Rising Tide in Washington
BOHN, WILLIAM E.
THE HOME FRONT By William E. Bohn Rising Tide in Washington I sat in the Senate gallery the other day and witnessed one of those scenes which always fill me with despair. The bill under...
...Then came a drowsy stretch under Eisenhower...
...He seems to be on the winning side —and people want to be on his side...
...Even those who are politically against Kennedy will hunt round until they find something favorable to say about him...
...Whatever this theory's merits, the sense of motion is exhilarating...
...The old Republican-Southern Democrat coalition still holds back much progressive legislation...
...Those familiar with Congressional tactics were sure that this was merely a way of killing the new law...
...Now we are on our way once more...
...The vote clearly represented a defeat for liberalism and decency...
...They are independent and able men in their own right and quite capable of looking after their own affairs...
...Kennedy tends to look straight through a subject and then tries sensibly and honestly to do the best he can in dealing with it...
...There is a feeling that all cabinet members are pulling their own weight, coming up with their own projects and doing what can be done to start them on their way...
...And there have been several such defeats in both the Senate and House during the current session of Congress...
...Reading their mail and hometown papers, most Congressmen assume that the President is the sort of fellow whom people naturally like...
...They believe the rhythm of history is more important than political "rules...
...They may not be able to explain their cheerfulness, but it is plain to see...
...He proposed to send the bill to the Rules Committee, where it had the best chance of survival and passage...
...He is a born gentleman and is especially thoughtful and understanding in dealing with Republican Congressmen and journalists...
...True, old Congressional warhorses do not depend on the President to put through progressive programs...
...There is supposed to be a general rule that the party out of power makes gains in the mid-term election...
...It is also plain that President Kennedy is largely responsible for the change...
...Senator Jacob Javits (Rep.— ?. ?.), an eloquent advocate of the measure, appealed the chair's decision...
...In fact, the feeling of being on the winning side is so strong that there are many in Washington who are convinced that next autumn's election will go contrary to all precedent...
...Yes," an experienced Senator said to me, "the President is a good politician in the best sense of the word...
...It is this attitude which has enabled him to produce the best state papers since Woodrow Wilson...
...Of course the Senate can, if it so desires, pull the bill out of committee by a majority vote...
...We had, they say, a great creative period under Roosevelt and Truman...
...Roosevelt "put it on' to some extent...
...The Vice President, who was in the chair, announced that it would go to the Judiciary Committee...
...the tide is rising...
...Though he achieves similar results, he is not basically like FDR...
...He has more fire and flexibility than any other recent Chief Executive...
...Some of the smartest politicians claim that this year things will work differently...
...When the vote was taken, the appeal was defeated, 6125...
...Although there is a Democrat in the White House and large Democratic majorities in both houses, many Administration proposals are having a difficult time...
...But one gets the impression now, much more than in recent years, of a well-organized team...
...The bill under discussion, which would prevent states from setting up impossible literacy tests directed against Negro voters, was so obviously desirable that there was really nothing to say against it...
...He was an actor and an orator...
...There have been no mistakes since Cuba...
...Yet, despite continuing strong opposition, I found liberal members of Congress in an optimistic mood...
...But it would take some first-class politicking...
...Among Congressmen and Senators, there is a special appreciation of the President's all-encompassing influence...
...As a matter of fact, he registers a notch or two above Wilson...
...It was about to be referred to committee...
...He bears no grudges and will work with anyone...
Vol. 45 • February 1962 • No. 4
