Book: Kennedy Scorned Idea of Johnson as President

[cal04]

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=14477302

A book of newly released interviews with former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy says President John F. Kennedy openly scorned the notion of Vice President Lyndon Johnson succeeding him in office.

The book is "Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy." It'll be published Sept. 14 by New York-based Hyperion Books. The Associated Press bought a copy Thursday.

JFK chose Johnson as his running mate in 1960. But Jackie Kennedy told historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. her husband and his brother Robert F. Kennedy discussed ways to keep Johnson from winning the Democratic nomination in 1968.

She told the historian JFK said: "Oh, God, can you ever imagine what would happen to this country if Lyndon were president?"

[hifiguy]

1. Jack thought LBJ was something of a buffoon

but a dose of medicine he had to take to solidify southern votes in 1960 and carry Texas. Bob absolutely and passionately hated him.

[taterguy]

2. Which is why he was ready to replace him with Terry Sanford

He just didn't get around to it before he went to Dallas.

After the fact LBJ found out and that's why there was a 22 year gap in Sanford's political career.

[Maccagirl]

3. I've read from mutiple sources that JFK offered Johnson the VP

only as a courtesy move-he never in a million years thought Johnson would accept.

[WinkyDink]

4. I thought it was well-known since "The Making of the President: 1960" that both men loathed each

other.

[cal04]

5. Jacqueline Kennedy Reveals That JFK Feared an LBJ Presidency

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Jacqueline_Kennedy/jacqueline-kennedy-reveals-jfk-feared-lbj-presidency/story?id=14477930

(snip)
The president gave no serious consideration to dropping Johnson from the ticket in 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy recalled. But he did have some talks about how to avoid having Johnson run for president in 1968, at the end of what would have been Kennedy's second term, she said.

"He didn't like that idea that Lyndon would go on and be president because he was worried for the country," she said. "Bobby told me that he'd had some discussions with him. I forget exactly how they were planning or who they had in mind. It wasn't Bobby, but somebody. Do something to name someone else in '68."