MY BROTHER LYNDON: PART II How Lyndon got himself in trouble By Sam Houston Johnson EDITED BY ENRIQUE HANK LOPEZ LYNDON, LADY Bum AND I arrived at the white Kennedy wanted to be the vice presidential candi- penitentiary located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue due in the corning elections, and some of his follow- in a special helicopter on January 5, 1964. Lyndon ers apperendy felt he had a God-given right to his had brought are back to Washington with him after parry's nomination. The well.organized Kennedy Christmas vacation at the ranch. machine was busily engaged in creating a "sponta- That beautiful presidential mansion didn't neous- ground swell for Bobby. No one was more seem like a penitentiary at first sight, but I soon keenly aware of this effort than Lyndon, and he was found that it was. Somewhat amused by the White dead set against it. Not For a single moment did he House security measures, my friend Marie Wilson ever consider having Bobby Kennedy as his running once said, "I'll have to bring you a big cake neat mare. And the reasons were quite obvious. rime—with a steel saw inside it "Marie knew exactly a) Lyndon hated Bobby. whist I meant when I gave the guard at the East Gate b) Bobby hated Lyndon. my favorite signal, raising my two wrists together c) Lyndon didn't need Bobby to win. as if they were handcuffed and yelling, "Back to my d) Lyndon didn't crust Hobby. cell on the second tier." e) Bobby didn't mist Lyndon. f) And each of them knew dunned well he was A FEW VIER-5 AFTER f reached Washington, the hared and mistrusted by the other. Bobby Kennedy problem began to simmer, and it tinder these citcurnsrances, it was naive of the came to a boil in July, 1964 Everyone knew that RFK crowd to think they could force their man on continued OM.. SAM .41,04 .1.1.1111011 ..relte• maw not t.ottntoutiwo ottsm. • Mr ansi.n.en ,rertsce.. TO In 11111.1.103 . Irrt !PDX 11.16M. 43 the President, and their so-called "ground swell" of his potential running mates -(Kennedy, Hum- his big desk, Kennedy in a chair to his right. Ina less 1V-45 being organized against all historical precedent. phrey, Stevenson, McCarthy, Dodd, Pastore, Wag- formal, friendly chat, they would have sar at the Bobby pretended that he disapproved, but I have ner) could add or subtract more than two percent rocking chair and sofa at the end of the Oval Office. never in my life seen a campaign that couldn't ro ot from the probable vote for LBJ. He could pick As Lyndon later recalled, Bobby was rather be stopped by a candidate who didn't want ic. No any partner he wanted. "Look't here," he said one stiff and uncomfortable, and he was obviously un- politician ever gem drafted against his will. Conse- night et the supper table, waving a news clipping happy when he was told he had been eliminated quently, any mild disclaimers by Bobby were simply over his coffee, "I don't need that bale suet to win. from the list of prospective candidates. He gulped an ourward acknowledgment of the time.honoteti I can take anybody I damn well please" like a fat fish pulling in a mouthful of air. Lyndon's rule that no one actively runs for Vice President. He wouldn't have made that kind of imitation of him was pretty amusing. Then, for some I know that the delegates to the ruu-ional con- in public, for beams generally pretty closemouthed reason or other, Kennedy brought up the Bobby venrio a legally nominate the vice presidential andi- about his resentment against any of the Kennel ys or Baker case as if ro show that his name on the Demo- date, but that is all sham. The presidential candidate their clique. If nothing else, his pride wouldn't allow cratic ticket would somehow soften the effect of a —and nerdy he—selects the man. That's the way it him to reveal how much they had humiliated him. passible scandal. Well, that didn't faze Lyndon one should be. A Vice President could raise all kinds of One particular incident char he wasn't likely to bit. He simply reminded Kennedy that there were hell if he should suddenly decide to oppose the forget for a long time occurred when Air Force One too many Republicans involved with Baker, so that President, especially if the President were ill or ab- arrived in Washington just after the assassination. the GOP candidate wasn't likely to harp on it. The sent for other reasons. There are all kinds of oppor- Realizing how important it was to establish a sense flak would