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Lyndon B. Johnson, 1908-1973
Theodore Green, 1867-1966
In 1955, with only seven years of seniority, Johnson was elected Senate majority leader. Through his successful courting of the "old bulls" of the "southern caucus," particularly Richard Russell of Georgia-Johnson controlled the agenda of the Senate as no majority leader has before or since. Another element of his mastery was the "Johnson treatment," as displayed here with Senator Theodore Green of Rhode Island. Newspaper columnist Mary McGrory described it as "an incredible, potent mixture of persuasion, badgering, flattery, threats, reminders of past favors and future advantages"; Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee recalled feeling that "a St. Bernard had licked your face for an hour, [and] had pawed you all over"; and Hubert Humphrey described it as a "tidal wave." Johnson's most notable victory as majority leader was the passage of the 1957 Civil Rights Act, the first such legislation since Reconstruction.
George Tames, 1957 |