In this July 1964 call, about 3 weeks before the Democratic Convention in Atlantic City, LBJ asks Robert Wagner, a former Democratic Senator from New York, to leak to the press that the party leaders support the President's right to choose his running mate and that a divided party is something to be avoided.

LBJ suggest that he say, "that they don't want the president to be required to sleep with anybody he doesn't want to sleep with. And he ought to have a man with vice president that he trusts and likes and can work with him. We oughtn't to have a divided ticket to start, and therefore, you expect to support the man the President selects . . .  I just don't think it can do us a bit of good to have a divided thing there, a divided party."

Date:  Jul 30, 1964
Participants:  Lyndon Johnson, Robert Wagner
Conversation Number:  WH6407.19 #4412