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Let Us Continue

February 15, 2024

Let Us Continue is a speech that 36th President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson delivered to a joint session of Congress on November 27, 1963, five days after the assassination of his predecessor John F. Kennedy. The almost 25-minute speech is considered one of the most important in his political career.

Let Us Continue
Lyndon B. Johnson delivering the speech
DateNovember 27, 1963 (1963-11-27)
Duration≈ 25 minutes
VenueUnited States Capitol
LocationWashington, D.C.
Coordinates38°53′23″N 77°00′32″W / 38.88972°N 77.00889°W / 38.88972; -77.00889
TypeSpeech
ParticipantsPresident Lyndon B. Johnson
An excerpt from the speech where Johnson says "Let Us Continue".

After Kennedy's assassination, Johnson, until then Vice President, ascended to the position. To publicly emphasize stability by the continuity of government, Johnson made efforts to persuade key people from the Kennedy administration to stay in office. Subsequently, various Kennedy officials, including his brother and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, stayed in the Cabinet. Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a conversation with Johnson in the Executive Office Building, and in a confidential memorandum, he suggested that Johnson call a joint session of the Congress and deliver a speech. Soon after, Johnson asked Ted Sorensen, Kennedy's chief speechwriter, to prepare a draft version for his speech. Input about the subject matter and content of the speech came from various advisers, including John Kenneth Galbraith.

It was decided to broadcast the speech on television on November 27. After at least nine draft versions, Johnson studied the final version that same morning, making a few minor changes. In his address, he called Kennedy the "greatest leader of our time", and said that "American dreams have been vitalized by his drive and by his dedication."[1] He called for the earliest possible passage of the civil rights law, and demanded that Congress pass tax reform that would bring tax relief. In contrast with Kennedy's 1961 inauguration address, Johnson said "Today, in this moment of new resolve, I would say to all my fellow Americans, let us continue."[1] He closed the speech with a stanza from "America the Beautiful".

The speech was interrupted 34 times by applause from the audience. It was widely appreciated, and the New York Herald Tribune described his address as "fine words, fitting words, at times inspiring words".[2] Soon after his address, Johnson succeeded in getting the tax reform bill and the Civil Rights Act passed by Congress.

Accession to the presidency edit

Further information: First inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson
 
Lyndon B. Johnson at his swearing-in, with Jacqueline Kennedy at his left

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, at about 12:30 p.m. CST. Upon his death, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson acceded to the presidency. Johnson took the oath of office aboard Air Force One.[3] After the plane landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C., he gave a brief address to the public, which lasted less than 40 seconds.[4] Kennedy's widow Jacqueline Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and his children remained at the center of media and public attention in the following days,[5] particularly during the funeral ceremonies on November 25, 1963.[6]

Johnson, who had fallen into political isolation with his vice-presidency, was systematically pushed aside by many of Kennedy's advisers.[7][8] Following the assassination, immediately upon his arrival at his official vice-presidential residence at the Executive Office Building, Johnson spoke with Everett Dirksen, the Republican leader in the Senate, and with John W. McCormack, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives.[9] In the following days, he held telephone calls and meetings with various union leaders and representatives of the civil rights movement including Martin Luther King Jr. and Whitney Young. Johnson also contacted the opinion leaders of political liberalism and conservatism in Congress.[10] He asked for support and help in the task of leading the United States out of the crisis that had been caused by Kennedy's assassination. He also pursued this intention on November 25, 1963, when he met with state governors.[11][12] To publicly emphasize stability by the continuity of government work, Johnson made efforts to persuade key people from the Kennedy administration to stay in office.[13] Subsequently, prominent Kennedy advisers and cabinet members including Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, McGeorge Bundy, Ted Sorensen, Pierre Salinger, and Adlai Stevenson II continued in their official positions.[14][15][16] Even Robert F. Kennedy, who had been associated with Johnson in mutual dislike since their first meeting, was persuaded to continue his duties as the Attorney General.[17][18]

Preparation for the speech edit

All three presidents who were still living at the time pledged their support to Johnson. Former President Harry S. Truman advised him from his own experience of assuming the presidency upon his predecessor Franklin D. Roosevelt's death,[19] while former President Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in Washington, D.C., and had a conversation with Johnson in the Executive Office Building. In a confidential memorandum, Eisenhower suggested to Johnson to call a joint session of the Congress and deliver a speech of around 12 minutes.[20] Concluding his memorandum, Eisenhower wrote: "You hope that people of government and the entire nation may now mobilize their hearts, their hands and their resources for one purpose—to increase the spiritual and material resources of the nation and to advance her prestige and her capacity for leadership in the world for peace."[20]

