insights in helping me: BeLieu, Busby, Earl Deathe, Nadine Brammer Eckhardt, Marie Fehmer, Arthur Goldschmidt, Gonella, Richard Goodwin, Harold Pachios, Jenkins, Jim Jones, McPherson, Rather, Reedy, Siegel, Warren Woodward, George Christian; even Jack Valenti, for many years harshly critical of my work, at last decided to
contribute to it. Two Johnson aides from the years covered by this book declined to speak with me: Bobby Baker and Bill Moyers. It’s unfortunate for me that Moyers declined, because he would have been an important source. For years, he has spoken of writing a book himself about Johnson. Perhaps one day he will, and I can’t wait to read it.
S
EVERAL OTHER COLLECTIONS
of papers have proved helpful in this volume. The papers of Richard B. Russell (“Russell Papers”) at the Russell Library in Athens, Georgia, researched by Ina Caro, were as essential to this volume as they were to the last.
The “Donaghy Papers” refer to interviews conducted by Father Thomas J. Donaghy for his book,
Keystone Democrat: David Lawrence Remembered.
They are included in the Weber Papers, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh.
The “Heinemann Papers” are the original notes of interviews Ronald L. Heinemann conducted and other research he carried out for his biography,
Harry Byrd of Virginia.
They are in Special Collections in the University of Virginia Library in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The “MacNeil Papers” are the notes taken, weekly memos sent to
Time
magazine’s New York office, and other raw material of Neil MacNeil,
Time’s
long-time congressional correspondent. He made a vast collection of this material available to me at his home.
When a citation refers to an “interview conducted by Katharine Graham,” it means one of the interviews that Mrs. Graham conducted for her own book,
Personal History,
sometimes in conjunction with her assistant, Evelyn Small. Transcripts of those interviews were given to the author by Mrs. Graham.
The Theodore H. White Papers at the John F. Kennedy Library contain not only the manuscripts of his books but the notes of his interviews and other materials. It was Ina who researched the White Papers.
The John J. Williams Papers at the University of Delaware Library in Newark, Delaware, contain the original notes of the senator from Delaware’s interviews of persons involved with the Bobby Baker investigation, including Don B. Reynolds.
H
ERE IS
a description of the papers in the Johnson Library that form part of the foundation for this fourth volume—and an explanation of how they are identified in the Notes that follow.
Diary Backup:
The formal title of these notes on Johnson’s activities day by day is “President’s Appointments File [Diary Backup].” It was known to his staff as “Diary Backup,” and since that is a more accurate description of what it is, that is the title I am using.
Special Files on the Assassination of John F. Kennedy (Special File–Assassination):
The file consists of original material and Xerox copies brought together from various White House and Vice Presidential files in 1967 at the time that William Manchester’s book
The Death of a President
was published. It includes background material for the trip to Dallas, material on Johnson’s activities and meetings after the assassination,
statements to the Warren Commission, staff recollections, an analysis of the Manchester book by Jake Jacobsen, the FBI report on the assassination, and other material.
Senate Political Files (SPF):
These files cover a time period from 1949 to 1960. They concern the consolidation of Johnson’s position in Texas following the 1948 campaign; the 1954 Senate campaign; his 1956 bid for the presidency; and his bid in 1960 for the presidential nomination. They also contain numerous Texas county files that were made into a separate file by the Library staff.
Lyndon Baines Johnson Archives (LBJA):
These files were created about 1958, and consist of material taken both from the House of Representatives Papers and from Johnson’s Senate Papers. It consists of material considered historically valuable or of correspondence with persons with whom he was closely associated, such as Sam Rayburn, Abe Fortas, James Rowe, George and Herman Brown, Edward Clark, and Alvin Wirtz; or of
correspondence with national figures of that era. These files are divided into four main categories:
1. Selected Names (LBJA SN): Correspondence with close associates.
2. Famous Names (LBJA FN): Correspondence with national figures.
3. Congressional File (LBJA CF): Correspondence with fellow congressmen and senators.
4. Subject File (LBJA SF): This contains a Biographic Information File, with material relating to Johnson’s year as a schoolteacher in Cotulla and Houston; to his work as a secretary to Congressman Richard M. Kleberg; to his activities with the Little Congress; and to his naval service during World War II.
Pre-Presidential Confidential File (PPCF):
This contains material taken from other files because it dealt with potentially sensitive areas.
