Part 3 Chapter 21 Summary

LBJ realized that he had to become an effective leader of an effective party, eliminating Democratic disorganization and inefficiency. He would have to persuade southerners to surrender their powers without realizing they were doing so and then, in order to reach his higher goal, would have to use his new power to support causes the South hated.

Northern senators felt the seniority system excluded them from key committees and LBJ recognized that the party was wasting expertise. The Leader had no discretion in making committee assignments, so LBJ began looking at the open slots as squares on a chessboard and freshman senators as his game pieces. He had four openings on major committees to open with, but little hope that colleagues with seniority would pass them up. LBJ took to the telephone to learn how best to bend them to his...