Hurricane Betsy, LBJ and the Dixiecrats: The Politics of New Orleans Flooding

Before there was Hurricane Katrina, there was Hurricane Betsy. Forty years ago on the evening of Thursday, September 9, 1965, Betsy barreled ashore along the same path as Katrina; overtopped and knocked down levees lining canals such as the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal (MR-GO) and the Industrial Canal (connecting the Mississippi River with Lake Pontchartrain), just like Katrina; and submerged three-fourths of the city, just like Katrina.

In a somewhat impulsive, questionably dangerous, and rather extraordinary politically-driven decision, then President Lyndon Johnson flew Air Force One to New Orleans to view the destruction first hand only three hours after being asked to do so by Senator Russell Long of Louisiana and just one day after Betsy’s landfall. Indeed, Betsy was still blowing around Baton Rouge, Louisiana, preventing the President from going up there for a look see, as he had planned. This Biot is about the events leading up to, during, and after President Johnson’s visit to New Orleans in 1965.

1. Events Leading Up to LBJ’s Trip to Betsy-Ravaged New Orleans

On Friday, September 10, 1965, at 2:36 p.m. President Lyndon Johnson received a phone call at the White House from the mercurial “Segregation-Forever” Dixiecrat Senator Russell Billiu Long (1918-2003). One month earlier, on August 6, 1965, President Johnson had signed the Federal Voting Rights Act into law (Public Law 89-10), which provided for direct federal action to enable African Americans to register and vote. The Dixiecrats had not been happy about this at all. President Johnson, who was victorious with 61% of the vote over Republican contender Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election, had lost the five Dixiecrat states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina) and Arizona. President Johnson theoretically could have run for a second full term in 1968, which makes Senator Long’s bargaining and manipulation during the following secretly-recorded (by Johnson) conversation more understandable.

The transcript of the September 10, 1965 phone call at 2:36 p.m. follows: (see also: http://www.whitehousetapes.org/exhibits/betsy/):

“Senator Russell Long:  . . . Ed [Willis], pick up. Mr. President, I’ve got Ed Willis here. He’s my congressman from the Third District. Mr. President, aside from the Great Lakes, the biggest lake in America is Lake Pontchartrain. It is now drained dry. That Hurricane Betsy picked the lake up and put it inside New Orleans and Jefferson Parish and the Third [Congressional] District. Now, you have . . . If I do say it, our people are just like . . . It’s like my home—The whole damn home’s been destroyed, but that’s all right. My wife and kids are still alive, so it’s OK. Mr. President, we have really had it down there, and we need your help.

President Johnson: All right. You got it.

Senator Russell Long: Well, now, if I do say it . . . we’ve only lost one life so far. Why we haven’t lost more I can’t say. [unclear] for example, that damn big 400-year-old tree fell on top of my house. My wife and kids were, thank God, in the right room. So we’re still alive. I don’t need no federal aid. But, Mr. President, my people—Oh, they’re in tough shape.

[Louisiana Congressman] Ed Willis is here. If I do say it, you could elect Hale Boggs and every guy you’d want to elect in the path of this hurricane by just handling yourself right.

Now, if you want to go to Louisiana right now—You lost that state last year. You could pick it up just like looking at it right now by going down there as the President just to see what happened. Now if you want to you could . . . you could save yourself a campaign speech. Just go there right now. Just go, and say, “My God, this is horrible! . . . These federally constructed levees that Hale Boggs and Russell Long built is the only thing that saved 5,000 lives.” See now, if you want to do that you can do it right now. Just pick one state up like looking at it—you lost it last time. If you do that you’d sack them up. Ed Willis is sitting on this telephone and he knows like I do that all you’ve got to do is just make a generous gesture, he’d get re-elected, a guy that’s for you.

President Johnson: Russell I sure want to I’ve got a hell of a two days that I’ve got scheduled. Let me look and see what I can back out of and get into and so on and so forth and let me give you a ring back if I can’t go, I’ll put the best man I got there.

Senator Russell Long: So now listen, we are not the least bit interested in your best man. As far as we’re concerned, I’m just a Johnson man. Let’s—

President Johnson: I know that. I know that.

