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Mary LaskerMary Lasker
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Part:         Session:         Page of 1143

Lasker:

I think he has an enormous ability to rally his forces and to recuperate from fatigue or from any kind of shock. I think the way he was able to conduct himself at the time of President Kennedy's assassination was absolutely remarkable. He was under the greatest possible stress, and yet he was able to think, and plan, and rally his friends and the Democratic forces to support him, in a perfectly extraordinary way. I do think it's characteristic of him.

Q:

It's an almost indispensable asset in the Presidency.

Lasker:

It certainly is. He has it.

Well, as you know, the campaign went extremely well. I think he was elected by the greatest plurality ever given to any President. 16,000,000 people? Was it the highest percentage, as well?

Q:

I think it was. Yes, it was even higher than Eisenhower's.

Lasker:

I think a day, maybe two days, after the election, I telephoned to Mrs. Johnson, in Johnson City, to congratulate her, and I spoke to the President, and I said to him, “Are you going to let Hubert be in charge of Health, Education, and Welfare?”





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