Favorable or Unfavorable #179: John Connally

[vcczar]

John Connally of TX is most famous for getting shot during the JFK assassination.

When he was Gov of TX, he gave my dad a plaque that says, "Admiral of the TX Navy" for donating a lot of money to LBJ's 1964 campaign. My dad was in his late 20s then and had just made a ton of money buying up cheap land and selling it where DFW airport is (it was built in 1973). My dad was about 45 when I was born, and by the time I was 7 or 8, he had lost all of his money. The Texas Navy obviously doesn't exist, but the officers of this fictional entity are awarded by the Gov of TX for a variety of reasons. I remember seeing the plaque and Connally's name on it and my dad's name on it. Sadly, it was probably thrown away when my family grief-tossed away most of my dad's stuff after he died. That never made sense to me. 

Connally was one of the conservative Dems who was an early convert to the GOP. In fact, he secretly favored Eisenhower over Stevenson in both 1952 and 1956. I don't think he liked JFK at all, but took a cabinet position b/c LBJ told him too. He used to to run for Gov of TX. He clearly secretly favored Nixon over Humphrey in 1968. His switch the the GOP doesn't occur until a couple of months after LBJ dies, and who he eulogized. LBJ may have had such a hold on him that he couldn't switch while LBJ lived. 

His actions:

Connally, John	1948	Organizes LBJ's campaign for the US Sen, getting the soon-to-be Sen Maj Ldr in the Upper house
Connally, John	1956	Lawyer involved in clandestine attempt to get Dem Robert Anderson as VP on Eisenhower ticket
Connally, John	1960	Leads LBJ supporters at Dem Conv; argues JFK is too unhealthy (Addison's Disease) to be pres
Connally, John	1961	Confirmed Sec of Navy for JFK, through LBJ's influence, holding the position for a year (Fmr WWII Naval Officer)
Connally, John	1963	While as Gov of TX, seriously wounded during the JFK Assassination
Connally, John	1965	Breaks w/ old ally LBJ on Great Society, especially Civil Rights
Connally, John	1968	Considered for VP for Humphrey, who he reluctantly endorses for pres
Connally, John	1968	Accuses VP Humphrey of undermining LBJ's Vietnam policy by not completely embracing the president's on campaign
Connally, John	1968	Rumored to be secretly aiding Nixon in TX, despite publicly supporting Humphrey
Connally, John	1971	Confirmed Sec of Treasury for Nixon to replace Kennedy, despite still being a Democrat
Connally, John	1971	Advises Nixon to make GHW Bush UN Amb
Connally, John	1971	Major role in the Nixon Shock, moving the US from a gold to a fiat standard
Connally, John	1972	Resigns as Sec of Treasury to head Democrats for Nixon
Connally, John	1973	switches from Dem to GOP
Connally, John	1973	Considered for VP by Nixon after Agnew resigns
Connally, John	1973	Considered for Sec of State by Nixon after Rogers resigns
Connally, John	1974	Indicted for bribery and perjury, but is eventually acquitted
Connally, John	1980	GOP Pres cand
Connally, John	1980	Possibly interfered in Iran Hostage situation during Middle East trip during pres general election to help Reagan beat Carter (alleged but not confirmed)
Connally, John	1981	Rejects Reagan offer of Sec of Energy b/c wants State or Defense