Long before he ever became president of the United States, Lyndon
Johnson was a
powerful political leader in the U.S. Senate. This book,
a part of the series of books on the life Johnson by Robert Caro,
covers the period of 1949-1960. During those years, Johnson represented
Texas in the Senate.In telling Johnson’s story as a Senator,
Caro spares no detail. The
book runs for over a thousand pages. It’s
filled with information about the sad state of the Senate when Johnson
first arrived; how Johnson managed to become Majority Leader, after
serving for only one term (even though the Senate’s seniority system
was in place); his skill at maneuvering within the rules of the Senate;
his ability to get people to compromise in order to pass legislation;
his talent for holding on to his base of southern support, while
reaching out to liberals such as Hubert Humphrey; and his drive to
reach the presidency on his own merits.In painting this
portrait of Johnson, Caro shows clearly how he came to be as powerful
as he was. Examining the techniques Johnson used to become “master of
the Senate,” Caro unveils Johnson’s genius for political manipulation.
Even on the very sensitive at the time of civil rights. Johnson was
able to get important
legislation passed, even though he was a
southerner with a constituency which was firmly opposed to improving
the lot of blacks in the United States.Upon reading this book, readers may feel as if they’ve just seen a sign saying “quiet….master politician at work.”
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