The tapes are interesting because they show, in part, how politics works.

Then perhaps. Probably not today.

LBJ could play with individuals, he could depend on parties.

Today, thanks to mass media, everything is out in public, every politician is a demagogue, nothing is behind closed doors, nobody can take responsibility, even the very *idea* of responsibility is considered on the one hand either personal “arrogance” or else historical inevitability. There is no room for initiative or debate.

Nice to see ol’ LBJ again, but wow is that stuff dated.