 
Ted Sorensen
 
Horace Busby

Soon after, Johnson asked Ted Sorensen, Kennedy's chief speechwriter, to prepare a draft version for his speech.[21] Initially, several cabinet members and White House staff suggested that Johnson address the nation from the Oval Office.[22] However, after Eisenhower's memorandum, Johnson felt that the Capitol seemed suitable for the speech, as he had served long as a senator, and was often referred to as "Master of the Senate".[22][23] On the afternoon of November 23, it was decided that Johnson would address the Congress on November 27.[22] On November 25, Johnson attended Kennedy's state funeral,[24] and met with various foreign dignitaries including Lester Pearson, the prime minister of Canada; Hayato Ikeda, the prime minister of Japan; Anastas Mikoyan, the deputy premier of the Soviet Union; Alec Douglas-Home, the prime minister of the United Kingdom; and Charles de Gaulle, the president of France.[25] A day before the funeral, Lee Harvey Oswald, the man accused of killing President Kennedy was fatally shot by nightclub operator Jack Ruby.[26] Johnson put together a team to develop speech drafts, which included Sorensen, John Kenneth Galbraith, McGeorge Bundy, Horace Busby, and Bill Moyers.[27][28] Several other advisers provided essential ideas and thoughts for the planned speech; inputs came from Abe Fortas (a lawyer and friend of Johnson),[29] Senator Hubert Humphrey, Senator Mike Mansfield, Dean Rusk, Douglas Dillon, Adlai Stevenson, Orville Freeman, and Kermit Gordon.[30] Author Merle Miller wrote that "everybody knew it would be the most important speech of Johnson's career."[31] Many Americans did not know Johnson, and he felt that it was necessary to establish a trust and sense of leadership.[32] Johnson initially agreed to the draft version presented to him by Galbraith; however, on November 25, Sorensen vehemently opposed Galbraith's draft as it presented Johnson in a deprecatory way.[21] Subsequently, Sorensen presented a draft that paid tribute to Kennedy and seemed like his personal obituary.[33][34] In his versions of the draft, Johnson remained in the shadow of his predecessor and was presented as someone who would implement the ideas of his predecessor, but was unwilling to take on independent and hands-on leadership.[35]

Based on useful elements from Sorensen's draft, Senator Humphrey, Abe Fortas, Walter Jenkins, Jack Valenti, Moyers, and Busby provided the synthesis and fine-tuning on the night of November 26.[36] In a memorandum to the secretary of state, the United States ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson expressed his concern for the draft and asserted that it had not sufficiently echoed Kennedy's foreign policy philosophy, including his support for the United Nations. This was subsequently added to the draft, but it appeared briefly in Johnson's address.[37] Remembering Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech in which Kennedy said "Let Us Begin", Busby suggested and inserted the formative words "Let Us Continue" on November 26.[38]

Public speaking was not one of Johnson's strengths. According to Ashley Barrett, his "thick [S]outhern accent often took away from the content of his messages, distracting some listeners and agitating others".[39] During his tenure as the vice president, Johnson began to place more emphasis on his public speaking skills,[40] although he feared that he could not compete with Kennedy's oration.[39] It was decided to broadcast the speech on television.[41] Awaiting answers about Kennedy's assassination, it was estimated that Americans watched television on average between eight and ten hours a day.[5][42] The allusion to Kennedy's words became an instrument for highlighting Johnson's leadership, which pushed for action, especially the political implementation of programs and legislation that had come to a complete standstill.[43] Busby made sure that Johnson did not disappear behind Kennedy, but as a political leader calling on his countrymen to "fulfill the destiny that history has set for us".[44] Johnson had insisted on addressing civil rights prominently the evening before the speech, but advisers considered this topic detrimental because progress could not be achieved in the Congress due to the obstruction policy of Southern politicians.[45] In response, Johnson asked, "What the hell's the presidency for?"[46] After at least nine draft versions,[47] Johnson studied the final version on the morning of November 27. A few lines, including a request for a moment of silence, and a couple of paragraphs describing America's status as a "good society" were omitted from the final draft.[48] Johnson also removed references to "liberal" and "conservative" from the speech, which read: "We must not mask the magnitude of challenge before us for fear of being called 'liberal', just as we must not accept unnecessary programs for fear of being called 'conservative'".[49] Johnson made only minor changes and added hints where he, in danger of speaking too quickly, planned a pause. Underscores marked the words he wanted to emphasize.[49]

Address to the joint session edit

 
"Let Us Continue"
President Johnson's address to the joint session
Problems playing this file? See media help.
 
Manuscript of the speech in the National Archives and Records Administration

The speech opened with Johnson being introduced to members of the joint session by John W. McCormack, the speaker of the House of Representatives. Johnson began with his tribute to President Kennedy and his work. He said: "All I have I would have given gladly not to be standing here today."[1] He called Kennedy the "greatest leader of our time", and emphasized at the outset that no word was sad enough to gauge the grief that Kennedy's assassination had caused.[1] He continued,

The dream of conquering the vastness of space—the dream of partnership across the Atlantic—and across the Pacific as well—the dream of a Peace Corps in less developed nations—the dream of education for all of our children—the dream of jobs for all who seek them and need them–the dream of care for our elderly—the dream of an all-out attack on mental illness—and above all, the dream of equal rights for all Americans, whatever their race or color—these and other American dreams have been vitalized by his drive and by his dedication. [sic?][50]

