About beautification, her signature issue as first lady. She was a natural campaigner, successful businesswoman, and a savvy political partner to her husband, our 36th president , Lyndon Baines johnson. Good evening and welcome to cspans first ladies influence and image. Tonight well tell you the story of Claudia Taylor johnson, known to everyone as lady bird. The wife of our 36th president. Here to tell her story tonight are two guests Cokie Roberts, political commentator for abc news and npr. Shes also the author of two books about womens political history founding mothers and ladies of liberty. Thanks for being here. Betty karolyi is a first ladies expert. Shes the author of numerous books including first ladies from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama. And shes currently working on a new biography of Lady Bird Johnson. Ladies, i want to start with the beginning, where we were 50 years ago this week. This is an administration birthed in national tragedy. What were the immediate chal
Lyndon johnson developed a reputation as a dmen straightive public speaker with a pension for telling tall tales. His six consecutive terms in the house of representatives and two term as a senator from texas could not erase his down home image. Many democrats in 1960 frowned upon kennedys choice for a man they believed belched allowed, cussed, violated personal space, and never apologized. Once president , he claimed that he did not, want to be the president who built empires or sought grandeur. But johnson liked to be in charge. In private his wife said he was a warm and mellow man. In general, however, his voicterous and complex personality can fused many. Including johnson himself. Sometimes i dont even know whats going on up there, he once said. Tapping his head. Johnson was raised some smam town, america. At birth, he weighed 10 pounds and for the first three months of his life was simply called baby. A childhood friend once remarked if johnson conned lead, then he didnt care muc
Good morning. Or as say and say in texas, hi you all. Its a great day to be in austin texas and today i have the honor and pleasure to be at the book festival with the moderator New York Times author and writer, Rachel Swarns. Im going to tell you a few things about rachel because i know you came here to hear her and not me and because our time is limited. She has worked for the New York Times since 1995 reporting on domestic policy, national politics, immigration, the president ial campaigns of 2004 and 2008 and on First Lady Michelle Obama and her role in the obama white house. I met rachel at different events this year where i got a book that she wrote, american tapestry the story of the black, white and multiracial ancestors of Michelle Obama. After hearing her talk, i bought six more copies. I bought them for all of my family members and to give out as christmas gifts. Now after having read her book i can tell you is a good investment. It helped me better understand my own familys
Great day to be in texas and today i have the honor and pleasure to be at the texas book festival serving as a moderator, and im pleased to be here with rachel l. Swams. I will tell you a few things about rachel because you came here to hear her and not me and our time is limited. She has worked for the New York Times since 1995. Reporting on domestic policy, national politics, immigration, the president ial campaign of 2004, and 2008, and first Lady Michele Obama and her role in the obama white house. I met rachel at an event this year where i bought a book, the book she wrote, american tapestry the story of the black, white, and multiracial ancestors of michelle obama. After hearing her talk, id bought six more copies. I bought them for all my family members and to give out as christmas gifts. Now after having read her book i can tell you it was a good investment. It helps me better understand my own family and many mysteries surrounding my own family. Rachel l. Swamss book is a comp
Not quite 7,000 words. It was a little longer than average in terms of word count. The speech was interrupted 83 times for applause, according to a tally by the national journal. There was no notable disruption in the audience this year, no moment like a republican congressman yelling you lie the way congressman joe wilson did during the joint address to congress back in 2009 there was no moment like a Supreme Court justice muttering a rebuttal to the president from the rows up front the way Justice Samuel alito did in 2010. There was one moment of the speech, though, last night where you heard something from the room. You heard a gasp from the room in response to something that the president said. We should follow the example of the north miami woman named desilene victor. When desilene arrived at her polling place, she was told the wait to vote might be six hours. As time ticked by, her concern was not with her tired body or abing feet, but whether folks like her would get to have th