Pre-Presidential Memo File (PPMF):
This file consists of memos taken from the House of Representatives Papers, the Johnson Senate Papers, and the Vice Presidential Papers. While these memos begin in 1939 and continue through 1963, there are relatively few prior to 1946. While most are from the staff, some are from Johnson to the staff. The subject matter of the memos falls in numerous categories, ranging from specific issues, the 1948 Senate campaign, and
liberal versus conservative factions in Texas, to phone messages and constituent relations.
White House Famous Names File (WHFN):
This includes correspondence with former presidents and their families, including Johnson’s correspondence when he was a congressman with Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Statements File of Lyndon B. Johnson (Statements File):
A chronologically arranged file of speeches and remarks made by Lyndon B. Johnson throughout his career, together with speech drafts, memoranda, teleprompter texts, note cards, and other backup material, 1927–1972.
Vice Presidential Papers (VPP):
The office files, correspondence, reports and other papers kept in Lyndon Johnson’s Capitol and Executive Office Building offices between January 20, 1961, and November 22, 1963. This category includes the Office Files of George Reedy (Reedy and Colonel Howard Burris, but not the Office Files of Walter Jenkins, which contained material considered particularly sensitive and were kept separate from the other files by
Jenkins and his personal secretary, Mildred Stegall.
Vice Presidential Office Files of George Reedy (Reedy OF).
Office Files of Walter Jenkins (OFWJ).
Lola Aiken • David Alpern • Bonnie Angelo • James Anton • Rodney Baines • Richard A. Baker • Ross K. Baker • Inspector Leonard H. Ballard • Jean Douglas Bandler • Milton Barnwell • Robert Barr • Alan Barth • Joseph Bartlett • Robert T. Bartley • Melinda Baskin • Arnold Beichmann • Kenneth E. BeLieu • Merton Bernstein • James Bethke •
Roland H. Bibolet • Andrew Biemiller • Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt • Richard Bolling • Paul Bolton • Yolanda Boozer • Bill Bradley • Jim Brady • T. Edward Braswell • Howard Bray • Jack Brooks • George W. Brown • Herbert Brownell • Horace W. Busby • Marcus Burg • Robert Byrd • Joseph Califano • Bob Camfiord • John Carlton • John Carver • James Casey
• Louise Casparis • Emanuel Celler • John Chadwick • Brady Chapin • Zara Olds Chapin • Evelyn Chavoor • George Christian • Bethine Church • Blair Clark • Edward A. Clark • Ramsey Clark • Benjamin V. Cohen • Benjamin Cole •
W. Sterling Cole • James P. Coleman • John B. Connally • Nellie Connally • John Sherman Cooper • Thomas J.
Corcoran • Ava Johnson Cox • Ohlen Cox • William (Corky) Cox • Anne Fears Crawford • William E. Cresswell • Cynthia Crider Crofts • Margaret Tucker Culhane • John Culver • Carl T. Curtis • Lloyd Cutler • Patrick Dahl • William H. Darden • Willard Deason • Earl Deathe • Harry Dent • John Dollahite • Oliver J. Dompierre • Helen Gahagan Douglas • Allen
Drury • Ronnie Dugger • H. G. Dulaney • Lewis T. (Tex) Easley • Nadine Brammer Eckhardt • Julius G. C. Edelstein •Albert Eisele • Gerry Eller • Alan S. Emory • Grover Ensley • Rowland Evans • Creekmore Fath • Truman Fawcett • Marie Fehmer • Bernard J. Fensterwald • Thomas C. Ferguson • John Finney • O. C. Fisher • Gilbert C. Fite • Abe Fortas •
Max Frankel • Emil Franks • William J. Fulbright • Barbara Gamarekian • Richard Gardner • David Garth • Jean Gavin • Sim Gideon • Michael L. Gillette • Tom Glazer • Stella Gliddon • Arthur J. Goldberg • Reuben Goldberg • Arthur (Tex) Goldschmidt • John Goldsmith • Glee Gomien • Ashton Gonella • William Goode • Doris Kearns Goodwin • Richard Goodwin