Johnson then declared his intention to maintain continuity in foreign policy. It was followed by a passage devoted primarily to domestic policy.[51] He said: "This Nation will keep its commitments from South Vietnam to West Berlin."[1] He then asked the members of Congress to decide on tax reform and a bill to reduce racial discrimination.[52] He asked all Americans for their help,[53] saying: "An assassin's bullet has thrust upon me the awesome burden of the Presidency. I am here today to say I need your help; I cannot bear this burden alone."[1] Referring to Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address,[52] he said:

On the 20th day of January, in 1961, John F. Kennedy told his countrymen that our national work would not be finished 'in the first thousand days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet'. But, he said, 'let us begin'. Today, in this moment of new resolve, I would say to all my fellow Americans, let us continue.[1]

Johnson requested the earliest possible passage of the civil rights law, for which Kennedy had fought throughout his presidency.[54] He emphasized that equal rights had been spoken of for some time without political action:[52] "It is time now to write the next chapter, and to write it in the books of law. All traces of discrimination and oppression based on race or skin color should be eliminated."[50] He also demanded that Congress pass a tax reform that would bring tax relief.[55] The tax reform was conceived in the spirit of a supply-oriented economic policy.[55][56] He said: "As one who has long served in both Houses of the Congress, I firmly believe in the independence and the integrity of the legislative branch. And I promise you that I shall always respect this ... With equal firmness, I believe in the capacity and I believe in the ability of the Congress, despite the divisions of opinions which characterize our Nation, to act--to act wisely, to act vigorously, to act speedily when the need arises."[1] Johnson was aware that such demands could give the appearance of disregarding the autonomy of Congress. He countered this impression by asserting that he firmly believed in the independence and integrity of the legislature, and he assumed that the Congress was capable of intelligent, energetic, and immediate action. He emphasized: "The need is here. The need is now. I ask your help."[50]

 
Lady Bird Johnson, her daughters Lynda and Luci, and other people in the family box during the speech.

Johnson's call for action was expressed in the speech by the frequent use of the term "action", which he used 10 times. He had already repeatedly asked for help in talks with representatives of various interest groups and with individuals.[57] He also used repetitions in other parts of the speech to convey his message.[41] This stylistic device was used right at the beginning of the speech when Johnson spoke that "Kennedy lives on in the immortal words and works that he left behind."[50] Also at the beginning, he used the means of repetition when he recalled the political dreams that Kennedy had begun to realize: "The dream of conquering the vastness of space ..."[50] Towards the end of his speech, he alluded to a phrase from Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address of 1863:[58] "So let us here highly resolve that John Fitzgerald Kennedy did not live – or die – in vain."[50] He closed the speech with a stanza from "America the Beautiful",[52] saying:

And on this Thanksgiving eve, as we gather together to ask the Lord's blessing, and give Him our thanks, let us unite in those familiar and cherished words:

America, America,
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good With brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.[1]

Evaluation and legacy edit

 
President Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson entering the White House

Johnson's speech was interrupted 34 times by applause from the audience.[59] Apart from the members of Congress, his wife Lady Bird Johnson, and his daughters; government members and advisers, Supreme Court justices, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, foreign diplomats, and many members of the press were also present.[60] The applause was longest and loudest when Johnson called on Congress to swiftly pass a civil rights bill.[61] Strong applause also followed towards the end of Johnson's speech, when he called for national and political cohesion across all differences.[62] His listeners finally reacted with standing ovations after he had finished his speech, referring back to song-lines from "America the Beautiful" – very slowly, with feeling, in a soft, almost breaking voice.[21][63] However, not all Congress members applauded during the speech. Republicans held back in many moments. In particular, no Southern politicians applauded Johnson's call for a civil rights bill.[41][64]

Various newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Boston Herald praised the speech.[2] The New York Herald Tribune described his address as: "fine words, fitting words, at times inspiring words. As he stood before Congress and the nation, not a fluke of history but a president."[2] In the following weeks, various letters and telegrams to the White House showed that the speech was also received positively outside the press.[2] The echo in the international press of Western Europe, Latin America (including Cuba), and the Middle East was also favorable.[2] Robert Dallek judged that few other factors had contributed more to the successful transfer of power than this speech.[65] Robert A. Caro called the speech a "triumph".[66]

