11th March. Again, the Oval Office is in darkness. This time it’s President Johnson who leads the way, switching on the lights, followed by Lady Bird Johnson and Katzenbach. Sounds of an orchestra from below, where the Congressional reception is still in progress; also, faintly, from out on Pennsylvania Avenue, the sound of Civil Rights protesters, chanting: ‘LBJ, just you wait, see what happens in sixty-eight!’
Johnson What did that goddamn little pipsqueak from Mississippi say to you, Nick?
Katzenbach He asked me why I was siding with Communist agitators and helping them trample on the rights of the South.
Johnson Asshole. He came out for Goldwater.
Katzenbach They say he’s planning to run for Governor.
Johnson He’s just about pin-headed enough to win.
He turns to his wife.
OK, Bird, let me just run you through this thing. On Tuesday, King led his people across the bridge again, but when he was challenged, he just said a little prayer and led them right back into Selma. We sent Governor Collins down to oversee those crazy troopers and everything passed off peaceable, he did a good job. So fine. But then in the evening, these three Unitarian ministers from Boston go down to get a little soul food; then afterwards, they’re full of sweet potato pie, they take a wrong turn and stray into KKK-country and run into these crackers who call them white niggers, until one of them lets fly with a baseball bat and splits the Reverend Reeb’s skull. Poor bastard struggled a couple days, but they just now switched off the life-support system …
One of the phones rings. Johnson lifts the receiver, listens for a moment and hands it to Lady Bird.
Lady Bird Mrs Reeb? … May I call you Marie? The President and I just wanted to express how much we feel for you at this terrible time … Yes … Your husband was a brave man and he gave his life for a wonderful cause, I know that can’t be very much of a consolation right now, but I do believe that in years to come you and your children will be able to appreciate that a little more …
Johnson extends a hand in her direction.
The President would like to say a few words to you, Marie, please know you really do have my very deepest sympathy … Yes … Here’s the President now.
She hands Johnson the phone.
Johnson Miz Reeb? I just wanted to be able to say to you in person how grieved we are, Miz Johnson and I, and to pay a little tribute to your husband’s sacrifice, his supreme sacrifice, really … Oh, well now, that’s nothing, Miz Reeb, that was Miz Johnson took charge of that, yellow roses are like her trademark … Yes, and I want you to know, my plane is available again anytime, when you’re ready to take your husband back to Boston … Well, bless you, Miz Reeb, you’ll be in our prayers, and we’re going to do everything in our power to bring those people to justice for you and your children … Yes, so be brave and you take care now.
While he’s been speaking, Katzenbach has lit a cigarette. Now, as he hangs up the phone, Johnson turns to him.
I could sure use one of your cigarettes, Nick.
Katzenbach Of course, Mr President.
Lady Bird Then I’m going to have to take one as well.
As Katzenbach stands, frowning, his packet of cigarettes extended, Johnson and Lady Bird eyeball one another, in what is obviously a familiar confrontation. Finally, Johnson sighs and drops the hand that was reaching for the cigarette.
Johnson OK, Bird, you win.
Lady Bird Jim and Willis are coming for the weekend, you don’t want to have to tell them you’ve started smoking again.
Johnson You know the first thing I’m going to do, Nick, when I leave the White House? I’m going to light that cigarette, that’s what I’m going to do. But if I do it now, Lady Bird’s going to have those goddamn physicians all over me like a rash.
Lady Bird You like Jim and Willis.
Johnson Did I say I didn’t?
He sighs again and lowers his head.
Same goes for having a drink, huh?
Lady Bird I’ll fix you a Fresca.
Johnson Gee, thanks.
She ducks offstage (a tap supplying low-calorie Fresca had been installed in the corridor just outside the Oval Office). In her absence, Johnson turns to Katzenbach, shrugs his shoulders and rolls his eyes.
Mighty smooth operation, uh, getting all those kids out of the White House before the Congressmen arrived?
Katzenbach You managed it much better than we did over at Justice.
Lady Bird has returned with a glass of iced Fresca and a plate of peanut brittle, which she puts down on the corner of the desk.
