It’s the Birthday of LBJ!

Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, in central Texas, not far from Johnson City, which his family had helped settle.

In 1937 he campaigned successfully for the House of Representatives on a New Deal platform, effectively aided by his wife, the former Claudia “Lady Bird” Taylor, whom he had married after a whirlwind courtship in 1934.

During World War II, Lyndon Johnson served briefly in the Navy as a lieutenant commander, receiving a Silver Star in the South Pacific. After six terms in the House, he was elected to the Senate in 1948. In 1953, he became the youngest Minority Leader in Senate history, and the following year, when the Democrats won control, Majority Leader. With rare legislative skill he obtained passage of a number of measures during the Eisenhower Administration. He became, by many accounts, the most powerful Majority Leader of the twentieth century.   Photos:   Studio portrait of Lyndon B. Johnson at 18 months old, ca. 1910.   Portrait of President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Oval Office. December, 1963.  from the LBJ Library 

Related posts:

  1. Congressional Democratic leaders met with the President last week while the rest of Congress remained back home, still on recess Congressional Democratic leaders...
  2. Can Democrats push health care reform through the Senate Can Democrats push health care reform through the Senate now that their filibuster-proof majority of 60 to 40 is set to expire when the new Republican Senator from Massachusetts takes his seat? Or, will cooler heads prevail? Massachusetts voters provided extra drama this week when the election to fill the rest of Ted Kennedy's term resulted in an upset win for Republican Scott Brown....
  3. Amelia Earhart’s Pilot License Image description: Amelia Earhart’s Pilot License, issued May 16, 1923. Earhart achieved international celebrity as the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane in 1928. Seventy five years ago, she and a co-pilot disappeared during a flight over the Pacific. Timed to coincide with her disappearance, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is […]...
  4. Medicare Card, NIH rare disease event to raise awareness, encourage research collaborations Medicare Card, NIH rare disease event to raise awareness, encourage research collaborations...
  5. A statement from the NIH Director, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., on the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) recipients Eighteen NIH grantees and two intramural scientists have been selected by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to be among this year’s 120 researchers to receive this presidential award, the nation’s highest honor for scientists at the beginning of their professional careers....
  6. Congress.gov Launched Today – New Website for Finding Free Legislative Information Congress.gov is a new website for legislative information, such as bills introduced in Congress. Find current legislative activities, learn how a bill becomes a law, and more....
  7. Health Reform legislation, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act On November 19, 2009, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released health reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that combines the bills reported out of the Finance and Health Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committees....
  8. Medicare Card, Bacterial protein in house dust spurs asthma according to NIH study Medicare Card, Bacterial protein in house dust spurs asthma according to NIH study...
  9. Director, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., recognizes 20 NIH recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) PECASE is the nation’s highest honor for scientists at the beginning of their professional careers. Since the program began in 1996, NIH has funded a total of 193 PECASE recipients....
  10. Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (H.R. 3961) Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (H.R. 3961)...
  11. Medicare Card, This group portrait of the Sarasota Sun-Debs. Medicare Card, This group portrait of the Sarasota Sun-Debs....
  12. California’s Congressional delegation for supporting the U.S. Senate and House versions of health care reform legislation In his annual State of the State message last week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger chastised California's Congressional delegation for supporting the U.S. Senate and House versions of health care reform legislation. In his speech, Schwarzenegger said, "We are currently owed billions of dollars by the federal government for various programs. We need to work with the feds so that we can fix the flawed formula that demands that states spend money they do not have....
  13. Medicare Card, Infants born with a severely underdeveloped heart Medicare Card, Infants born with a severely underdeveloped heart...
  14. Medicare Card, Portable Heaters Prevent Fires in Your Home Medicare Card, Portable Heaters Prevent Fires in Your Home...
  15. Medicare Card, Happy New Year! Medicare Card, Happy New Year!...