Soon after his address, Johnson succeeded in getting the long-blocked budget, including a tax reform bill, passed by Congress.[67] Immediately thereafter, efforts began to push through the Civil Rights Act, which succeeded despite considerable resistance from Southern politicians in July 1964. Polls showed high approval ratings for Johnson. Between March and May 1964, his approval rose from 70 to 77 percent.[68]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Transcript – LBJ Library 1963.
  2. ^ a b c d e Witherspoon 1987, p. 538.
  3. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 307–336.
  4. ^ Remarks at Andrews AFB 1963.
  5. ^ a b Barrett 2009, p. 101.
  6. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 378–388.
  7. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 199–207.
  8. ^ Dallek 1998, pp. 7, 44.
  9. ^ Witherspoon 1987, p. 531.
  10. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 406–409.
  11. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 418–420.
  12. ^ Kiewe 1994, p. 77.
  13. ^ Dallek 1998, p. 49.
  14. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 409–414.
  15. ^ Goodwin 1976, p. 174.
  16. ^ Dallek 1998, pp. 87–90.
  17. ^ Dallek 1998, pp. 32–38, 50, 57.
  18. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 61–63.
  19. ^ Johnson 1971, pp. 30–31.
  20. ^ a b Johnson 1971, p. 32.
  21. ^ a b c Barrett 2009, p. 98.
  22. ^ a b c Witherspoon 1987, p. 532.
  23. ^ Lyndon B. Johnson: Master of the Senate.
  24. ^ Johnson 1971, p. 33.
  25. ^ Caro 2012, p. 417.
  26. ^ Jack Ruby kills Lee Harvey Oswald 2010.
  27. ^ Pace 2000.
  28. ^ Witherspoon 1987, p. 533.
  29. ^ Dallek 1998, p. 26.
  30. ^ Barrett 2009, p. 78.
  31. ^ Miller 1980, p. 337.
  32. ^ Caro 2012, p. 426.
  33. ^ Kiewe 1994, p. 80.
  34. ^ Tofel 2008.
  35. ^ Barrett 2009, p. 105.
  36. ^ Barrett 2009, p. 108.
  37. ^ Witherspoon 1987, p. 534.
  38. ^ Kennedy's 1960 inaugural address.
  39. ^ a b Barrett 2009, p. 97.
  40. ^ Hall 1965, p. 174.
  41. ^ a b c Unger 1999, p. 293.
  42. ^ Goodwin 1976, p. 192.
  43. ^ Barrett 2009, p. 104.
  44. ^ Barrett 2009, p. 109.
  45. ^ Barrett 2009, p. 113.
  46. ^ Caro 2012, pp. xiv, 428.
  47. ^ Kiewe 1994, p. 79.
  48. ^ Witherspoon 1987, pp. 535–536.
  49. ^ a b Caro 2012, p. 428.
  50. ^ a b c d e f Johnson 1964, pp. 149–156.
  51. ^ Witherspoon 1987, pp. 536–537.
  52. ^ a b c d Witherspoon 1987, pp. 536–538.
  53. ^ Dallek 1998, p. 56.
  54. ^ Bornet 1988, pp. 46–47.
  55. ^ a b Gittinger & Fisher 2004.
  56. ^ Dallek 1998, pp. 71–74.
  57. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 334, 365, 368, 406, 419, 421.
  58. ^ Bornet 1988, p. 47.
  59. ^ Witherspoon 1987, p. 537.
  60. ^ Caro 2012, p. 429.
  61. ^ Caro 2012, p. 431.
  62. ^ Kiewe 1994, p. 84.
  63. ^ Caro 2012, p. 432.
  64. ^ Woods 2007, p. 435.
  65. ^ Dallek 2004, p. 146.
  66. ^ Caro 2012, p. 435.
  67. ^ Caro 2012, pp. 466–483, 552–557.
  68. ^ Caro 2012, p. 595.

Works cited edit

Books and journals

  • Barrett, Ashley (2009). "Lyndon B. Johnson, 'Let Us Continue'" (PDF). Voice of Democracy (4 ed.). pp. 97–119. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  • Bornet, Vaughn Davis (1988). The Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-0237-7. LCCN 83012560. OL 19536837M.
  • Caro, Robert A. (2012). The Passage of Power. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-679-40507-8. LCCN 2012010752. OL 25270398M.
  • Dallek, Robert (1998). Flawed Giant: Lyndon Johnson and his times, 1961–1973. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-505465-1. LCCN 97039084. OL 691919M.
  • Dallek, Robert (2004). Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-515920-2. LCCN 2003011360. OL 3675369M.
  • Gittinger, Ted; Fisher, Allen (2004). "LBJ Champions the Civil Rights Act of 1964". Prologue. Vol. 36, no. 2. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  • Goodwin, Doris Kearns (1976). Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream. Signet Press. ISBN 978-0-233-96839-1. OCLC 1173459482.
  • Hall, Robert N. (1965). "Lyndon Johnson's Speech Preparation". Quarterly Journal of Speech. 51 (2): 168–176. doi:10.1080/00335636509382715.
  • Johnson, Lyndon B. (1964). A Time For Action: A Selection From the Speeches and Writings of Lyndon B. Johnson, 1953–64. Atheneum Publishers. OL 5914145M.
  • Johnson, Lyndon B. (1971). The Vantage Point: Perspectives of the Presidency, 1963–1969. Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 978-0-03-084492-8. LCCN 74102146. OL 5075564M.
  • Kiewe, Amos (1994). The Modern presidency and crisis rhetoric. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-275-94176-5. LCCN 92037528. OL 1732834M.
  • Miller, Merle (1980). Lyndon, an Oral Biography. G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 978-0-399-12357-3.
  • Unger, Irwin (1999). LBJ: A Life. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-17602-2. OL 7612846M.
  • Witherspoon, Patricia D. (1987). "'Let Us Continue:' The Rhetorical Initiation of Lyndon Johnson's Presidency". Presidential Studies Quarterly. Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress. 17 (3): 531–539. JSTOR 27550444.
  • Woods, Randall B. (2007). LBJ: Architect of American Ambition. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-02699-5. OL 9504067M.

