One of the most evocative political photographs taken a week before election 1960

[octoberlib]

Link to tweet

?s=20


The photo is jarring.

An angry Lyndon Johnson, on the steps about to board an airplane, is pointing his finger and angrily shouting. Presidential candidate John Kennedy is a step or two above him, a serious look on his face, and reaching down to Johnson in an effort to cool him down.

American historian Michael Beschloss, who specializes in the U.S. presidency, tweeted that photo on Sunday. He called the photo “one of the most evocative photographs ever made of American political history.” And it was taken this week in 1960, and right here in River City, right here in Amarillo by Globe-News photographer Richard Pipes. Today, it’s archived in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.


Just as Kennedy was about to speak on the makeshift platform to a crowd about to hang on his every word, an aircraft taxied not far away. It then revved its engines. That annoyed the crowd, which was waiting for the plane or jet — it’s not clear what it was — to take off so they could hear Kennedy. But the aircraft never moved. Its engines just roared and roared.

. It was political dirty tricks. The photo showed Johnson wanted to fight somebody. He was embarrassed by Amarillo in his home state. He likely filed that one away.

https://www.amarillo.com/local-news/news/2017-11-06/beilue-one-politics-most-evocative-photos-taken-amarillo

[Timewas]

1. LBJ

Was indeed a fighter

[UpInArms]

2. That says so much about Amarillo

But the aircraft never moved. Its engines just roared and roared.

Such a hard right small town that attempts to be a city.

Lived there for many years ... graduated high school there ...

Am glad that I can finally say that I will not live there again.

(Still have a wonderful friend and family there)

Just cannot abide the town’s politics.

[rownesheck]

3. I've never been there.

My wife has, and she says it smells like cow manure.

[UpInArms]

4. Only when the wind blows from Hereford

But there is a huge IPB processing plant ...

to me, it smells like death