LBJ Says Eisenhower Had “Jenkins Problem”

Oct. 28, 1964 - President Johnson, discussing the Walter Jenkins case, said tonight that President Eisenhower had “the same kind of problem” with one of his aides, whom Johnson did not name. Johnson made his statement in an airport interview in San Diego, Calif., with local radio and TV reporters.

Asked about the Jenkins case, Johnson said that every administration had had similar problems.

“President Eisenhower,” he said cryptically, “had the same kind of problem, but we never mentioned it.”

A full field investigation by the FBI on orders of Eisenhower before he moved into the White House uncovered evidence of a morals problem in one individual who had been slated for a White House job, officials in Washington said tonight.

After this disclosure, the person was dropped from a list of prospective employees, and his connection with the Eisenhower entourage was severed. The individual was never employed in the White House.

Jenkins, Johnson’s longtime top aide, resigned earlier this month after it was disclosed he had been arrested Oct. 7 on a morals charge.

The President said the only question is what one does about the problem. His own decision, he said, was to get the person involved out of the government and launch an investigation.

“We do have morality problems in government,” Johnson said. “Practically every administration has them, and I have had one problem that is very regrettable. I was notified while away from the capital. Within an hour, I asked for the resignation [of Jenkins] and received it. President Eisenhower had the same type of problem.

“The only difference is we Democrats felt sorry for him and thought it was a kind of sickness and disease, and we didn’t try to capitalize on a man’s misfortune. We never mentioned it.

“We had a problem when Mr. Truman was in. Roosevelt had the same situation. It is not anything new. The big question is what you do when you find a fellow that has made a mistake — and out of 3 million people [the number of government employees] some do make mistakes.”

Asked whether the Jenkins case had hurt his campaign, Johnson replied: “No, I think it has actually hurt the Republicans, the way they have handled it. The polls indicate we’ve gone up 2 or 3 points.”

Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s