Other sources

External links edit

  •   Works related to Let Us Continue at Wikisource
  •   Media related to Let Us Continue at Wikimedia Commons

February 15, 2024
continue, speech, that, 36th, president, united, states, lyndon, johnson, delivered, joint, session, congress, november, 1963, five, days, after, assassination, predecessor, john, kennedy, almost, minute, speech, considered, most, important, political, career,. Let Us Continue is a speech that 36th President of the United States Lyndon B Johnson delivered to a joint session of Congress on November 27 1963 five days after the assassination of his predecessor John F Kennedy The almost 25 minute speech is considered one of the most important in his political career Let Us ContinueLyndon B Johnson delivering the speechDateNovember 27 1963 1963 11 27 Duration 25 minutesVenueUnited States CapitolLocationWashington D C Coordinates38 53 23 N 77 00 32 W 38 88972 N 77 00889 W 38 88972 77 00889TypeSpeechParticipantsPresident Lyndon B Johnson source source track An excerpt from the speech where Johnson says Let Us Continue After Kennedy s assassination Johnson until then Vice President ascended to the position To publicly emphasize stability by the continuity of government Johnson made efforts to persuade key people from the Kennedy administration to stay in office Subsequently various Kennedy officials including his brother and Attorney General Robert F Kennedy stayed in the Cabinet Former President Dwight D Eisenhower had a conversation with Johnson in the Executive Office Building and in a confidential memorandum he suggested that Johnson call a joint session of the Congress and deliver a speech Soon after Johnson asked Ted Sorensen Kennedy s chief speechwriter to prepare a draft version for his speech Input about the subject matter and content of the speech came from various advisers including John Kenneth Galbraith It was decided to broadcast the speech on television on November 27 After at least nine draft versions Johnson studied the final version that same morning making a few minor changes In his address he called Kennedy the greatest leader of our time and said that American dreams have been vitalized by his drive and by his dedication 1 He called for the earliest possible passage of the civil rights law and demanded that Congress pass tax reform that would bring tax relief In contrast with Kennedy s 1961 inauguration address Johnson said Today in this moment of new resolve I would say to all my fellow Americans let us continue 1 He closed the speech with a stanza from America the Beautiful The speech was interrupted 34 times by applause from the audience It was widely appreciated and the New York Herald Tribune described his address as fine words fitting words at times inspiring words 2 Soon after his address Johnson succeeded in getting the tax reform bill and the Civil Rights Act passed by Congress Contents 1 Accession to the presidency 2 Preparation for the speech 3 Address to the joint session 4 Evaluation and legacy 5 See also 6 References 7 Works cited 8 External linksAccession to the presidency editFurther information First inauguration of Lyndon B Johnson nbsp Lyndon B Johnson at his swearing in with Jacqueline Kennedy at his leftOn November 22 1963 President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas at about 12 30 p m CST Upon his death Vice President Lyndon B Johnson acceded to the presidency Johnson took the oath of office aboard Air Force One 3 After the plane landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington D C he gave a brief address to the public which lasted less than 40 seconds 4 Kennedy s widow Jacqueline Kennedy his brother Robert F Kennedy and his children remained at the center of media and public attention in the following days 5 particularly during the funeral ceremonies on November 25 1963 6 Johnson who had fallen into political isolation with his vice presidency was systematically pushed aside by many of Kennedy s advisers 7 8 Following the assassination immediately upon his arrival at his official vice presidential residence at the Executive Office Building Johnson spoke with Everett Dirksen the Republican leader in the Senate and with John W McCormack the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives 9 In the following days he held telephone calls and meetings with various union leaders and representatives of the civil rights movement including Martin Luther King Jr and Whitney Young Johnson also contacted the opinion leaders of political liberalism and conservatism in Congress 10 He asked for support and help in the task of leading the United States out of the crisis that had been caused by Kennedy s assassination He also pursued this intention on November 25 1963 when he met with state governors 11 12 To publicly emphasize stability by the continuity of government work Johnson made efforts to persuade key people from the Kennedy administration to stay in office 13 Subsequently prominent Kennedy advisers and cabinet members including Robert McNamara Dean Rusk McGeorge Bundy Ted Sorensen Pierre Salinger and Adlai Stevenson II continued in their official positions 14 15 16 Even Robert F Kennedy who had been associated with Johnson in mutual dislike since their first meeting was persuaded to continue his duties as the Attorney General 17 18 Preparation for the speech editAll three presidents who were still living at the time pledged their support to Johnson Former President Harry S Truman advised him from his own experience of assuming the presidency upon his predecessor Franklin D Roosevelt s death 19 while former President Dwight D Eisenhower arrived in Washington D C and had a conversation with Johnson in the Executive Office Building In a confidential memorandum Eisenhower suggested to Johnson to call a joint session