Presidential Scandals Essay Sample

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There are times when the general public is told what is necessary to keep us safe and confident in the fact that we have a capable leader steering our country in the right direction. Many of us want to believe that this individual is a man who will do what it takes to keep the country veering in the right direction, without fault and without bias towards one set of beliefs or another. What is unfortunate is that the people of the United States of America must always place their faith upon one individual that is ultimately capable of mistakes both intentional and accidental, just like anyone else. Being president does not mean being perfect.
At this time Lyndon B. Johnson was in office, and the very ugly, very controversial Vietnam War was still raging as the nation was split almost in half concerning what was to be done concerning America’s true role in the disastrous campaign. While American soldiers were sent to fight and far too often die in horrible and gruesome ways it was seen back home in America that Johnson would often state that there was no need to escalate matters in South Vietnam, often with additional words muttered under his breath shortly after.1
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While the act of continuing the war was not left to Johnson alone, he was one of the war’s worst perpetrators in that he allowed more bloodshed in order to avoid the political consequences that might come should he pull all troops out of Vietnam. The self-interests of many politicians have led to shady and often suspect behaviors, but throughout history this is perhaps one of the most inherently heinous and underhanded acts committed by a president. Despite this he was still respected and looked up to by many even as he was reviled and turned into the villain by many other radical-minded groups.
The discord felt between Johnson and several key senators within Congress was loud and clear throughout the war, though paled in comparison when it was considered that the continued war effort was taking a heavy toll on America and its general opinion. From one corner of the country to another there were riots, public demonstrations, and even a march on Washington DC that forced leaders to seriously consider the ramifications over continuing the war effort. If the efforts were to cease, there would be dire implications in Congress and the senate, though if the war was to increase, more American lives would be lost, and riots would begin to tear the nation apart as opinions flew hot and heavy, creating dissident groups that openly opposed the president and his ideals.
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At one point in the war the death toll for America was up to 500 deaths a week, promoting even more opposition as at one point a guest to the white house even went so far as to call out the president by stating that his continued efforts in Vietnam were causing the riots, and even were responsible for the violence and incarceration of many upon many young men. This was a blatant attempt to avoid the draft that would have otherwise sent a host of young men to Vietnam during this time, as inmates could not be pressed into service.2 During this time it was seen as preferable to have a prison record than to be drafted into the US Army.
Johnson was well aware of the unrest within the nation, yet he continued to do as was dictated in order to keep his approval ratings in Washington, rather than do what the people expected of their leader. Throughout the nation popular opinion painted him as little more than a war-mongering despot, a man who would do most anything in order to keep his position and the opinion of his peers, not those who had helped to put him in office.
A president is meant to serve their people, just as the people are meant to support their leaders. Far too many presidents throughout history seem to have forgotten this little-honored truth, yet for all the harm that has been done there is no doubt that it is a greater system than anything that came before. The tyrannical monarchy that America escaped during the Revolutionary War gave way to a greater sense of pride and independence that was initially meant to grant a better and more socially organized system in which the people’s needs and ideals were met and thereby acted upon. Yet somewhere along the way the ideals were compromised, and soon after it was seen that those in office were more apt to act upon their own self-interests than those of their people.
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A step away from democracy would never be a good or sound idea, but the act of actually practicing democracy is something many presidents, despite whatever good they’ve done, seem to fail at more than once in their career. Johnson is no different in that he likely made his way to Washington by practicing acceptable ideals and listening to his constituents, but as happens with so many, once he got to the oval office he found that compromise is the common practice, not follow-through.
The Vietnam War is a very noticeable event in which the lack of sound and agreeable judgment was put into place. Blamed for everything from the loss of life in Vietnam and his less than honest remarks, Johnson was soon forced to realize that his policies and actions were about to make him one of the most reviled presidents in history.
Vietnam was, essentially, a war based on hypocrisy. Not only did the US supply and train the northern forces that would eventually seek to subjugate the south, but it also sought to act on the fear that the south might soon be subjugated to a Communist rule and thereby began to work against the north. This was a war that carried a general consensus of mistrust and reluctance on the part of the American people, despite the fact that over half a million troops were devoted to the cause, even after tens of thousands of American soldiers were sent home in a box or not at all. The Vietnam War was undoubtedly one of the bloodiest and most ill-advised campaigns to ever involve the United States, and continues to stand as a legacy that still casts suspicion and mistrust on the presidency, even long after Johnson saw his approval ratings go from 70 percent to less than 40 percent in two years’ time.
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At one point in his presidency Johnson was supposedly hesitant to go anywhere but abroad, remaining primarily at the white house in response to the general attitude and feel of the American people, who had to that point been subjected to little more than the ongoing crisis and continual struggle. Primary amongst his detractors were college students, who, being already ridden with teenage angst, didn’t need much of a reason to be against a man they perceived as a warmonger. Not only did he fail to appease the people, he was often subjected to humiliating and degrading chants during his public appearances, so much that he soon became disillusioned and had to wonder just what, if anything, he could do to win the people back. Needless to say it didn’t work as Johnson would have hoped.
In Johnson’s defense he was subjected to a very split decision at home, as there were many in Congress and the military in particular that wished for him to signal the order to bomb enemy cities, use nuclear weapons, and in general show a decidedly forceful approach to the war. Without much surprise those who opposed such views wished instead to see a cessation of American involvement other than to initiate plans to create a neutral south in Vietnam, thereby assuring that the US could keep itself relatively removed from the disastrous course it had already been set upon.
It wasn’t until 1968 though that the most decisive hit yet was felt by Johnson. Without a doubt America was losing all heart when it came to the massive losses they’d incurred in Vietnam, and this was noticed by North Vietnam. In that regard they began what became the Tet Offensive, which was the staging of many seemingly suicidal strikes that took place against South Vietnam.3
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It was similar to the acts that the Japanese tried 20 years before when they initiated their kamikaze runs. The idea was to cause massive casualties without any regard to one’s own resources, batter the morale of the enemy, and in turn force the enemy to bow to the desired terms. Despite the scandals he eventually became embroiled in, President Johnson served in World War II and was awarded the Silver Star while serving in the South Pacific.4 He was a firm advocate for such programs that aided in community cleanup, reform, education, and many others, and had great ideals when it came to the American people. Like so many politicians
before him however it was far too easy to become embroiled in the mess of American politics once he headed to Washington DC, where he became the youngest Minority Leader in senate history before being elected as running mate to John F. Kennedy.
It was beyond surprising that he attempted to get re-elected after his term had ended, and was considered by some to be in poor taste. Johnson had pure motives at the very least; to attain the peace he’d not managed to procure during his term as president. While he was undoubtedly an embattled president, he was neither the good guy nor the bad guy, but someone that, like so many other leaders, had to make compromises that would either make him beloved and respected for the decisions he made, or seen as the worst type of person because of the consequences.
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References

“American President: A Reference Source,” Miller Center, 7 March 2015,
http://millercenter.org/president/lbjohnson/essays/biography/5
Daniel Ellsberg. “Lying About Vietnam,” The New York times, 29 June 2001,
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/29/opinion/lying-about-vietnam.html
“Lyndon B. Johnson,” The White House, 7 March 2015,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/lyndonbjohnson
“Lyndon B. Johnson: Protests at Home,” Profiles of US Presidents, 7 March 2015,
http://www.presidentprofiles.com/Kennedy-Bush/Lyndon-B-Johnson-Protest-at- home.html