Chapter 28 The Kennedy and Johnson Years Kennedy

Chapter 28 The Kennedy and Johnson Years

Kennedy n n Describe Kennedy’s popular image. Kennedy stories. TV played a major role in election of 1960. Kennedy looks good, Nixon does not. Is TV a good way to judge a political leader? Why or why not? How would you judge a political leader if we did not have TV? Would this be better?

Election of 1960 n Election won by 0. 3% of the popular vote. May have included fraud in Chicago.

“Camelot” n Kennedy’s are young, energetic, like to play touch football on Whitehouse lawn – new administration nicknamed Camelot.

Kennedy Foreign Policy n Kennedy is focused on Cold War and foreign policy as president. Does not have a great record in this area. n Peace Corps – Good. n Bay of Pigs – Bad. n Berlin Crisis – Bad. n Speech – Berlin Wall – Bad. Pg 788. n Cuban Missile Crisis – Good, but…

Kennedy n n n Kennedy sends a man to the moon. Pg 782783 Should we have invested so much to go to the moon? Cuban Missile Crisis Video.

Kennedy to Johnson n Kennedy is assassinated in 1963 and LBJ becomes president. Lyndon Johnson – “landslide Lyndon” wins Senate seat in Texas by 87 votes. Describe how Lyndon Johnson was able to move programs through Congress when Kennedy could not.

Johnson n Master manipulator, very effective in Congress. Hates being VP, and does not like Kennedy crowd. Suddenly made president and he focuses on domestic issues.

Great Society n n n Starts the Great Society and passes the legislation through by invoking the memory of Kennedy. What made up the Great Society? Great Society programs focus on tax cuts, war on poverty, Medicare, and education.

Great Society n n Great Society support through Supreme Court: n 1954 Brown v. Board of Education shows they will be involved in politics. n 1963 Gideon v. Wainwright. (Right to lawyer) n 1964 Escobedo v. Illinois. (Attorney when ? ) n 1966 Miranda v. Arizona. (Told rights) What opposition of Great Society was there?