Presidential Report Card

Presidential Report Card

Name of President: Lyndon B. Johnson

Number of Presidency: 36th president of the United States

Years in Office: November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969

In the following ten categories, grade your president from an A to an F. (You may “acknowledge” border-line grades with a – or a +).  You will need to give a 50 word justification as to why your candidate scored as they did. 

Category	Grade	Comments
Ability to handle and deal with a crisis	A+	Lyndon Johnson dealt with crisis really well. He had dealt with the assassination of president JFK which made him president and he stepped in and did the job the best way he knew how. He led us in the Vietnam war and launching air missiles. Just like any other president he discussed all aspects of the war with the other leaders before making the final decision.
Ability to work with Congress and Cabinet	B	Lyndon Johnson worked hard as a president. he had goals and determination and worked many hours. Lyndon Johnson could be considered pushy as he would push congress and the cabinet to do what he thought should be done. He also linked himself to deceased JFK to convince them to pass JFK's bills.
Character and Integrity	A-	President Lyndon Johnson worked 18-20 hour days without a break. A biographer Robert Dallek stated there was no more powerful majority leader in American history. He was very powerful and it is what made him a great president. He took the time to learn about the people that were around him daily.
Education	A+	Lyndon Johnson did really bad in school and was refused admission to college.  He grew up very poor and found himself always in trouble. Years of odd jobs and getting in trouble Lyndon Johnson entered Texas State Teachers College. Because Johnson grew up in poverty he found himself excelling in his student teaching helping others that were very poor as well. After student Teaching Johnson later took over the school in Cotella. During his presidency Johnson was able to receive federal funding for education
Empathy	A+	Lyndon Johnson allowed the African American race to vote for the very first time. Lyndon set in motion the war on poverty causing the national poverty rate to decline and started the health care reform which created programs like head start, food stamps, medicare and medicaid. Lyndon also created federal funding for education.
Foreign Policy	D	Lyndon Johnson is the president known for the Vietnam War. Johnson did not like and didn't understand foreigners stating 'Foreigners are not like the folks I am use to. Some say he lacked many of the instincts and sympathies required to conduct a foreign policy. The latest studies suggests that he never really had a true foreign policy.
Relates to the common man	A	Lyndon Johnson relates well to the common man because he was one himself. Lyndon Johnson grew up in rural poverty and worked his way through. Lyndon learned compassion for the poverty of others. Lyndon Johnson's agenda for congress was a program that he called the "Great Society" which helped with aid to education, attack on disease, urban renewal and a wide scale fight against poverty
Persuasiveness	B	Lyndon Johnson persuaded the squabbling branches of government to work together. Lydon Johnson was able to get a large number of segregationists to vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Like most presidents, Lyndon Johnson knew that in order to be successful he had to master the ability to persuade.
Political Experience	A+	Lyndon Johnson was a democrat from Texas. Johnson served as a United States Representative from 1937-1949. Lyndon Johnson was a United States Senator from 1949-1961, including 6 years as Senate majority Leader and two years as Senate Majority Whip. In 1960 Lyndon Johnson was Vice President and later became President when JFK was assassinated.
Public speaking & Communication	B	Lyndon Johnsons voting rights speech on March 5th, 1965 was considered a landmark of US oratory.Writer Garth E. Pauley stated that Johnson was not a gifted public speaker in general but the voting rights speech was indeed exceptional. Lyndon Johnson did not find public speaking a challenge but preferred to communicate with individuals than an audience.