Lyndon Baines Johnson: Our Thirty-Sixth President (Our Presidents)

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Summary: How LBJ ended up going all the way to the White House
Review: Not since the Constitution required the Vice-President to be the candidate who finished second in the Electoral College and Thomas Jefferson was there a Vice-President who was as qualified to be President as Lyndon Baines Johnson. When JFK picked LBJ to be his VP it upped the ante for the position (for the most part; but once you toss out Agnew and Quayle the country's Veeps have been the most qualified in history). In this juvenile biography of Johnson for the Our Presidents series Melissa Maupin looks at the strange road Johnson took to the White House, since when he agreed to run with JKF in the 1960 election he assumed it was the end of his political career. Young readers will get a sense for the events that shaped Johnson's political philosophy and how he strove to create his "Great Society," but saw his domestic agenda derailed by the Vietnam War. There is a sense of Johnson's personal political persuasion, but I have to disagree with the assessment that at the 1960 Democratic National Convention JFK was selected because the delegates "seemed to agree that Johnson wasn't ready," especially given Kennedy's age and limited resume when compared to Johnson. The book is divided into four chapters that look at (1) Johnson's rise from Farm Boy to Politician; (2) his Life in Washington as a Congressman and Senator; (3) his strange route Into the White House; and (4) A Trying End to his presidency. The book is illustrated with historic photographs of Johnson's life and political career. There are also sidebars in each chapter looking at Johnson's style and the Vietnam War. There are also lots of Interesting Facts in the margin about why LBJ had three televisions in the Oval Office and where he got Lady Bird's wedding ring. Students assigned to research LBJ and his presidency will find this a good place to start, as it will provide all of the basics and provide some insights into his political career and social philosophy.