JFK & LBJ
Ch. 22, Sec
JFK’s Election
• John F. Kennedy v. Richard M. Nixon.
• Young, Senate experience, v. age, VP and
Congress experience.
• Sept. 1960-first televised presidential debate.
– Nixon looked haggard, tired.
– Kennedy looked tanned, rested, young.
• TV viewers say JFK won, radio listeners say
Nixon won.
– Seen by many as turning point of election.
• Made tv major part of all campaigns.
• JFK seen as not likely to win.
– Seen as too young, Catholic (no Catholics ever
elected).
– Campaigned on promise to get sluggish economy
moving (slight recession in late ‘50s).
• JFK and running mate Lyndon B. Johnson won
by VERY slim margin.
– Electoral votes-303 to 219.
– Popular vote-margin of 119,000 out of 69 million
votes cast.
• JFK elected with no mandate.
– Public endorsement of his proposals.
– Hard to pass legislation through Congress.
JFK’s Presidency
• JFK called plans New Frontier.
• Pushed 3 year tax cut to stimulate economy.
– Blocked by Congress.
• Concerned that 1/5 of America lived below
poverty level, wanted to stimulate economy to
help.
• Asked for federal money for education ,
medical care for elderly.
– Both failed in Congress.
• Many JFK policies did pass.
– Housing Act of 1961-$4.9 billion for urban
renewal.
– Equal Pay Act-doing the same work, get the same
pay.
– Large military buildup, creation of missile
programs.
– Extended SS benefits to 5 million, dropped
retirement age to 62.
– Increased minimum wage.
– Created federal programs to deal with juvenile
delinquency.
– Signed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty-first nuclear
weapons treaty, limited nuke tests.
Space Race
• April 1961-USSR sent Yuri Gagarin into space
onboard Vostok.
– US feared we were falling behind in space race.
• JFK boosted funding to NASA.
• May 1961-Alan Shepard became 1st American in
space.
• May 25-JFK committed US to landing man on
moon by end of 1960s.
• Feb. 20, 1962-John Glenn made first US orbit of
earth.
• Apollo missions will enable man to reach moon in
1969.
Assassination
• Nov. 22, JFK, wife Jackie, TX Governor John
Connally, wife Nelly traveled to Dallas to
campaign for reelection.
– Traveled in motorcade through downtown Dallas.
• Drove into Dealey Plaza, past Texas School
Book Depository.
– Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots, striking JFK
& Connally, missed, struck JFK again.
– Car rushed to Parkland Hospital, JFK pronounced
dead at 1 pm.
• LBJ sworn in aboard Air Force One.
• Multiple suspects in JFK assassination.
– Mafia, Castro, LBJ, Oswald.
• Oswald caught, arrested.
– While being transferred between jails, club owner
Jack Ruby shot and killed him.
• Warren Commission, led by Supreme Court
Chief Justice Earl Warren, investigated JFK
killing.
– Declared Oswald acted alone, no conspiracy.
– Many don’t believe it.
LBJ
• Born & raised in TX, entered House of
Representatives as Democrat in 1937.
• Later elected to Senate, rose to top positions
(Minority & Majority Leader).
– Powerful, did whatever it took to pass or oppose
legislation, including bullying friends & opponents.
• Tried for & lost bid for Democratic presidential
nomination, accepted VP position from JFK.
– Did not care for VP position, did not like JFK.
The Great Society
• Created program called Great Society.
– Passed in JFK’s memory.
• Laws included:
– Poverty relief, education aid, healthcare, voting
rights, urban renewal, economic stimulus.
• 1964-LBJ Ran for election against Republican
Barry Goldwater.
– Won major victory, had mandate for programs.
• Got JFK’s tax cuts passed, cut gov’t spending
to prevent deficits.
• Passed Economic Opportunity Act-provided $950
million for work programs, anti-illiteracy
programs, anti-poverty programs, etc.
– Started Head Start-preschool programs for lowincome families, included healthcare, food, social
services.
– Started VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America)Volunteers to help in poor communities.
• Elementary & Secondary Act-money to schools
with low-income kids.
• Passed Medicare-Low-cost medical care for those
over 65.
• Passed Medicaid-Low-cost health insurance for
any who could not afford health insurance.
• Passed Immigration Act of 1965-Set new limits
on immigration.
Supreme Court “Warren Court”
• Named after Chief Justice Earl Warren.
– Engel v. Vitale-religious prayer in public schools
unconstitutional.
– Mapp v. Ohio-evidence seized illegally not
admissible in court.
– Escobedo v. Illinois-suspect must have access to
attorney while being questioned.
– Miranda v. Arizona-suspect must be warned of
rights before being questioned.
• Miranda Rule-right to remain silent, anything said be
used in court, right to attorney, attorney will be
appointed if you can’t afford one.
• Court also handed down decisions on
apportionment.
– Distribution of seats in legislature among electoral
districts.
• Baker v. Carr-”one man, one vote”-each
person’s vote counts the same, regardless
where they live.
• Reynolds v. Sims-state districts not based on
“one man, one vote” violated 14th
Amendment (Equal Protection Clause).
Effects of Great Society Programs.
• Seemed very successful at first
• Criticism grew over price of programs, yet
poverty did not greatly decrease.
• Some felt programs created “culture of
dependency”
– I can’t get ahead, only gov’t can help.
– Can make a better living unemployed, on gov’t
programs.