Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-26

Of bis life ho hod been preparing for
leodsrship. Here IS the first Of thrss
articles spotIishtins the new PEssi-
dent, written by On Associated Press
PuIitzer-prize winning reporter.
Kennedy had defeated Senator
johnson for the Democratic
nomination for President. Now
he said he wanted to talk with
Senator Johnson, but he didn't
say why.
Two hours later, in Suite
1884, the Biltmore Hotel, Los
Angeles. Mr.. Kennedy asked
Senator johnson to take sec
cnd place on the ticket.
The vice presidency2 Second
place?
Mr.. johnson is q proud. dy-
manic. driving man.
Had Enormous Power
Moreover, as Senate majority
leader-and an incredibly sue
cessful one-he commanded
enormous power. far greater
than that invested in the office
of Vice President.
"Once there were two broth
ers," said Thomas r. Marshall,
Vice President to Woodrow
Wilson. One ran away to sea.
the other was elected Vice
President, and nothing was
ever heard Of either Of them
again"
But Mr.. Johnson arouses
strong loyalties in others, and
be gives his in full measure.
His own chances for the
Presidency were gone. II. Mr..
Kennedy won, the opportunity
probably would not return until
1868, when he would be so. He
knew the degree Of his impor-
lance, for eight years, would be
determined by Mr.. Kennedy. As
q politician, he also knew that
Mr.. Kennedy needed help in
carrying the South, and that as
a Southerner he could provide
the political muscle.
And so he accepted second
place. He told Mr.. Kennedy
that, henceforth, "L.BJ."
would signify Let's Back
Jack"
At 2:39 pm. last Friday
three years. four months. and
eight days later-Lyn d o n
Baines johnson was sworn in
as the seth President Of the
United States.
He is the eighth Vice Presi-
dent to be elevated to the
White House through the
death of a Chief Executive.
What manner Of man is he?
Let him profile himself. He
once said:
II am a free man, an Ameri-
can. a United States Senator
and a Democrat, in that order
/ am also a liberal, conserva-
tive, q Texan, q taxpayer, q
rancher, a businessman, q par
ent, a voter, and not as young
as I used to be, nor as old as I
expect to be-and I am all
those things in no fixed order"
Dominant Qualities
He could have added that he
Is the descendant of Baptist
preachers and educators. and
that he has been a school
teacher, q law student, a con-
gressional secretary, a farm
hand, a road worker. a janitor,
a truck driver, a dishwasher,
and a Navy Lieutenant COM
mander who received the Silver
Star from Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur.
. He has two dominant quail
ties-energy and focus.
AS a Senator, Mr.. johnson
worked IA and is hours a day.
His day started at $3.50 am.
with coffee, the New York and
Washington newspapers, and
the Congressional record.
He would go to his office at
8, sometimes debating to Sec
rotary in the car.
In q day, 1t was not uncom-
mon for him to receive 10 call
ers, $50 letters, $50 telephone
calls. How does anyone know?
; His staff maintained q chart, a
kind of box score, that showed
the numbing statistics.
Come on. Let's function -
: let's function" he would say,
s impatiently, when things
seemed to be begging down.
Calls 3 simultaneously
During an airport stopover
one day, Mr.. Johnson placed