1964

Lyndon B. Johnson
Candidate
Popular
Electoral
Lyndon B. Johnson
Democrat
43,126,584
486
Barry M. Goldwater
Republican
27,177,838
52

Lyndon B. Johnson, by Yoichi Okamoto
(public domain)
Why Can't There Be...

45A-1067139

Is He Leaning on It or Holding it Up?

45B-1067140

Having ascended to the Presidency at the assassination of John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson was nominated to run against the Republican candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964. Goldwater's arch-conservatism was the focus of this Feiffer cartoon (45A-1067139). He ran on a platform emphasizing the need for a dynamic anti-Communist strategy and the need for a new morality in the White House and the nation. He refused to denounce the John Birch Society, which prompted this cartoon (45B-1067140). His endorsement of an amendment to allow religious exercises in public places prompted this caricature (45C-1067141). Although he supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964, he maintained that the elimination of discrimination was "a matter of heart, conscience and education." (45D-1067142). Many saw Goldwater as trigger-happy on the nuclear armament question (45E-1067143). His nomination caused a split in the party between his supporters and Republicans who felt he was too conservative (45F-1067144)

Barry with the Ten Commandments

45C-1067141

Lyndon Johnson was seen from the first to have a definite advantage; he campaigned on a platform primarily of domestic improvements in many areas (45G-1067145). As early as the spring of 1964, cartoonists were predicting an elephant barbeque (45H-1067146). The campaign was dirty, with thousands of propagandistic pamphlets published, but the early predictions were right; it was "LBJ all the way." (45I-1067147)

Related Links:
Jules Feiffer. Feiffer's website.

Jules Feiffer (Wikipedia)

A Man Who Makes Us Worry.
Article by Harry L. Katz (Library of Congress Information Bulletin, November 4, 1996).

John Fischetti (Wikipedia)

John Fischetti Editorial Cartoon Competition

Bill Mauldin.
Collection of cartoons from Stars and Stripes.

Bill Mauldin Beyond Willie and Joe.
A tribute from the collections of the Smithsonian.

Bill Mauldin Cartoon Collection.
From the 45th Infantry Division Museum.