"Pretty as a Ladybird"

JULY 15, 2007 TAGS: POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, LADY BIRD COMMENTS (1)

With the passing of Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady, national news organizations have taken different tacks towards extolling her many virtues. Their consensus: she was a remarkable American.

The Washington Post emphasizes her advocacy for “Beautification” of the American landscape, citing her activism next to that of Eleanor Roosevelt. They refer to a 1982 poll of historians who considered her among the top three First Ladies in “influence and importance,” along with Roosevelt and Abigail Adams.

The NBC Nightly News with Bryan Williams called the former First Lady “an environmentalist before her time.” Williams also lauded her devotion to her husband’s political ambition: “She was, in many ways, the North Star in his life,” of President Johnson.

The New York Times emphasizes her business acumen running the radio station KTBC in Austin while her husband served in Congress. They linger on a symbiotic relationship between Lady Bird and Lyndon’s independent pursuits.

“Although the station was bought in Mrs. Johnson’s name, her husband’s political influence, even though limited at the time, helped in acquiring the license from the Federal Communications Commission. Johnson became the commission’s champion at a time when Congress was about to cut its budget. Mrs. Johnson’s application was speedily approved.”

The Times of London takes a broader approach, narrating the often-mentioned story of the origin of Lady Bird’s name. Although she was born Claudia Alta Taylor, her maid said that she was "pretty as a ladybird,” and the name stuck.

Not surprisingly, stories of Lyndon Johnson’s infidelities are difficult to find in the recently published obituaries. And for good reason. But in coming days, more detailed stories of her personal strength, intellectualism, and citizenship will undoubtedly surface to help retell a life that is truly worth celebrating.