Lyndon Johnson was the most left-wing member of the US Senate prior to becoming Vice-President in 1961. In 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated while visiting Lyndon Johnson’s home state.
Johnson then took over the presidency, created a fake military incident, and started a war which demoralized America and took 60,000 American lives.
More recently, the most left-wing member of the Senate again took over the presidency and …. you fill in the rest.
LBJ did the same with the Civil Rights Act that JFK did not want and 50 years later look at race relations after how many trillions-of-dollars of wealth transfer. Lincoln wanted to remove the freed slaves from America but Boothe wrecked that possibility.
If the United States seems divided now (and it is) Those of us who are celebrating 50 years since graduation saw a division and a change from which a good share of today’s problems precipitated. One of the greatest is that we have become more self-indulgent and not willing to except responsibility for our actions.
On a second note–to those of you Down Under: Congratulations on your political changes, it is great to read of what you are doing!
He, Walter White is LBJ:
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/22/entertainment/la-et-cm-bryan-cranston-breaking-bad-20130421