Senator Russell Long: Let’s us not kid ourselves now. When I run for office next time, I’m going to be on the same dodge you’re going to be on. And frankly, if you go to Louisiana right now, you might be . . . just make it a stopover. We’ll [unclear]. You go to Louisiana right now, land at Moisant Airport.

[imagining a news story] “The President was very much upset about the horrible destruction and damage done to this city of New Orleans, lovely town. The town that everybody loves.” If you go there right now, Mr. President, they couldn’t beat you if Eisenhower ran.

President Johnson: Um-hmm. Let me think about it and call you back.

Long: OK. [Unclear.]

President Johnson: I love you. Thank you, Ed. I love you.”

The phone conversation ended.

According to text available in the LBJ Library, “[A] few minutes after talking to Senator Russell Long, Johnson made arrangements for a trip to New Orleans with Buford Ellington, the Director of the Office of Emergency Planning. Ellington, an old friend of Johnson and former governor of Tennessee had been in the job since March, 1965 and had played a vital role in Johnson’s handling of problems related to the Selma-to-Montgomery [civil rights] march. At the time of the call, no deaths had been reported. The death toll would ultimately be 74, with most of those from New Orleans.” (http://www.whitehousetapes.org/exhibits/betsy/)

The transcript of the phone call between President Johnson and Buford Ellington occurred on September 10, 1965 at 3:35 p.m., less than 60 minutes after Senator Russell Long called the President. The transcript of this second call is below:

“President Johnson: Hello?

Secretary: Governor Ellington on 9-0.

Governor Buford Ellington: Mr. President we would suggest Secretary Freeman of Agriculture.

President Johnson: Wait a minute let me write these down here. Let me call Marvin [Watson] and see if he can get on here.

A 14-second pause ensues.

President Johnson: Marvin will be on in just a minute.

Governor Buford Ellington: All right sir. There are no deaths down there.

President Johnson: Told me one.

Governor Buford Ellington: Well, it wasn’t from the storm though.

President Johnson: It wasn’t?

Governor Buford Ellington: No sir, according to our reports.

President Johnson: All right, you got your pencil there Marvin and take notes. [unclear] Governor Freeman. [with Watson acknowledging throughout]

Governor Buford Ellington: Bureau of Public Roads, [Federal Highway Administrator] Rex Whitton; Public Health Service Dr. [Luther] Terry [Surgeon General, Publich Health Service] or Dr. [James] Hundley, H-U-N-D-L-E-Y [Assistant Surgeon General for Operations]; Corps of Engineers Major General Jackson—that’s the man that works with us on that. American Red Cross [President] General [James F.] Collins or [Vice President] Robert F. Shea always accompanies us. Small Business [Administration], Gene Foley. Now it’s a big damage down there to sugar cane crops and other crops it might be well to take with us Secretary [Labor Willard] Wirtz. That would be all that would be involved in any of the recovery.

President Johnson: You?

Governor Buford Ellington: Oh yes. A fact of business that I’d like to have about three from my shop.

President Johnson: Alright, who?

Governor Buford Ellington: Bob Phillips, Dryden, and myself.

President Johnson: Who is Phillips?

Governor Buford Ellington: Phillips is head of the disaster program over here. He runs it. Mr. President, do you figuring on going this afternoon?

President Johnson: Yeah

Governor Buford Ellington: You still got heavy rain down there I understand I’d have to recheck on that or let your pilots check on that because I doubt from what we got about an hour ago you’ll be able to see anything. I actually don’t think this warrants a trip, but you’re the boss.

President Johnson: Well I . . . Here’s my problem, damnit, when I ask a man to do something I want him to do it. [Governor Ellington acknowledging throughout] And I’ve been asking Russell Long all year, and he’s had a lot of things he didn’t want to do at all, and he’s an emotional [two seconds deleted in accordance with the deed of gift].

Governor Buford Ellington: [Laughs] That’s what I think. I’ve talked to him

President Johnson: Today?

Governor Buford Ellington: Yeah, I’ve been in touch with his office all day. [Unclear.]

