“The Triumph & Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson” is Presidential Aide Joseph A. Califano’s account of the Administration and personality of its subject.  A Kennedy appointee, Califano planned to leave Washington until Cyrus Vance persuaded him with the promise that “This town has never seen a President like Lyndon Johnson.”  He stayed through to the end.

The strength of this tome is the insight into the day to day White House whirlwind that can be provided only by one who has lived it.  The clashes between the White House staff and Department Secretaries, such as Robert McNamara under whom Califano initially served, and the relationships between Administration figures, including Dean Rusk, Hubert Humphrey and Robert Kennedy shine new lights on our history.  Johnson’s candid assessments of Robert Kennedy (ruthless, ambitious), Ramsey Clark (“If I had ever known that he didn’t measure up to his daddy I’d never have made him Attorney General”), Gerald Ford (one of the least thoughtful and most partisan Republicans in Congress), Richard Nixon (hated him, chronic campaigner) and Nelson Rockefeller (one of the nation’s ablest and most dedicated public servants) present informed evaluations of actors of his era.

Some of the anecdotes are entertaining, such as visits to the LBJ Ranch when Califano was made to tread water while LBJ stood in the deep end, was taken on the tour of sites and taught how to tie a neck tie.  Readers are left with an impression of a man who needed to dominate those with whom he worked.

The author tells the big story leavened by personal memories to keep the story interesting.  I recommend it for anyone desiring an understand of Johnson and his Administrations.

As part of both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson’s presidential administrations, the author has an insider view of politics, participants, legislation, and agendas. This book positively comments on Johnson’s Great Society program and key legislation that supported Medicare, urban renewal, education, crime prevention, and space exploration. It also notes the Vietnam War and race riots prevalent throughout his presidency. There is an interesting mixture of personal observation, presidential powers, and politics. Much of the writing seemed superficial as the author moved from one topic to another, never dwelling into personal, emotional, or even social cost Johnson faced as president. The book includes a selection of more well known Great Society laws and source notes for any scholar interested in conducting additional research.