A Bully as President is not New

I've heard all too many claim that Trump is unlike any other President we've ever had.  That he's a bully.  Not politically correct.  That he intimidates the press.  Well, does anyone remember President Lyndon Johnson (LBJ)?  In fact, the following picture of LBJ pulling his dog up by his ears speaks volumes about him:

In a review of the book "The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume III", the reviewer, Michael Shelden, appropriately titled his review,  "A Lewd, Crude Master".  One of his initial comments being "...the reader is offered an unforgettable image of the big Texan giving dictation to a nervous female secretary while he urinates in a corner washbasin."  Shelden further wrote:

"LBJ had the manners of a barnyard dog and enjoyed shocking his subordinates, whom he bullied mercilessly. Like most bullies, he was a coward at heart who used flattery and evasion to dominate more powerful foes, reserving his insults and tantrums for lesser folk. If one of his underlings did not jump fast enough or high enough, he shouted obscenities and threw things. He demanded absolute devotion, declaring, "I want someone who will kiss my ass in Macy's window and stand up and say, 'Boy, wasn't that sweet!'

 In a similar article written for the National Review by John Fund, this comment was made about LBJ:

"As president, he cut a grandiose figure. He was a braggart and a frequent liar. He was suspicious of other countries, frequently saying, “Foreigners are not like the folks I am used to.” He had a reckless disregard for limits. He belittled and browbeat others to intimidate them and give him what he wanted. Historian Robert Dallek said that he “viewed criticism of his policies as personal attacks” and opponents of his policies “as disloyal to him and the country.”

Fund further commented:

"He would bully and insult reporters, saying of one that he “always knew when he was around, because he could smell him.” He told whoppers about voter fraud in his elections. But he did get things done, dominating the political scene for good and for ill."

And, let's not forget that following President Kennedy's assassination, Kennedy's wife, Jackie, firmly believed that Vice President LBJ had her husband killed.  That fact alone, speaks volumes about what she and others thought of him.

A lot was done during Johnson's presidency.  There was civil rights, equal pay, medicaid, welfare and a whole host of other legislative actions were passed into law.  As Fund also stated "Johnson was reckless, grandiose, and intimidating, but he got things done..."  Also, he made mistakes.  Failed actions during the Vietnam War were examples. It was those failings that created the Democratic Party's anti-war stance of today.

I think we should wait and see if Trump is as effective as President Johnson.  And, those complaining about his "style" should brush up on history.

References:

Trump Is a Lot Like the LBJ Whom Liberals Still Idolize: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/445060/lyndon-johnson-donald-trump-grandiose-bullying-colossal-figures

Photo Source: President Picks up Dog by Ears. Public Outraged: http://howdyyall.com/Texas/TodaysNews/index.cfm?GetItem=64

A lewd, crude Master:  Michael Shelden reviews The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume III by Robert A Caro: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4728473/A-lewd-crude-Master.html

Jackie Kennedy believed LBJ had her husband killed according to tapes: https://www.google.com/search?q=did+lbj+kill+kennedy&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

LBJ's tragic “addiction” to Vietnam: The mistake that still haunts America 50 years later: http://www.salon.com/2015/07/28/lbjs_tragic_addiction_to_vietnam_the_mistake_that_still_haunts_america_50_years_later/