Reply #19: I thought so at the time

[frogcycle]

but have come to believe that he was more cynical - that he pushed the "Great Society" only to appease the masses whilst feeding the m-i-c. Or maybe he was sincere in them and just f'd up royally.
Regardless, he is one whom I have grown to respect even less over time. I still have an oh-so-vivid image of his face filling the TV screen promising "ah won't send amurcan boahs to faht some asyun woah," calling Goldwater the hawk, getting elected, and then off they all went. Some of my friends didn't come back. One came back but doesn't know who he is; another is a quadriplegic. I tried to balance my visceral hatred of his lying face (I did meet him once) with the good of the social programs. I gave him credit for a while, but the more I think about it, the less I believe he had a decent bone in his body.

Hell of a note that it is damned hard to name a really admirable pres since FDR. Carter wins hands down for having his heart in the right place.