I would have really liked to see JFK and LBJ (ya know his VP) talk some things through. I think I saw an actor playing LBJ but it didn't sound or look too much like him at all. I mean what the hell, LBJ should have been in many conversations right?
"the day I tried to live, I learned that I was alive"
I'm watching the movie again now in FX. Anyway, when the first theatrical production was made - The Missiles of October for TV - it was mentioned that it contained quite a bit of newly unclassified information, specific dialogue, etc. and was very, very accurate in its depiction of the crisis. LBJ was also not shown in the production so I assume he wasn't consulted. If I remember correctly, Kennedy chose Johnson for VP soley for his southern relationships, and they weren't close by any means. He gave Johnson responsibility for the space program (see The Right Stuff) but that was about it. Also, in many cases, US VPs really weren't involved in the day-to-day unlike, say, Bush/Cheney and Obama/Biden. The VP would represent the president and US if a foreign dignitary died, for instance. Mostly they were there in case the president died. That was their job.
shareYes, and there was no closeness between the Kennedy's and Johnson. Johnson was not part of the inner Kennedy group. He was picked to be VP because of getting the Southern vote since he was from Texas.
An additional reason JFK picked LBJ for his running mate: Kennedy was concerned that an angry LBJ continuing in his post as Senate Majority Leader could be problematic for his program. By making Johnson his VP, Mike Mansfield, a closer Kennedy ally, would become the new Majority Leader.
I have seen enough to know I have seen too much. -- ALOTOshare
Just to clarify in case anyone missed it, LBJ is indeed in several scenes,but generally in the background and with almost no lines. Near the very end, after the agreement has been reached and JFK walks into the conference room where staffers are celebrating, LBJ says "bring on those midterms; there's no stopping us now".
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