Oral history transcript, Lawrence F. O'Brien, interview 21 (XXI), 6/18/1987, by Michael L. Gillette

Title:

Oral history transcript, Lawrence F. O'Brien, interview 21 (XXI), 6/18/1987, by Michael L. Gillette

Number of Pages:

78

Description:

The 1968 proposed tax surcharge to address rising costs of the Vietnam War and curb inflation; support from the business community for the tax surcharge; Civil Rights Act of 1968; Everett Dirksen's role in passing the cloture vote; the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 and truth-in-lending legislation; continued support in 1968 for LBJ's domestic programs; the Kappel Commission on postal reform; LBJ's mention of postal reform recommendations in his presidential farewell address; O'Brien's continued advocacy work for postal reform as co-chair of a citizen's committee; legislation enacted under Richard Nixon to give the Post Office Department more independence and the ability to self-finance; lack of political interest in the Post Office Department; O'Brien's work through Joe Califano to edit the Kappel Commission's draft report; O'Brien's September 1967 white paper proposal for LBJ's presidential campaign organization; Jim Rowe's critique of the white paper and O'Brien's response; the role of O'Brien's proposed campaign task force; O'Brien's and Rowe's political experience; LBJ's request that O'Brien evaluate of the Massachusetts primary; O'Brien and Ted Kennedy and possible stand-ins for LBJ in Massachusetts; Robert F. Kennedy's (RFK) interest in running for president; Bernard Boutin being instructed to keep O'Brien out of involvement in the New Hampshire primary; LBJ's decision to not have a stand-in in the Massachusetts primary; O'Brien's February 1968 memo updating information on primaries in various states; the slate of delegates for the Massachusetts primary; Massachusetts state Democratic chairman Lester Hyman; the risks of having someone stand in for LBJ in the Massachusetts primary and the president's position on avoiding primaries as of March 1968; February 1968 meeting regarding strategy in New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and California; RFK announcing his candidacy for president; requests from RFK and Ted Kennedy that O'Brien come to work on RFK's campaign; O'Brien's loyalty to LBJ; O'Brien's suggestion that RFK and LBJ meet to discuss their differences; LBJ's accusation that O'Brien told the press LBJ would not enter any primaries; accusations and suspicions that O'Brien would return to work for the Kennedys; O'Brien's meeting with cabinet members to plan a more aggressive effort to promote LBJ; O'Brien's memo to LBJ expressing concern over Vietnam; the reluctance of cabinet members to express their feelings about Vietnam and other issues openly with LBJ; the New Hampshire primary; the timing of RFK's announcement; Eugene McCarthy as a presidential candidate in 1968; O'Brien's trip to Wisconsin; a run-in with Jesse Unruh the night before O'Brien's son left for Vietnam; LBJ's March 31, 1968, announcement that he would not seek re-election; O'Brien's response to the announcement; Robert McNamara as secretary of defense in 1967-1968 and his resignation as secretary of defense; the change in McNamara's position on Vietnam; calls from RFK and Hubert Humphrey requesting O'Brien's support; O'Brien's decision to go to work for RFK; Humphrey's request that communication remain open between himself, RFK, and O'Brien; O'Brien and LBJ discussing who might be O'Brien's replacement; O'Brien's departure from the White House to direct RFK's campaign; how the 1968 campaign compared to the 1960 JFK campaign.

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