By the way, part of John F. Kennedy’s detached aloofness was evident in the way he could deflect personal attacks with humor.  In fact, at a hastily arranged televised “debate” before a joint meeting of Massachusetts and Texas delegates just the day prior to his nomination, he listened to Johnson’s tirade.  But when his turn to talk came, he chose only to speak about how much he admired LBJ and how he supported him for Majority Leader in the Senate.  

It was the triumph of cool.  That capacity is actually what made it possible for Kennedy to choose Johnson, against the advice of a host of soon-to-be New Frontier characters.  

Lyndon Johnson surprised many by accepting the number-two spot on the ticket.   Just why he would give up a clearly more powerful position in the senate to take a job that had been long-referred to as “not worth a bucket of warm spit,” puzzled many close to him.   Possibly the greatest influence on him was then Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, LBJ’s long-time mentor.   Mister Sam, as he was affectionately known by friends, had been opposed to the idea of Lyndon running as VP, but overnight changed his mind declaring: “I’m a damn sight smarter than I was last night.”

Interestingly, one clue as to what Johnson was thinking is left to us in a biography of Clare Booth Luce, former congresswoman and one time U.S. Ambassador to Italy, written by Ralph G. Martin.  The book describes a conversation between Lyndon Johnson and Mrs. Luce shortly after the inauguration on January 20, 1961 – in fact while the two were riding together en route to the inaugural ball.  Having been asked why he accepted the Vice Presidential nomination the previous July, LBJ told her:

“Clare, I looked it up; one out of every four presidents has died in office.  I’m a gamblin’ man darlin’, and this is the only chance I got.”   

So the Kennedy-Johnson partnership was born of, and driven by, political cynicism.  It was only possible in an environment where naked ambition trumped personal feelings of animosity, suspicion, and hurt. 

Mr. Obama chose not to go down that path when he passed over Hillary Clinton in favor of Joseph Biden.  Because he and those around him are still licking their wounds, he chose the safe-bet over the slam-dunk.   In doing so, he stepped out of predictable Kennedy-esque character in a way not yet seen in this campaign.    

If he loses in November, he may very well be remembered as a John F. Kennedy wannabe who couldn’t really pull the cynical trigger.  And maybe that would be best for all of us.