Why Is Lyndon B Johnson A Good President

Overshadowed by his predecessor, the charismatic John F. Kennedy, and his successor, the notoriously scandalous Richard Nixon, Lyndon Baines Johnson's legacy and doings within the White House during his six years in office are nearly buried under the climatic terms of both Kennedy and Nixon. “(of Lyndon) Flawed, yes, and not always good, but great” (Updegrove). Johnson, held accountable for the war in Vietnam, had many presidential blunders, but passed many legislatures that couldn't have been passed by any other presidents and of which continue to effect today's politics. More times than not, presidents never envision that they would conquer the highest position in politics, becoming president of the United States, and Lyndon B. Johnson was no exception. In a small farmhouse in South Central Texas, a future president was born in the summer of 1908. A young Johnson quickly grew fond of education, so much so, he decided to
seek higher education by borrowing $75 to enroll in Southwest Texas State Teacher's College in Texas (LBJ) after graduating from high school. Since Johnson struggled financially, he worked as a janitor and office aide in order to pay his college debts, but ultimately dropped out for a year to teach at Welhausen School—a Mexican American school, where he learned about the lives of minorities which later helped him as a President. Eventually, Johnson was asked to move to Washington D.C.
to be the secretary of a senator, where he first ventured into the political realm. He became a Senator years later and was nicknamed “Landslide Lyndon,” for his great defeat over Republican Jack Porter, Johnson got 82% of the votes. After dominating the Senate, Johnson was chosen to be Kennedy's vice president, after Johnson's unsuccessful own bid at the presidency. The duo immediately gained popularity and won, but tragedy struck when Kennedy was assassinated and Johnson hastily became the 36th president of the United States. After finishing Kennedy's term, Johnson continued when he won the election of 1964. Despite the less than ideal beginning to Johnson's presidency, he passed many legislatures, such as the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Economic Opportunity act; and he started the War on Poverty along with his Great Society. Although many monumentous laws were implemented by Johnson, Lyndon Baines Johnson's presidency will forever be unfairly summed up in one word:
Vietnam. When Johnson suddenly passed in the winter of 1973 of a heart attack, the entire country didn't mourn in the same way as they had with previous presidents. Regardless of the enigma associated with Johnson's presidency, no single president has passed more significant legislatures in his time in office, or has been able to reach across the aisle quite like Johnson did. And for that, Lyndon Baines Johnson will have his own legacy: the president who is constantly overshadowed, but deserves his own spotlight in American history.