Favorable or Unfavorable #250: Helen Gahagan Douglas

[vcczar]

Helen Gahagan Douglas (CA-D) was a famous hollywood actress in the 1920s-1930s. Her husband, Mervyn Douglas, was also an actor and was often the leading man in films. They stayed married until his death in 1980, but she did have a known affair with LBJ, who was 8 yrs younger than her, in the 1940s. The couple did not hide it among DC society and somehow it never reached the media or public--except possibly as a rumor--until after LBJ's presidency. She was seen as the first rising star Democratic woman but Nixon smeared her so badly with false accusations that she was a political liability. Truman wouldn't even consider her for a cabinet spot when her name came up for fear it would make him seem like a Communist, even though he knew the charges of her being one were untrue. She coined the name "Tricky Dick" for Nixon and even admitted that Nixon would have won even without his attacks on her, stating they were unnecessary. 

Her actions:

Douglas, Helen Gahagan	1939	Joins Hollywood Anti-Nazi League (a precursor to antifa)
Douglas, Helen Gahagan	1944	Fmr hollywood actress elected as US Rep
Douglas, Helen Gahagan	1944	Gives well-receives speech at Dem Conv, leading to some speculation as future pres or VP
Douglas, Helen Gahagan	1944	Begins affair w/ LBJ, lasting 5 years. (Known to DC insiders but not to the public)
Douglas, Helen Gahagan	1947	outspoken liberal
Douglas, Helen Gahagan	1950	Defeated by Nixon for US Sen, who notoriously smeared her as a Communist, despite no evidence

[vcczar]

I'm 51% unfavorable -- mainly because I don't like celebrity politicians and for the affair. I much prefer he to Nixon and almost want to give her "favorable" in sympathy to the events of 1950.