Why did Kennedy choose Lyndon B. Johnson?

Answer 1

Kennedy felt Johnson would help the Democrats win votes in Texas and other southern states where Kennedy was not as popular. Johnson was regarded as a master at getting legislation passed.

Answer 2

As Lyndon Johnson came from Texas. Kennedy came from the North and wanted the Democratic Party to maintain its hold in the South. However, whereas most Southern congressmen opposed any form of Civil Rights legislation (hardly surprising as Black Americans were denied the vote), Johnson was a strong anti-racist.

Answer 3

Johnson could bring in the Southern vote and Kennedy needed that, despite a personal distaste for LBJ.

He disgusted the entire Kennedy family on personal level, and the feeling was pretty close to mutual.

Meanwhile, Johnson had been a Southern Congressman and Senator, and a popular one, for 29 years, and was the senate Majority Leader.

He had connections with all the governors and big politicians in Southern states who would campaign for a Kennedy/Johnson combination in their home states, but probably not for Kennedy and anyone from the Northeast.

As the Senate Majority leader, LBJ could garner a lot of similar support in all of the states outside of Kennedy influence.

Politics Make Strange Bedfellows.

Answer 4

The 1960 presidential election was predicted to be extremely close. JFK had won the nomination against Johnson, and some say he actually wanted Senators Stuart Symington of Missouri or Henry M. Jackson of Washington to be his running mate. However, he realised he needed Johnson on the ticket to carry the southern states, as Johnson was Senator from Texas, and a powerful figure in Congress. JFK's choice proved victorious against the Republican ticket, consisting of Vice-president Richard Nixon and US Ambassador to South Vietnam Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.

Answer 5

There are many plausible reasons. One is that, as a northern democrat from Massachusetts, he wanted LBJ because he was a sourthern (Texas) democrat. This would supposedly make it easier for Kennedy to pass the bills he wanted through Congress, although there was still a lot of issues with "dixiecrats" and JFK's inability to get them to approve his programs. Another possibility is that JFK was young and experienced and weak, so he chose Johnson because LBJ was a better and more experienced politician. Also it is possible he chose LBJ because he figured LBJ would be such a poor president, no one would want to kill JFK lest LBJ succeed him (although that obviously didn't work). Some suggest Kennedy didn't want LBJ at all but Johnson forced him into being his running mate.

Answer 6

Johnson was a contender for the nomination, was a long-time senator with a lot of following, particulary in his Texas and the South. Kennedy was a Catholic and from the Northeast and needed Texas to win, so Johnson was an obvious choice for VP.

Answer 7

Kennedy choose Johnson, because he thought he'll help him win southern states in the selection.

Answer 8

To get the southern vote in presidential election

Answer 9

Johnson could deal with the US Congress.