LBJ Resign

In 1968 - Johnson announced that he would not be standing for re-election. Some saw him as a failure - because:
1) he was not a showman like JFK - not as charismatic
2) congress - conservatives criticised him for spending too much on welfare reform
3) liberals criticised him for increasing American involvement in Vietnam
4) constantly compared to JFK who to some had become a martyr

Social Problems:
August 1965 - 5 days after signing Voting Rights Act - riot erupted in Watts, Los Angeles after the city’s mayor had failed to deal with allegations of police brutality.
Further police arrests led to 4 days of rioting and resulted in 34 deaths and more than 1000 injured and more than $200 million damage to property.
1967/68 further riots

Vietnam - at first the media coverage was positive however images of children mutilated by American air strikes, destruction of villages, deaths of innocents, Americans brought home in body bags led to the nation turning against the war
The famous chant of ‘ hey, hey LBJ how many kids you killed today?’

‘How is it possible that all these people could be so ungrateful to me after I have given them so much? Take the Negroes I fought for them from the first day I came into office, I spilled my guts out in getting the Civil Rights act through congress ... I asked so little in return ... Just a little thanks ... That’s all. But look at what I get instead riots in 175 cities ... Then look at the students ... I fought on their behalf for scholarships and loans and grants ... And look at what I got back ... Young people by the thousands leaving their universities ... Chanting that horrible song about how many kids I killed that day .’ Johnson confiding to a friend