Walter Jenkins was a long time political aide to Lyndon Johnson (they worked together for 25 years from Johnson’s years in the Texas legislature, to the presidency). In that time they were friends too, with Jenkins close to Johnson’s wife Lady Bird.
But that ended just a month before the 1964 presidential election. Jenkins and another man were arrested on a disorderly conduct charge (code words for being caught by under cover cops for having sex).
The fine was only $50, which Jenkins quietly paid. But rumors began to circulate and an earlier incident from 1959 was uncovered. The Washington Star contacted the White House for comment. Although the White House attempted to convince the newspaper not to run the story, too many people knew about it.
This was an era when homosexual behavior was illegal and publicly condemned. And why hadn’t the FBI discovered this earlier?
J. Edgar Hoover later reported that security had not been compromised (blackmail has been always used as an excuse to not trust homosexuals with state secrets).
But Jenkins had to resign.
Barry Goldwater, Johnson’s Republican opponent, didn’t use this incident as a major campaign issue. But he occasional referred to it, including releasing bumper stickers and pins saying:
ALL THE WAY WITH LBJ, BUT DON’T GO NEAR THE YMCA
Johnson later said: “I couldn’t have been more shocked about Walter Jenkins if I’d heard that Lady Bird had tried to kill the Pope.”
The scandal was not noticed by the general public, and had no impact on the election.
Johnson’s Press Secretary George Reedy told an interviewer: “A great deal of the president’s difficulties can be traced to the fact that Walter had to leave. … All of history might have been different if it hadn’t been for that episode.”
After resigning, Jenkins and his wife returned to Texas where he became an accountant. He died from a stroke in 1985.
Sorry for not posting in a while… I’m more active on other blogs and sites right now, but I’m dropping in today because I’ve noticed that the Presidential Elections in America have started and people are freaking out.
So, I just wanted to say, whatever the outcome of your election is… Don’t do anything drastic, okay? Things are scary right now. Believe me, the rest of the world is worried, too. But even if the worst comes to worst, please don’t give up. I’ve seen people actually wanting to kill themselves over the election and that’s horrifying. Please don’t. Things are getting bad, yes, but losing you will make it so much worse.
Just hold on there, okay? Even when the dust has settled and a decision’s been made, there’s still a chance for you to fix things and/or make things better. You can still do something to save your country even if the worst comes to worst.
It’s not the end yet. Things can still change for the better. I and so many people want you to be alive to see that change. To contribute to it.
