'Can’t You Help Me'

'Can’t You Help Me'

As part of an extraordinarily complex legislative strategy, President Johnson needed key Democratic votes in the Senate Finance Committee for parts of the tax cut bill. With an eye on the November election, he applied the legendary “Johnson Treatment” to Sen. R. Vance Hartke [D–Indiana] and Sen. Abraham A. “Abe” Ribicoff [D–Connecticut] in back-to-back conversations. 

Location: Oval Office
Tape Number: WH6401-19-1492; WH6401-19-1493