of the Congress and deliver a speech of around 12 minutes 20 Concluding his memorandum Eisenhower wrote You hope that people of government and the entire nation may now mobilize their hearts their hands and their resources for one purpose to increase the spiritual and material resources of the nation and to advance her prestige and her capacity for leadership in the world for peace 20 nbsp Ted Sorensen nbsp Horace Busby Soon after Johnson asked Ted Sorensen Kennedy s chief speechwriter to prepare a draft version for his speech 21 Initially several cabinet members and White House staff suggested that Johnson address the nation from the Oval Office 22 However after Eisenhower s memorandum Johnson felt that the Capitol seemed suitable for the speech as he had served long as a senator and was often referred to as Master of the Senate 22 23 On the afternoon of November 23 it was decided that Johnson would address the Congress on November 27 22 On November 25 Johnson attended Kennedy s state funeral 24 and met with various foreign dignitaries including Lester Pearson the prime minister of Canada Hayato Ikeda the prime minister of Japan Anastas Mikoyan the deputy premier of the Soviet Union Alec Douglas Home the prime minister of the United Kingdom and Charles de Gaulle the president of France 25 A day before the funeral Lee Harvey Oswald the man accused of killing President Kennedy was fatally shot by nightclub operator Jack Ruby 26 Johnson put together a team to develop speech drafts which included Sorensen John Kenneth Galbraith McGeorge Bundy Horace Busby and Bill Moyers 27 28 Several other advisers provided essential ideas and thoughts for the planned speech inputs came from Abe Fortas a lawyer and friend of Johnson 29 Senator Hubert Humphrey Senator Mike Mansfield Dean Rusk Douglas Dillon Adlai Stevenson Orville Freeman and Kermit Gordon 30 Author Merle Miller wrote that everybody knew it would be the most important speech of Johnson s career 31 Many Americans did not know Johnson and he felt that it was necessary to establish a trust and sense of leadership 32 Johnson initially agreed to the draft version presented to him by Galbraith however on November 25 Sorensen vehemently opposed Galbraith s draft as it presented Johnson in a deprecatory way 21 Subsequently Sorensen presented a draft that paid tribute to Kennedy and seemed like his personal obituary 33 34 In his versions of the draft Johnson remained in the shadow of his predecessor and was presented as someone who would implement the ideas of his predecessor but was unwilling to take on independent and hands on leadership 35 Based on useful elements from Sorensen s draft Senator Humphrey Abe Fortas Walter Jenkins Jack Valenti Moyers and Busby provided the synthesis and fine tuning on the night of November 26 36 In a memorandum to the secretary of state the United States ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson expressed his concern for the draft and asserted that it had not sufficiently echoed Kennedy s foreign policy philosophy including his support for the United Nations This was subsequently added to the draft but it appeared briefly in Johnson s address 37 Remembering Kennedy s 1961 inaugural speech in which Kennedy said Let Us Begin Busby suggested and inserted the formative words Let Us Continue on November 26 38 Public speaking was not one of Johnson s strengths According to Ashley Barrett his thick S outhern accent often took away from the content of his messages distracting some listeners and agitating others 39 During his tenure as the vice president Johnson began to place more emphasis on his public speaking skills 40 although he feared that he could not compete with Kennedy s oration 39 It was decided to broadcast the speech on television 41 Awaiting answers about Kennedy s assassination it was estimated that Americans watched television on average between eight and ten hours a day 5 42 The allusion to Kennedy s words became an instrument for highlighting Johnson s leadership which pushed for action especially the political implementation of programs and legislation that had come to a complete standstill 43 Busby made sure that Johnson did not disappear behind Kennedy but as a political leader calling on his countrymen to fulfill the destiny that history has set for us 44 Johnson had insisted on addressing civil rights prominently the evening before the speech but advisers considered this topic detrimental because progress could not be achieved in the Congress due to the obstruction policy of Southern politicians 45 In response Johnson asked What the hell s the presidency for 46 After at least nine draft versions 47 Johnson studied the final version on the morning of November 27 A few lines including a request for a moment of silence and a couple of paragraphs describing America s status as a good society were omitted from the final draft 48 Johnson also removed references to liberal and conservative from the speech which read We must not mask the magnitude of challenge before us for fear of being called liberal just as we must not accept unnecessary programs for fear of being called conservative 49 Johnson made only minor changes and added hints where he in danger of speaking too quickly planned a pause Underscores marked the words he wanted to emphasize 49 Address to the joint session edit nbsp Let Us Continue source source President Johnson s address to the joint session Problems playing this file See media help nbsp Manuscript of the speech in the National Archives and Records AdministrationThe speech opened with Johnson being introduced to members of the joint session by John W McCormack the speaker of the House of Representatives Johnson began with his tribute to President Kennedy and his work He said All I have I would have given gladly not to be standing