By getting to know people on the most personal level that he could, he was getting ahead. Retail politics. This is the same retail that he would use to career his career. Even though this was at the smallest level, it would pay-off greatly in LBJ's climb to the top. Johnson's personable attitude helped him in the Senate as well. He joined the Senate in 1949, and by 1952 he was already the top democrat (17). Here he found out who was most powerful, and became buddies with these persons or allies if you will. In politics it may not be fair but it is about who you know. Or as Matthews would say, "it's not about who you know, it's about who you get to know." You find your target and zero in (22). Johnson had with out a doubt mastered this art, and made it a trademark to his political styling. Lyndon always kept track of people's differences, and knew exactly who he was talking to. When LBJ was president this political style really paid-off big for him. Good relationships with the people who made up the other branches of government really helped him to get many of the thing done he wanted, especially in the legislature. He was able to gain approval of some of the most massive and historic (32) legislative programs for our government; Medicare, civil rights, tax reductions, and trade expansion. These were all stepping-stones to the growth and prosperity of our great nation's government. It takes a strong man to have to patience and humility to work each legislature one at a time, which Johnson did. He just used basic retail truth. Even though he was extremely suc
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