• Katharine Graham • Ralph Graves • Kenneth Gray • Jack Greenberg • Robert F. Greene • Bailey Guard • John Gunther • Jack Gwyn • Jeff Gwyn • William Haddad • Arthur Hadley • David Halberstam • Estelle Harbin • D. B. Hardeman • Bryce Harlow • Lou Harris • Richard Helms • Russell Hemenway • Charles Herring • Don Hewitt • Betty Cason Hickman
• Irvin Hoff • Robert Hollingsworth • Pat Holt • John Holton • Alice Hopkins • Welly K. Hopkins • Barbara Howar • Phyllis Hower • Ward Hower • Thomas Hughes • Dr. J. Willis Hurst • Patrick B. Hynes • Edouard V. M. Izac • Eliot Janeway • Elizabeth Janeway • Beth Jenkins • Walter Jenkins • Lady Bird Johnson • Sam Houston Johnson • Herman Jones
• James Jones • Luther E. Jones • Gwen Jordan • William H. Jordan Jr. • Seth Kantor • Nicholas deB. Katzenbach • Carroll Keach • Chapman Kelly • Murray Kempton • Edward M. Kennedy • Mylton (Babe) Kennedy • Vann M. Kennedy • Eugene J. Keogh • Theodore W. Kheel • Joe M. Kilgore • Robert (Barney) Knispel • Fritz Koeniger • Louis Kohlmeier • Henry Kyle
• Joseph Laitin • Brian Lamb • Jessie Lambert • William Lambert • Lansing Lamont • Joseph P. Lash • Trude Lash • Gene Latimer • Kitty Clyde Ross Leonard • Anthony Lewis • Peter Lewis • Evelyn Lincoln • Oliver Lindig • R. J. (Bob) Long • Kathleen Louchheim • Wingate Lucas • Peter Maas • Diana MacArthur • Neil MacNeil • George H. Mahon •
Frank Mankiewicz • Gerald C. Mann • Caryl Marsh • Peter Maas • Maury Maverick Jr. • Margaret Mayer • Edward A. McCabe • Eugene J. McCarthy • Sarah McClendon • Richard T. McCulley • Frank C. McCulloch • Daniel J. McGillicuddy • George McGovern • Harry McPherson • Bill McPike • Dale Miller • Powell Moore • Ernest Morgan • Thomas B. Morgan • Robert
Morgenthau • Edmund S. Muskie • Jack Newfield • Roger Newman • John Oakes • Patrick O’Connor • Kenneth O’Donnell • John Olds • Dr. Marianne Olds • Frank C. (Posh) Oltorf • Donald Oresman • Harold Pachios • Scott Peek • J. J. (Jake) Pickle • William Proxmire • Edward Puls • Julie Leininger Pycior • Carolina Longoria Quintanilla • Alexander Radin
• Richard Rashke • Mary Rather • Joseph L. Rauh Jr. • Elwyn Rayden • Benjamin H. Read
• Cecil Redford • Emmette Redford • George Reedy • Abraham A. Ribicoff • Horace Richards • Floyd Riddick • John E. Rielly • Donald A. Ritchie • William P. Rogers • Jack Rosenthal • Irwin Ross • Elizabeth Rowe • James H. Rowe Jr. • Richard B. Russell
III • Russell Sackett • Morley Safer • Darrell St. Claire • Ray Scherer • Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. • Harry Schnibbe • Daniel Schorr • Budd Schulberg • John Seigenthaler • John Sharnick • Elizabeth A. Shedlick • Emmet Shelton • Norman Sherman • Howard E. Shuman • Hugh Sidey • Gerald L. Siegel • Bill Small • E. Babe Smith • Jean Kennedy Smith •
Lon Smith • Carl Solberg • Bernard V. Somers • Theodore C. Sorensen • Natalie Springarn • Jerome Springarn • John Stacks • John L. Steele • Arthur Stehling • Alfred Steinberg • Philip M. Stern • Joe Stewart • John Stewart • Walter J. Stewart • Steve Stibbens • Richard Stolley • Cecil Stoughton • Elizabeth Stranigan • Clayton Stribling • Marsha Suisse
• James L. Sundquist • Mimi Swartz • Stuart Symington • Herman Talmadge • George Tames • J. William Theis • Bernard R. Toon • Dr. Janet G. Travell • Marietta Tree • J. Mark Trice • Margaret Truman • Lyon L. Tyler • Stuart Udall • Donald Underwood • Jack Valenti • Frank Van der Linden • Ted van Dyk • Melwood W. Van Scoyoc • James Van Zandt • Cyrus
Vance • William vanden Heuvel • Sander Vanocur • William Walton • Delbert C. Ward • Gerald Weatherly • Robert C. Weaver • O. J. Weber • Edwin Weisl Jr. • William Welsh • John Wheeler • Theodore H. White • Vernon Whiteside • Elizabeth Wickenden • Tom Wicker • Claude C. Wild Jr. • Willard Wirtz • Wendy Wolff • Claude E. Wood • Wilton Woods • Warren
Woodward • Jim Wright • Ralph W. Yarborough • Harold H. Young • Mary Louise Young • Sam Zagoria • Murray Zweben