here today 1 He called Kennedy the greatest leader of our time and emphasized at the outset that no word was sad enough to gauge the grief that Kennedy s assassination had caused 1 He continued The dream of conquering the vastness of space the dream of partnership across the Atlantic and across the Pacific as well the dream of a Peace Corps in less developed nations the dream of education for all of our children the dream of jobs for all who seek them and need them the dream of care for our elderly the dream of an all out attack on mental illness and above all the dream of equal rights for all Americans whatever their race or color these and other American dreams have been vitalized by his drive and by his dedication sic 50 Johnson then declared his intention to maintain continuity in foreign policy It was followed by a passage devoted primarily to domestic policy 51 He said This Nation will keep its commitments from South Vietnam to West Berlin 1 He then asked the members of Congress to decide on tax reform and a bill to reduce racial discrimination 52 He asked all Americans for their help 53 saying An assassin s bullet has thrust upon me the awesome burden of the Presidency I am here today to say I need your help I cannot bear this burden alone 1 Referring to Kennedy s 1961 inaugural address 52 he said On the 20th day of January in 1961 John F Kennedy told his countrymen that our national work would not be finished in the first thousand days nor in the life of this administration nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet But he said let us begin Today in this moment of new resolve I would say to all my fellow Americans let us continue 1 Johnson requested the earliest possible passage of the civil rights law for which Kennedy had fought throughout his presidency 54 He emphasized that equal rights had been spoken of for some time without political action 52 It is time now to write the next chapter and to write it in the books of law All traces of discrimination and oppression based on race or skin color should be eliminated 50 He also demanded that Congress pass a tax reform that would bring tax relief 55 The tax reform was conceived in the spirit of a supply oriented economic policy 55 56 He said As one who has long served in both Houses of the Congress I firmly believe in the independence and the integrity of the legislative branch And I promise you that I shall always respect this With equal firmness I believe in the capacity and I believe in the ability of the Congress despite the divisions of opinions which characterize our Nation to act to act wisely to act vigorously to act speedily when the need arises 1 Johnson was aware that such demands could give the appearance of disregarding the autonomy of Congress He countered this impression by asserting that he firmly believed in the independence and integrity of the legislature and he assumed that the Congress was capable of intelligent energetic and immediate action He emphasized The need is here The need is now I ask your help 50 nbsp Lady Bird Johnson her daughters Lynda and Luci and other people in the family box during the speech Johnson s call for action was expressed in the speech by the frequent use of the term action which he used 10 times He had already repeatedly asked for help in talks with representatives of various interest groups and with individuals 57 He also used repetitions in other parts of the speech to convey his message 41 This stylistic device was used right at the beginning of the speech when Johnson spoke that Kennedy lives on in the immortal words and works that he left behind 50 Also at the beginning he used the means of repetition when he recalled the political dreams that Kennedy had begun to realize The dream of conquering the vastness of space 50 Towards the end of his speech he alluded to a phrase from Abraham Lincoln s famous Gettysburg Address of 1863 58 So let us here highly resolve that John Fitzgerald Kennedy did not live or die in vain 50 He closed the speech with a stanza from America the Beautiful 52 saying And on this Thanksgiving eve as we gather together to ask the Lord s blessing and give Him our thanks let us unite in those familiar and cherished words America America God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good With brotherhood From sea to shining sea 1 Evaluation and legacy edit nbsp President Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson entering the White HouseJohnson s speech was interrupted 34 times by applause from the audience 59 Apart from the members of Congress his wife Lady Bird Johnson and his daughters government members and advisers Supreme Court justices members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff foreign diplomats and many members of the press were also present 60 The applause was longest and loudest when Johnson called on Congress to swiftly pass a civil rights bill 61 Strong applause also followed towards the end of Johnson s speech when he called for national and political cohesion across all differences 62 His listeners finally reacted with standing ovations after he had finished his speech referring back to song lines from America the Beautiful very slowly with feeling in a soft almost breaking voice 21 63 However not all Congress members applauded during the speech Republicans held back in many moments In particular no Southern politicians applauded Johnson s call for a civil rights bill 41 64 Various newspapers including The New York Times The Washington Post and the Boston Herald praised the speech 2 The New York Herald Tribune described his address as fine words fitting words at times inspiring words As he stood before Congress and the nation not a fluke of history but a president 2 In the following weeks various letters and telegrams to the White House showed that the