Oral history transcript, Lawrence F. O'Brien, interview 7 (VII), 2/12/1986, by Michael L. Gillette

Title:

Oral history transcript, Lawrence F. O'Brien, interview 7 (VII), 2/12/1986, by Michael L. Gillette

Number of Pages:

40

Description:

How John F. Kennedy's (JFK) assassination affected the reputation of Dallas and Texas; the emotional toll of JFK's and Robert Kennedy's (RFK) deaths on O'Brien; being asked to identify the missal that was used when Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) took his oath of office; congressional reaction to LBJ's assumption of the presidency; Eddie Boland as an example of support for LBJ in the wake of JFK's death; LBJ's commitment to continuity moving forward from JFK's administration; JFK's funeral and foreign dignitaries who attended; confirming the succession procedure in case LBJ died; changes in presidential travel security after JFK's death; accessibility of the president and the White House; LBJ's relationship with RFK and Ted Kennedy; JFK's relationship with RFK; the relationship between JFK and LBJ; LBJ's concern about RFK's role in the 1964 Democratic National Convention; O'Brien as a go-between in the LBJ/RFK relationship; LBJ's meeting with RFK to tell him that no member of the cabinet would be his vice presidential running mate and RFK's concern that the conversation might have been recorded; whether or not RFK wanted to be vice president; a memo LBJ dictated to Walter Jenkins about his meeting with RFK; the candidates LBJ considered for his vice presidential running mate in 1964; Hubert Humphrey's strengths and weaknesses as a vice presidential candidate; the 1964 Democratic National Convention; LBJ's concern over the timing and effect of a film to honor JFK that was introduced by RFK; O'Brien's respect for Senator Tom Kuchel; Kuchel's support for, and Everett Dirksen's opposition to, Pierre Salinger's 1964 Senate race; the tobacco industry and O'Brien's compromise regarding anti-smoking public service announcements on postal trucks; the 1964 federal food stamp program and how it was tied to the cotton-wheat bill; the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Mrs. Johnson's interest in it; the 1964 Wilderness Act and the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Contributor:

O'Brien, Lawrence F. (Lawrence Francis), 1917-1990

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with Lawrence F. O'Brien

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details