Called the day America changed forever, the day we officially become a divided nation, the day John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, on that day Lyndon Baines Johnson takes the presidential oath on Air Force One, a moment when our democracy’s creed of peaceful transfer of power took place after tragedy. The iconic image of Johnson with his hand raised as he recited the Presidential oath, his wife on his right side, Mrs. Kennedy, her blood soaked dressed on his left, many behind them, still in shock and disbelief of what has just transpired. The image, iconic in its meaning to often shows the dramatic Shakespearean tragedy known as the Kennedy’s, a family full of power, and prominence but time, and time again tarnished by tragedy.
Through simple observation one would look and see the sheer emotion of the moment, Mrs. Kennedy, shell shocked after just witnessing the man she loves being gun down in his prime, Johnson well aware of the situation, knowing he must handle the situation with ease, and delicacy, but understanding the country needs a leader during this time …show more content…
Johnson, in a sense is surrounded by foes, no friends. He is seen as the worst possible choice to be President by the Kennedy Administration’s people. Johnson knows he’s a lamb among wolves, poetically shown in this image, as the people look over Johnson’s shoulder, as to look for a flaw, a reason to claim illegitimacy, a pure sign that politics never dies, and it never takes a break no matter the moment or circumstance. With so much despair, anger, disbelief, and sadness – you notice the fresh, vibrant flowers to the right of the Judge, maybe a sign of better things to come, or a not so subtle message of death at one’s door, in either case the death at one’s door could be directed at Kennedy, who moments early was struck down, or Johnson, who now must deal with detracts in his own
Through simple observation one would look and see the sheer emotion of the moment, Mrs. Kennedy, shell shocked after just witnessing the man she loves being gun down in his prime, Johnson well aware of the situation, knowing he must handle the situation with ease, and delicacy, but understanding the country needs a leader during this time …show more content…
Johnson, in a sense is surrounded by foes, no friends. He is seen as the worst possible choice to be President by the Kennedy Administration’s people. Johnson knows he’s a lamb among wolves, poetically shown in this image, as the people look over Johnson’s shoulder, as to look for a flaw, a reason to claim illegitimacy, a pure sign that politics never dies, and it never takes a break no matter the moment or circumstance. With so much despair, anger, disbelief, and sadness – you notice the fresh, vibrant flowers to the right of the Judge, maybe a sign of better things to come, or a not so subtle message of death at one’s door, in either case the death at one’s door could be directed at Kennedy, who moments early was struck down, or Johnson, who now must deal with detracts in his own