speech was also received positively outside the press 2 The echo in the international press of Western Europe Latin America including Cuba and the Middle East was also favorable 2 Robert Dallek judged that few other factors had contributed more to the successful transfer of power than this speech 65 Robert A Caro called the speech a triumph 66 Soon after his address Johnson succeeded in getting the long blocked budget including a tax reform bill passed by Congress 67 Immediately thereafter efforts began to push through the Civil Rights Act which succeeded despite considerable resistance from Southern politicians in July 1964 Polls showed high approval ratings for Johnson Between March and May 1964 his approval rose from 70 to 77 percent 68 See also editPresidency of Lyndon B Johnson Lyndon B Johnson 1964 presidential campaign War on povertyReferences edit a b c d e f g h i Transcript LBJ Library 1963 a b c d e Witherspoon 1987 p 538 Caro 2012 pp 307 336 Remarks at Andrews AFB 1963 a b Barrett 2009 p 101 Caro 2012 pp 378 388 Caro 2012 pp 199 207 Dallek 1998 pp 7 44 Witherspoon 1987 p 531 Caro 2012 pp 406 409 Caro 2012 pp 418 420 Kiewe 1994 p 77 Dallek 1998 p 49 Caro 2012 pp 409 414 Goodwin 1976 p 174 Dallek 1998 pp 87 90 Dallek 1998 pp 32 38 50 57 Caro 2012 pp 61 63 Johnson 1971 pp 30 31 a b Johnson 1971 p 32 a b c Barrett 2009 p 98 a b c Witherspoon 1987 p 532 Lyndon B Johnson Master of the Senate Johnson 1971 p 33 Caro 2012 p 417 Jack Ruby kills Lee Harvey Oswald 2010 Pace 2000 Witherspoon 1987 p 533 Dallek 1998 p 26 Barrett 2009 p 78 Miller 1980 p 337 Caro 2012 p 426 Kiewe 1994 p 80 Tofel 2008 Barrett 2009 p 105 Barrett 2009 p 108 Witherspoon 1987 p 534 Kennedy s 1960 inaugural address a b Barrett 2009 p 97 Hall 1965 p 174 a b c Unger 1999 p 293 Goodwin 1976 p 192 Barrett 2009 p 104 Barrett 2009 p 109 Barrett 2009 p 113 Caro 2012 pp xiv 428 Kiewe 1994 p 79 Witherspoon 1987 pp 535 536 a b Caro 2012 p 428 a b c d e f Johnson 1964 pp 149 156 Witherspoon 1987 pp 536 537 a b c d Witherspoon 1987 pp 536 538 Dallek 1998 p 56 Bornet 1988 pp 46 47 a b Gittinger amp Fisher 2004 Dallek 1998 pp 71 74 Caro 2012 pp 334 365 368 406 419 421 Bornet 1988 p 47 Witherspoon 1987 p 537 Caro 2012 p 429 Caro 2012 p 431 Kiewe 1994 p 84 Caro 2012 p 432 Woods 2007 p 435 Dallek 2004 p 146 Caro 2012 p 435 Caro 2012 pp 466 483 552 557 Caro 2012 p 595 Works cited editBooks and journals Barrett Ashley 2009 Lyndon B Johnson Let Us Continue PDF Voice of Democracy 4 ed pp 97 119 Retrieved September 16 2021 Bornet Vaughn Davis 1988 The Presidency of Lyndon B Johnson University Press of Kansas ISBN 978 0 7006 0237 7 LCCN 83012560 OL 19536837M Caro Robert A 2012 The Passage of Power Alfred A Knopf ISBN 978 0 679 40507 8 LCCN 2012010752 OL 25270398M Dallek Robert 1998 Flawed Giant Lyndon Johnson and his times 1961 1973 Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 505465 1 LCCN 97039084 OL 691919M Dallek Robert 2004 Lyndon B Johnson Portrait of a President Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 515920 2 LCCN 2003011360 OL 3675369M Gittinger Ted Fisher Allen 2004 LBJ Champions the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Prologue Vol 36 no 2 Retrieved September 17 2021 Goodwin Doris Kearns 1976 Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream Signet Press ISBN 978 0 233 96839 1 OCLC 1173459482 Hall Robert N 1965 Lyndon Johnson s Speech Preparation Quarterly Journal of Speech 51 2 168 176 doi 10 1080 00335636509382715 Johnson Lyndon B 1964 A Time For Action A Selection From the Speeches and Writings of Lyndon B Johnson 1953 64 Atheneum Publishers OL 5914145M Johnson Lyndon B 1971 The Vantage Point Perspectives of the Presidency 1963 1969 Rinehart and Winston ISBN 978 0 03 084492 8 LCCN 74102146 OL 5075564M Kiewe Amos 1994 The Modern presidency and crisis rhetoric Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 978 0 275 94176 5 LCCN 92037528 OL 1732834M Miller Merle 1980 Lyndon an Oral Biography G P Putnam s Sons ISBN 978 0 399 12357 3 Unger Irwin 1999 LBJ A Life Wiley ISBN 978 0 471 17602 2 OL 7612846M Witherspoon Patricia D 1987 Let Us Continue The Rhetorical Initiation of Lyndon Johnson s Presidency Presidential Studies Quarterly Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress 17 3 531 539 JSTOR 27550444 Woods Randall B 2007 LBJ Architect of American Ambition Harvard University Press ISBN 978 0 674 02699 5 OL 9504067M Other sources History com Editors February 9 2010 Jack Ruby kills Lee Harvey Oswald History A amp E Television Networks Retrieved September 18 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help Johnson Lyndon B November 22 1963 Remarks at Andrews AFB following the Assassination of John F Kennedy Television broadcast via YouTube Originally recorded by CBS News Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum Retrieved September 16 2021 Pace Eric June 3 2000 Horace Busby 76 Ex White House Aide and Johnson Adviser The New York Times Retrieved September 17 2021 Johnson Lyndon B November 27 1963 Peters Gerhard Woolley John T eds Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum The American Presidency Project Retrieved September 19 2021 Tofel Richard J May 9 2008 In His Own Words The Wall Street Journal Retrieved September 17 2021 Inaugural Address John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Retrieved September 18 2021 Lyndon B Johnson Master of the Senate United States Senate Retrieved September 16 2021 Tallerico Brian May 20 2016 All the Way RogerEbert com Retrieved September 25 2021 External links edit nbsp Works related to Let Us Continue at Wikisource nbsp Media related to Let Us Continue at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Let Us Continue amp oldid 1188591542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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