Johnson, like other presidents, would often reveal his true motivations in asides that the press never picked up. During one trip Johnson was discussing his proposed civil rights bill with two governors. Explaining why it was so important to him, he said it was simple: I’ll have them n*****s voting Democratic for two hundred years.

That was the reason he was pushing the bill, said MacMillan, who was present during the conversation. Not because he wanted equality for everyone. It was strictly a political ploy for the Democratic party. He was phony from the word go.