hit both patties. tunities for a scheming. dissident Vice President to of continuity, mybrothet naturally wanted to accom- Since Kennedy hadn't volunteered to announce sabotage the President and to wreck all semblance pany the casket (torn the plane to the ground in the his nwn withdrawal, Lyndon asked McGeorge of unity within his administration. A President cargo lift, along with the Kennedy family. But Rohm Bundy, a family friend of the Kenn ed ys, to talk with might alto be double-crossed by a man of his own Kennedy shoved him aside, flatly refusing to let him, him about a simple statement ro the press, announc- choosing, but that is, less likely. thus giving millions of television viewer, the dear, ing he had other plans. DLit Bundy wasn't very suc- Bum though the presidential nominee has the unmistakable impression that he resented the new cessful. In fact, he alienated some of the faithful, final say about his running mate, he mill might feel President as an unwanted intruder. I could feel the who immediately tagged him as a no-good traitor. it necessary to choose som eo n e he doesn't complete- shame and humiliation Lyndon must have felt at that With no recourse left to him, Lyndon called ly want. I seriously doubt that my brother was John moment. I mentioned this to him several months a press conference and told the reporters, "I have F. Kennedy'sperranaf preference (he certainly wasn't later and noticed his mouth suddenly drawn tight. reached the conclusion that it would be inadvisable Bobby's choice), yet JFK had to give so me practical "That's all past," he said. "I don't want to talk for me to recommend to the convention las m y :tan- consideration to the Southern and Protestant vote. about M" I really couldn't tell how much or how ning mate] any member of my Cabinet or any of He also knew Lyndon was better prepared for the long he resented that public snub (or the many those who meet regularly with the Cabinet." Presidency than an yane else,includ ingh irnself. Once other snubs that must have preceded it), because he Later on, my brother told a few reporters chat having made his choice against the advice of certain has always managed to keep such things to himself. he wasn't directing it at Bobby Kennedy, but I doubt bleeding-heart liberals and labor leaders, he ordered that anyone took him seriously. the convention to nominate Lyndon. Shortly before the convention, I came down Four years earlier, when he was nominated for with something resembling the Asiatic flu and re- the second rime, Adlai Stevenson tried a different luctantly checked into the Army hospital at Ft. method: He acruallystve chedelegates a free choice Meade, Md. I had decided not to go to Atlantic on the vice presidential nomination_ The ensuing Lyndon said that City, knowing it would be hectic, tiring and dull. Ktfavver-Kennedy floor fight may have been a nice Then, Mar arta the convention got under way, I got dramatic couch ac at otherwise dull convention, but Gene McCarthy a rail from Lyndon, asking me to accompany him it was mostly a sign of weakness and poor judgment. and Lady Bird, probably on Thursday. Not long after the convention, I heard Lyndon tell- and God "talk Latin to "I've got this damned cold, so maybe I better ing Sam Rayburn that Stevenson had been a damn each other: stick around here and rest a while," I told him. fool for running such a risk_ Mr. Sam agreed. "Well, you might be OK by then., so we'll just We could all rest assured Lyndon wouldn't run MEMOMAL FILM CO John F. Kennedy leave it open," he said. "Bur now that Tve got you that kind of risk—hewasif tabour to let Bobby Ken- (with apersonal introduction by Bobby) on the phone, I might as well get your ideas on who nedy establish an independent power base inside his had been scheduled for the firstevening I should pick for Vice President" Administration. My brothc's only concern was how session of the Democratic National Now, 1 knew damned well be had probably and when to squelch the campaign. Quire obvioual y,, Convention, an arrangement that made up his mind several weeks back, but I decided it would be best ro wait until shortly before the con- could lead to trouble. We all knew to go along with his cat-and-mouse game. As a mat- vention in areAugmst, when it would be coo lace for this highly emotional film could easily trigger a draft ter of fact, this would be a good chance to smoke the Kennedy people to stage a comeback.