Ridiculous History CLASSIC: Lyndon Johnson Chatted on the Phone More than a Teenager
Aug 6, 2024
Lyndon Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, known for his profound legislative impact and quirky obsession with phones, shares insights into his unique communication style. The discussion reveals his outrageous phone habits, with loads of lines in the White House and his Texas ranch. Anecdotes highlight his multitasking abilities and the hilarities that unfolded, including a wild story featuring a Secret Service agent. This glimpse into Johnson's personal side showcases a leader who was as humorous as he was relentless in his pursuit of power.
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Phones Everywhere At The White House
- Lyndon B. Johnson installed phones everywhere in the White House so he never had to leave a conversation.
- Staff sometimes forgot to turn off recorders, producing thousands of candid tapes that capture his behavior.
Tapes Reveal The Unvarnished President
- LBJ recorded roughly 9,000 phone conversations and had them transcribed for daily review.
- Those recordings reveal a candid, coercive side of his leadership unseen in formal documents.
The Texas Ranch Telephone Network
- At his Texas ranch LBJ wired an oak tree, hammock, and had 72 handsets with 15 lines so he could take 40–100 calls daily.
- He even had a handset that could handle 24 simultaneous calls for constant connectivity.