Lady Bird Are you talking about those demonstrators? Lyndon wouldn’t even let me go take a peek at them.
Johnson That’s ’cause you’d have wound up inviting them all to brunch.
Lady Bird Has there ever been a sit-in in the White House before?
Johnson I don’t think so. Strange days. I keep expecting to run into Lincoln’s ghost.
He breaks off a chunk of peanut brittle and pops it into his mouth.
You mind going back down, darlin’, and looking after our guests? I need to spend a few minutes with Nick, I’ll be right down.
Lady Bird Yes, of course. Nick.
She takes her leave as Katzenbach mumbles an awkward farewell. Silence, except for the crunch of the brittle. Katzenbach blurts out what’s on his mind.
Katzenbach I’m so sorry I stopped you making a statement about Sunday’s march. I thought we needed to …
Johnson Forget it.
Katzenbach No, you were absolutely right, it would have been much …
Johnson I said, forget it.
By now, he’s round behind his desk, from which he produces a bottle of Cutty Sark. He pours a generous measure into his Fresca.
Drink?
Johnson Take some brittle, it’s great.
Katzenbach snaps himself off a tiny corner of peanut brittle, which he nibbles reluctantly.
Any arrests been made?
Katzenbach Two State Troopers on Sunday. I managed to keep it out of the papers.
Johnson You did? Why?
Katzenbach They beat up an FBI agent who was taking photographs. I knew it wouldn’t look good, with all those injured Negroes and the only people we arrest was for attacking a Bureau agent.
Johnson Right. Well, shouldn’t we arrest some more?
Katzenbach We may, I’m looking into it.
Johnson What about the crackers who killed the Reverend?
Katzenbach The public safety director in Selma says they’ll be charged tonight with first-degree murder. Only problem is, we’ll never get a conviction.
Johnson Yeah.
He takes a swig of his drink, ruminates a while.
I guess King handled himself pretty well on Tuesday.
Katzenbach He was in a really tight corner. On the one hand, he’s never defied a Federal Court order before, because he knows he can’t afford to lose Federal support; on the other hand, if he’d cancelled the march, he’s already having a lot of trouble from his left-wingers, he couldn’t have let himself lose that much face. So he started the march, gambled the judge wouldn’t find him in contempt and then turned around without even knowing, they tell me, if anyone was going to follow him back into Selma.
Johnson And the judge let him off this morning.
Katzenbach That’s right.
Johnson And he’s going to give permission for the march to go ahead?
Katzenbach Yes, I think so, under certain conditions. I talked to him. So King’s played his cards right.
Johnson Yeah. Wish I liked him better.
Katzenbach Well …
Johnson When’s this march liable to be?
Katzenbach I don’t know, a week, ten days …
Johnson We’re going to have to plan things out real carefully. Because this is going to be the biggest story since de Gaulle farted.
Katzenbach Yes.
Johnson We’re going to have to get that runty little bastard Wallace over here. Do you know him?
Katzenbach I had to go to Tuscaloosa and serve him with President Kennedy’s proclamation, when he tried to prevent those two black students registering at the University of Alabama. So, yes, I met him. But I don’t think anybody really knows him.
Johnson Way I hear it, he’s got more twists than a bagful of rattlesnakes. You know what he said when he lost to the KKK’s candidate in the ’58 election? He said, ‘No son of a bitch is ever going to outnigger me again.’
He moves over to the window and looks out for a moment, listening to the distant chanting.
I say those kids are violating my civil rights, what do you think?
Katzenbach Hard to make it stick.
Johnson What’s the status of my message to Congress?
Katzenbach I have a draft, but I need to do some more work on it. It doesn’t really sing yet.
Johnson Any chance Ev Dirksen will pull out on us?
Katzenbach No, sir, he still wants to be joint sponsor of the bill.
Johnson All the same, I’m going to have to hit it out of the park on Monday. Maybe we should get Dick Goodwin in to help write it.
Katzenbach Whatever you say, Mr President, but maybe take a look at my effort before you decide.
Jonson Sure, Nick, of course. But I have a feeling we’re going to need a writer. Congress is a dangerous animal.