President Johnson: Well, he . . .  I told him if I couldn’t go it I’d send Governor Ellington. He said I don’t want anybody to go but you, and by God I want you to go! [Ellington laughs heartily] And Hale Boggs is the same way and he wants me to go. And [Louisiana Congressman] Ed Willis is [unclear] . . . and they’re kinda . . .  they got trouble with school plans, and they’re segregationists, and they feel like nobody cares about them, and they voted against us and they feel like they’re kind on the outside. I feel about them like a 17-year-old girl; I want them to know they’re loved. And . . . I have to pet Luci [Baines Johnson] sometimes when I damn sure don’t want to because I don’t want her to run away from home

Governor Buford Ellington: [Laughs] Well, you let us know what you want done.

President Johnson: How does it feel to be an old long whiskered grandpa?

Governor Buford Ellington: It feels pretty good Mr. President. You won’t be sorry.

President Johnson: You’re going to . . . What you’re going to do is cut down your work schedule

Governor Buford Ellington: [laughs] I could cut it down and still be doing plenty.

President Johnson: How you going to teach her to talk over the phone?

Governor Buford Ellington: [Laughs] I don’t know. It’s the only time I’ll ever see them.

President Johnson: I call up . . . I call up old [Courtenay] Lynda Valenti every night and try to teach her on the phone. She just grins and won’t talk. Have you ever seen that Lynda?

Governor Buford Ellington: Yes, I was there when she was born.

President Johnson: I mean this . . . my little Lynda Valenti. Courtenay Valenti.

Governor Buford Ellington: Oh yes, of course I do

President Johnson: Well I hope yours is as cute as she is. She’s—

Governor Buford Ellington: You know I named her Melinda.

President Johnson: No, I didn’t know that.

Governor Buford Ellington: Yes sir.

President Johnson: Well wonderful.

Governor Buford Ellington: I say I did. My daughter did. I didn’t have nothing to do with it.

President Johnson: Well wonderful, wonderful. How’s your . . . Is your daughter alright?

Governor Buford Ellington: Wonderful doing fine

President Johnson: That’s good.

Governor Buford Ellington: Doing great.

President Johnson: Well, we’ll decide this thing. We’ll check our pilot’s reports.

Governor Buford Ellington: Well, I’d be sure and check that weather out good because our last report there were heavy rains [unclear]

President Johnson: Where would we want to go, New Orleans…

Governor Buford Ellington: Baton Rouge, yes, sir. That it.

President Johnson: And Baton Rouge. Want to ask him anything Marvin? [Watson hangs up.]

I love those shirts. I told them they got to put a half an inch on the pockets and a button in the center, so I can hold my glasses in them.

Governor Buford Ellington: Well they told me to hold them up for you [unclear].

President Johnson: They are just because I don’t want anyone to know it. But just between you and me I’m going on rather an intensive diet.

Governor Buford Ellington: Well don’t let it upset your nerves now. Hell.

President Johnson: Well it does, and you can’t do anything about it.

Ellington: [laughing heartily] I know what I mean.

President Johnson: It does. But I’ve lost 13 pounds

Governor Buford Ellington: Well, I told them to hold up until I know further and I told them about the cuffs and about the pocket

President Johnson: Well that’s good. Thank you my friend I’ll call you back soon as I know.

They then say good-bye.” (http://www.whitehousetapes.org/exhibits/betsy/).”

2. LBJ Makes the Trip to New Orleans

According to LBJ’s “Daily Diary”, available in pdf format at the following URL--http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/AV.hom/Hurricane/19650910.pdf), Johnson departed by helicopter from the South Lawn of the White House at 5:05 p.m., Friday, September 10, 1965 to Andrew’s Air Force Base where he boarded Air Force One and was airborne to New Orleans at 5:11 p.m.—2 hours and 25 minutes after receiving the call from Senator Russell Long. On board with him were Senator Russell Long (D-Louisiana), Congressman Otto Passman (D-Louisiana), Congressman Hale Boggs (D-Louisiana), Congressman Ed Willis (D-Louisiana), Sen. Allan Ellender (D-Louisiana), Jack Valenti (special assistant to the President), Bill Moyers (White House Press Secretary), Jake Jacobsen (White House counsel), and Vicky McCammon (President Johnson’s secretary). 

