The Presidency: On Top Down Under

Pravda sneeringly called it a "Holly wood panorama." Indeed, President Johnson's Asian odyssey did at times seem more like a Bob Hope extrava ganza (The Road to Manila?) than a diplomatic errand of potential historic significance. The star of the show basked in all the attention he was getting from Hawaiian hula dancers and Samoan chieftains, spear-brandishing Maori warriors and confetti-throwing Aussies. His hand was puffed and bleeding from countless handshakes, his voice hoarse from scores of official and unofficial speeches, his feelings bruised by catcalling Vietniks and placards bearing such slogans as...

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