Why did John F. Kennedy pick Lyndon B. Johnson when they were polar opposites?

[eman926]

First off, JFK opposed any affirmative action plans, while LBJ supported many. (Although both voted numerously against Civil Rights Acts when they were US senators.) JFK believed in a flat tax, while LBJ raised taxes multiple times. JFK wanted to cut spending, while LBJ spent lots and started a "war on poverty". JFK was against the Soviet Union, while to the best of my knowledge LBJ never said anything against the Soviet Union. JFK was pro-life, while LBJ was pro-choice.

Those are just a few examples...

 

[Lisa]

First off, JFK opposed any affirmative action plans, while LBJ supported many. (Although both voted numerously against Civil Rights Acts when they were US senators.) JFK believed in a flat tax, while LBJ raised taxes multiple times. JFK wanted to cut spending, while LBJ spent lots and started a "war on poverty". JFK was against the Soviet Union, while to the best of my knowledge LBJ never said anything against the Soviet Union. JFK was pro-life, while LBJ was pro-choice.

Those are just a few examples...

Kennedy did not believe in a flat tax.

In January 1963, Kennedy presented Congress with a tax proposal that would reduce the top marginal tax rate from 91 percent to 65 percent, and lower the corporate tax rate from 52 percent to 47 percent; in total, the cut was projected to decrease income taxes by about $10 billion and corporate taxes by about $3.5 billion

Kennedy proposed the bill on the advice of Keynesian economist Walter Heller, who believed that temporary deficit spending would boost economic growth. The act was initially blocked by conservatives like Senator Harry F. Byrd, but Lyndon Johnson was able to guide it through Congress after the assassination of Kennedy in November 1963. The act cut federal income taxes by approximately twenty percent across the board, and the top federal income tax rate fell from 91 percent to 70 percent. The act also reduced the corporate tax from 52 percent to 48 percent and created a minimum standard deduction.

Revenue Act of 1964 - Wikipedia

 

[swing_voter]

Johnson could give Kennedy Texas.

 

[RetiredUSN]

First off, JFK opposed any affirmative action plans, while LBJ supported many. (Although both voted numerously against Civil Rights Acts when they were US senators.) JFK believed in a flat tax, while LBJ raised taxes multiple times. JFK wanted to cut spending, while LBJ spent lots and started a "war on poverty". JFK was against the Soviet Union, while to the best of my knowledge LBJ never said anything against the Soviet Union. JFK was pro-life, while LBJ was pro-choice.

Those are just a few examples...

Kennedy needed Texas and many other southern voters to win.

That is the only reason.

 

[Rexedgar]

Ol’ Joe couldn’t buy Texas.........

 

[eman926]

Kennedy did not believe in a flat tax.



Revenue Act of 1964 - Wikipedia

Um, Reagan believed in a flat tax but he had to go through congress to make it so, but had to cut the progressive tax rate instead. Just because someone couldn’t implement a flat tax doesn’t mean that they weren’t for it. Same goes for JFK.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Craig234]

While I don't read the OP, I'll respond to the thread title, that JFK overrode and greatly offended his labor supporters and his own closest brother and campaign manager, Robert, by picking LBJ.

JFK and LBJ had little use for each other. RFK and LBJ even less. JFK tried to throw LBJ some bones sometimes, like a role in the space program, but he was hardly an advise JFK respected. A private JFK quote summarizes his view: 'Oh, God, can you ever imagine what would happen to the country if Lyndon was president?'

I can't find the video now, but there is a chilling interview of LBJ as VP in which he refers to JFK as "that fellow", as of they are strangers, rather than "the president".

Why JFK chose LBJ: he didn't want or plan to. His choice was Stuart Symington. At the last minute he did, and there are two theories. One is that JFK felt he was the pest person to help him win the general election, partly with Johnson being from Texas to help with the south, and to carry that state. The other is that LBJ blackmailed him.

It is reported that JFK and RFK made an agreement to keep the reasons for the decision secret forever, as if there is some nefarious part of it. RFK reportedly went to LBJ demanding that he refuse the invitation, but JFK refused him.

LBJ felt he was in JFK's shadow, and he very much wanted his own election in 1964 to feel freer. Why did LBJ accept? IMO, it's because LBJ really wanted to be president, and he viewed it as a nearly 10% chance Kennedy's VP would become president. I thought I recall a quote of him saying as much, but can't find it.