policy - The Black Vault

THE BDM CORPORATION
Faced with mounting criticism of his domestic and fereign
policies from botlh the right and the left of American politics, Johnson
proved unable to assume the role of national leader and to separate himself
from his training and experience in parliampentary manipulation. 29' At the
'time of the Tonkin Gulf resolution, Johnson was not candid with the
American people of the Congress. Moreover, in his planning he hoped to
achieve an early military victory in Vietnam and he concluded that it was
unnecessary to be candid with his ecnnomic advisors.
At tho time of the
Tet offensive, Johnson shrank from the role of unifier of national sentiment
in renswinj the US commitment in Vietnam. Instead, he stepp.d back
"I from conflict with his adversaries on the advice of his small group of
"Wise Men." Thus, it seems that the very talents that made Johnson so
effective as a parliamentarian and which were the very foundations of his
rise to national office were stumbling blocks for Johnson as-President in
the definition of policy and the summoning of national support behind them.
3. The Nixon Administration
a. Overview
The constituency that elected Richard Nixon in 1968 provided
him with a firm base for dealing with the Vietnam War, a base that was
fundamentally different from Johnson's. Johnson had been attacked by the
intellectuals in the left wing of his party over his war policies and by
defections from his right wing because of his. social programs.
Nixon had
no left wing to placate, and he was able to approach the problem of the war
from a more homogeneous political base than was Johnson.
Indeed, Nixon
sought to separate himself and his policies from the vocal American political
left and build a new political majority of the center and right. 30/
This strategy stripped the American 'left of the strong position they had
occupied under Johnson.
Johnson had been required at least to listen to
their point of view in order *o maintain the cohesiveness of the coaliton
he was leading. It cannot be asserted that his policies were adjusted to
meet the demands that the left made of him, but Johnson nevertheless was
highly sensitive to criticism of his policies from within his own party.
Only this sensitivity can explain the intense reaction Johnson had to
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