Johnson’s experience during that visit is also recorded in his “Daily Diary”, as follows:  

[5:36 p.m.Central Time Zone] “The members of the Presidential party had seen from the air a previews [sic] of the city—water over ¾ of the city up to the eaves of the homes, etc….and estensive [sic] damage to the harbors, etc. At this point, the party would move in to the city to see for first hand just how much damage had actually occured. [sic] The motorcade departed the airport—and the President and party motored into the City proper. At this point [5:40 p.m.], the motorcade stopped, though the President did not get out of the car. Two schools were located on both sides of the street—that were being used as refugee centers. The motorcade stopped again on a bridge and this time [sic] did depart from the limousine. The press scouried [sic] around the President and members of his party as they looked over both sides of the bridge below at the water that had engulfed the neighborhoods. People were walking along the bridge where they had disembarked from the boats that had brought them to dry land. Many of the people were carrying the barest of their possessions and many of them had been sitting on top of their houses waiting for rescue squads to retrieve the families and carry them to dry land—and to food and water.

“The President stopped and talked w/some of them—among them a gentleman by the name of William Marshall—a 74 year old Negro man. The President asked him how he was and they chatted for while [sic]—the man leaving the President saying—“God bless you, Mr. President—God ever bless you.” The motorcade soon departed and returned into the city…enroute stopping at Washington High School on St. Claude’s Avenue. The President again left his car and walked into the building that was being used as a refugee center. Most of the people inside and outside of the building were Negro. At first, they did not belive [sic] that it was actually the President. He walked up steps leading in to the school and the only light was that of a few flashlights lighting the way for him.

“The President would stop and talk w/ a few of them in the school…It was a mass of human suffering. They were crowded into the school w/their families gathered around them. Calls of “water-water-water” were resourced over and over again in terribly emotional wails from voices of all ages. The President left the building and in front of it, called for Hon. Buford Ellington to come to him and asked him to send water to them immediately. He also suggested to the Mayor Victor Schiro that the soft drink companies in New Orleans make available the bottled soft drinks (since the water had to be boiled- and not electricity was available—contamination could set in.) The Mayor agreed to check into the possibilities of this.

“The people all about were bedraggled and homeless…thirsty and hungry. It was a most pitiful sight of human and material destruction. [6:29 p.m.] Departed New Orleans city and returned to the airport traveling through downtown – Canal Street- where the store windows were broken and heavy signs supported by steel were bent as if they were rubber.

“The President returned to the Mouisiana [sic] Airport – New Orleans, La. And after talking w/the Press and bidding Mayor Schiro boarded his aircraft. The President told the press that it was inadvisable to travel to Baton Rouge and view the damage there because of weather conditions….and this he reported to the Press. …at the same time telling them that he intended to cut “all red tape and place New Orleans on top priority in getting aid to them.” He departed at 8:29 p.m. and reached the White House Washington, D.C. at 12:38 a.m. and went to bed.

(Source:  http://www.whitehousetapes.org/exhibits/betsy/ )

3. President Johnson Follows Up on his Trip to New Orleans

On Tuesday, September 14, 1965, just 96 hours after leaving for his quick trip to New Orleans, Senator Russell Long was in President Johnson’s office at 6:10 p.m. Johnson made a call to Robert Phillips, director of the Government Readiness Office of the Office of Emergency Planning run by Buford Ellington, to make good on his pledge to cut bureaucratic red tape. Phillips was on the ground in New Orleans serving as a pre-FEMA spokesman on relief efforts for the Johnson administration. Here, Long told Phillips, “We’re not trying to make you violate the law, but insofar as you can find a way to make the law bend to the problem, well that’s what we want you to do.” This transcript is from http://whitehousetapes.org/exhibits/betsy/transcripts/trans3.htm.

“President Johnson: Mr. Phillips, this is Lyndon Johnson. Senator Long is here in the office, and we have reviewed the problems that are a result from this terrible disaster that we’ve suffered there, and we have gone from agency to agency beginning with the Corps of Engineers, and the Veterans Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, Agricultural Department, Small Business Administration, all the services—Army, Navy, and Air Force—the National Command Center, Department of Agriculture, Interior, Maritime, Housing and Home Finance, and Bureau of Yards and Docks and Navy, Federal Communications, Federal Aviation, Bureau of Public Roads, Treasury, Commerce, and Interstate Commerce Commission.

