Johnson and Dulles

[Ron Bulman]

Re reading a portion of Family Of Secrets I began to wonder about their relationship.  As Senate Majority Leader from 1955-60 LBJ had to deal with the head of the CIA on budgets if nothing else.  They had a professional relationship.  As whip prior to that I imagine it went further back in the 50's.    

Dulles briefed LBJ as the VP candidate at his ranch on 7/28/60.  A rather early briefing for the CIA Director to visit from the east coast, a unusual trip for him? 

LBJ brought Dulles back into government service a is well known.

There's more detail but what I wonder ultimately is might Dulles have briefed Johnson again before the assassination that he would be President when he returned to Washington,  

I know, Dulles was long gone from the CYA technically.  But per Talbot he spent the evening of the assassination at his "retreat" on the Farm.  Among former loyal employee's still in control?

LBJ's wink and smile on Airforce One make me wonder,  Youngblood didn't jump over the seat onto him.  But he did duck per Yarbrough to listen to Youngblood's transceiver.

[Ron Bulman]

Their similarities also made me wonder about the transfer of power implications.  They were both manipulative, vindictive, power hungry and derided by the President.  Two peas in a pod in some respects that likely agreed on the need for a change?

LBJ's quick getting of Judge Sarah T Hughes to the plane to certify his Presidency is interesting.  Had he thought it out in advance?  He did get her the job in the first place so he knew she was/would be available. 

[John Butler]

9 hours ago, Ron Bulman said:

Their similarities also made me wonder about the transfer of power implications.  They were both manipulative, vindictive, power hungry and derided by the President.  Two peas in a pod in some respects that likely agreed on the need for a change?

LBJ's quick getting of Judge Sarah T Hughes to the plane to certify his Presidency is interesting.  Had he thought it out in advance?  He did get her the job in the first place so he knew she was/would be available. 

LBJ was the most powerful man in Congress.  He was the Senate Majority Leader.  As such, nothing went through the Congress (this includes agreements with the House) without his approval.   He was a neighbor and close friend of J Edgar Hoover.  If my memory is correct he helped the Secret Service Director, James Rowley, obtain his job.  He kept CIA Director, John McCone in place after the assassination.

I don't have any info on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  But, I speculate that Johnson had some sort of relationship with all of the heads of the various Executive Branch agencies as Senate Majority Leader and later as Vice-President.  

So, who killed Kennedy?  Elements of the Executive Branch to include the FBI, Secret Service, CiA, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  These were the upper level people that Johnson had contact with and some degree of control.  

I speculate they convinced people that Kennedy was a traitor, or  a sellout to the Russian communists.  This is what was stated in the Dallas handout before the assassination.  

And, furthermore they could do nothing about his re-election in 1964.  Whether that was true or not, it really didn't matter.  I believe that is their excuse for convincing others to go along with the assassination at both upper and lower levels. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by John Butler

[Ron Bulman]

From The Devil's Chessboard by David Talbot, page 503.  "Vice President Johnson himself had signed off on the plot, Morales insisted."  Morales had been personally commended by Dulles in front of CIA officers.  Did saying this get Morales killed?