“All the Way with LBJ”: The 1964 Presidential Election

An ironically humorous exchange from late February 1964 between LBJ and J. Edgar Hoover, given that the President was surreptitiously recording phone calls:

The President speculates with George Reedy about whether he could (illegally) leak damaging information about George Wallace.

LBJ and RFK preview the radically different tactics post-Civil Rights Act politicians would use to appeal to potential backlash voters.

Talking to New York City mayor Bob Wagner, the President tries to blame urban riots on Goldwater’s far-right backers.

Chatting with Eddie Weisl in early August, the President is convinced RFK will still try for the vice-presidential nod.

Amidst the tumult of the convention’s First Day, and in a bout of self-pity, the President tells George Reedy that he’s going to withdraw from the race–before quickly reversing himself shortly after the call.

On the night of October 13-14, Abe Fortas confirms he has taken the campaign finance material from Walter Jenkins’ White House safe.

On the wee hours of Election Night, after 3 a.m., the President celebrates the returns with Iowa governor Howard Hughes.

Finally, one of the classic 1964 clips, not directly related to the campaign, with the First Lady critiquing the President’s performance in a March press conference.