Amanda Havlicak: President Calling

LBJ: Road to Selma
Lyndon B. Johnson & Martin Luther King

Upon the first few minutes of the conversation, LBJ is obviously the dominant speaker. I recalled a photo I saw of LBJ talking with someone and how he leaned forward, almost looming over the person as a way to seem imposing. Many who have encountered LBJ have mentioned his need to assert himself, and in the case of this conversation between himself and MLK, it is no different. While King is attempting to appeal LBJ and ask him to support his fellow people, all the president hears is how it will affect his presidency.  And I say attempt considered MLK barely got a word into the entire conversation. While LBJ says he wishes to all these things like passing civil rights bills, extend Medicare, and even put a black member into a cabinet position, all these actions seem to benefit him before anything else. LBJ had this vision of a 'Great Society' in which he would eliminate poverty among other things, and in the conversation he seems to be tailoring King's requests and ideas to that vision. Also, LBJ's overall tone in the conversation is very paternalistic. He refers to African Americans as 'your people' or the common term of 'negro'. For a man who went to great lengths to confirm his support for blacks, these choice of words make a subtle division between himself and the black people he is supposed to be working with. After thinking on it, I realized that it could be very well possible that LBJ wanted the support of black people so they would vote for him. He was already not a very liked man, especially in comparison to his predecessor JFK. LBJ stresses in the conversation that he is working on getting rid of the discrimination against blacks when it comes to voting specifically. Also, he tells MLK repeatedly that he needs his help on rallying voters. You can tell that LBJ is somewhat apprehensive to go public with his support; probably and indicator that he doesn't want to lose his white voters in the process of gaining his black voters. LBJ specifically says that he 'doesn't have a moral obligation' to blacks, not even MLK with whom he stated to have worked with for 3 years, except for Weaver who is one of his guys, and not a 'JFK guy' as he mentions often in the conversation as well. Overall, this conversation mostly one-sided conversation was drenched in politics and what is most beneficial instead of what is necessary and right.