Now, in times of distress, it’s necessary that all the members of the family get together and lay aside any individual problems they have or any personal grievances and try to take care of the sick mother, and we’ve got a sick mother on our hands. And as I said the other night when I was there, we’ve got to cut out all the red tape. We’ve got to work around the clock. We’ve got to ignore hours. We’ve got to bear in mind that we exist for only one purpose and that’s to the greatest good for the greatest number. And the people who’ve lost their homes, people who have lost their furniture, the people who have lost some of their crops and even their families are not going to be very interested in any individual differences between federal or state or local agencies.

So I hope that all the government people can put their shoulder to the wheel without regard to hours, without regard to red tape. Bring to these people the kind of assistance they need in this emergency which is worthy of a great government and a great country. And I want to thank all the local officials and the city and county and state and parish officials, and I want to assure you that up here, if you have any problems, well, let me know about them. We’ll get them straightened out. And down there, I don’t want any problems to . . . that the . . . that Betsy didn’t create to exist. I don’t—

Robert Phillips: Who will follow those orders, sir?

President Johnson: Well, here’s Senator Long. He wants to say a word to you, and we’ll do the job here. We expect you all to do it there

Robert Phillips: Yes, Mr. President.

Russell Long: Thank you so much, Mr. Phillips. You’re doing a great job down there.

Robert Phillips: Thank you, Senator.

Russell Long: And I know you’ve got your problems. We don’t . . . We’re not trying to make you violate the law, but insofar as you can find a way to make the law bend to the problem, well that’s what we want you to do.

Robert Phillips: I think I understand, Senator.

Russell Long: And as I say there’s one more thing about it: we’ve got some things in these laws indicated that have to do with private enterprise where we try to protect them, but it’s time for private enterprise to make their move to help the people, too, because they’ve got their place to fulfill, and they shouldn’t’ play the part of a dog in the manger. They . . . 

Now’s their time when they ought to be doing the extra hour of duty, and I think they’re doing it. I’m very proud of all these people who kept their stores open on Sunday and at other times after hours and folks who provide their services below the cost of service or sometimes giving their services away for free to help their fellow man. It’s a fine thing that they’re doing and insofar as some few people who want to chisel and cheat and take advantage of the unfortunate conditions of their neighbor, I think we ought to all remember who those people were when the time comes later on when they need us.

Robert Phillips: We’re going to work with everybody, Senator, along the lines that the President has told us to and encourages us to do  . . . and we will do.

Russell Long: Thanks so much. God bless you.

Robert Phillips: Bye.”

4. US Congress Follows Up with Funding for Flood Control Project in New Orleans

As a direct result of the damage to New Orleans wrought by Hurricane Betsy in 1965; the clear interest of President Johnson; the Democrat majority in the House (295 Democrats, 140 Republicans) and in the Senate (68 Democrats, 32 Republicans); and the power of the Dixiecrats in Congress (Congressman Hale Boggs was elected Majority Whip in the House of Representatives and Senator Russell Long Majority Whip in the Senate), Congress first authorized construction of the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, Louisiana Hurricane Protection Project in the Flood Control Act of 1965 (Public Law No. 89-298, 204, 79, Stat. 1073, 1077).

Congressional leaders reasoned that the greatest natural threat posed to the New Orleans area was from hurricane-induced storm surges, waves, and rainfalls, according to GAO reports released November 9, 2005 and December 15, 2005. (See: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06244t.pdf and http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06322t.pdf, respectively; accessed February 8, 2006.) Because of this threat, a series of control structure, concrete flood walls, and levees was proposed for the area along Lake Pontchartrain.

The Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, Louisiana Hurricane Protection Project was supposed to provide protection to areas around the lake in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and St. Charles Parishes. Although federally authorized, the project was a joint federal, state, and local effort. The Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for project design and the construction of the approximately 125 miles of levees, with the federal government paying 70 percent of the costs, and state and local interests paying 30 percent. Each of the four parishes protected by the project was associated with a local levee district that exists today and is generally composed of state-appointed officials and is considered a state entity.

The original project designs were developed based on the equivalent of what is now called a fast-moving Category 3 hurricane that might strike the coastal Louisiana region one in 200-300 years. The Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity Project started so long ago, the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale had not yet been invented. Its cost is around a billion dollars and its completion stretched to 2008. The walls that were breeched during Hurricane Katrina had been completed.

The Betsy experience gives one pause. Sea levels are rising around the world and land is subsiding in many urban areas, including New Orleans. The Army Corps of Engineers is being outrun by a situation beyond its control.