—on the line, ma’am.[note 1] The Presidential Recordings Program revised the following section of text in 2021 for inclusion in The LBJ Telephone Tapes, a project produced by the Miller Center in partnership with the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library to commemorate the library's 50th anniversary.

Hello?

Hello?

Yes?

Mr. President?

Yes.

This is Abigail McCarthy.

Oh, Abigail, how are you?

I am fine, Mr. President, but I am overcome with emotion, really. I don’t see how you could have done this.

[speaking softly] Well, I just thought we had to do it because there’s so much at stake that one little person like me doesn’t—

You know you aren’t one little person, Mr. President.

[Slight chuckle.] Well, I’ve got nine months now to do nothing except—I won’t spend one moment doing anything except trying to find peace, and I thought that I—it was—I just thought I had to do it.

Well, I just want to tell you, you have my affection and respect, and I want you to tell Lady Bird [Johnson] how much I love her.[note 2] Lady Bird Johnson (née Claudia Alta Taylor) was the wife of Lyndon B. Johnson since 1934, and first lady of the United States from November 1963 to January 1969.

I sure will, dear, and I think it’s awfully nice of you to call.

Well, I’m just—you know, I can hardly talk.

Well . . .

I mean, I remember another time like this with Mr. [Harry S.] Truman.[note 3] Harry S. Truman was a U.S. senator [D–Missouri] from January 1935 to January 1945; vice president of the United States from January 1945 to April 1945; and president of the United States from April 1945 to January 1953. And, Mr. President, really, that was—you know, it—it’s just shocked us to our [slight chuckle] feet here, you know?

Everything—everything will be better, and we’ll have a lot of time to devote to what’s really important. And after 37 years, you learn what is important. And the—I’ve just—I—

You know, Mr. President—you know, basically our friendship was never severed.

I hope not. I hope not.

And—

I don’t want it to be.

And you do, please—[Eugene J.] Gene [McCarthy] [DFL–Minnesota] isn’t here.[note 4] Eugene J. “Gene” McCarthy was a U.S. representative [DFL–Minnesota] from January 1949 to January 1959, and a U.S. senator [DFL–Minnesota] from January 1959 to January 1971. McCarthy was a presidential candidate in 1968. He’s in another town, and I can’t reach him right now, but he’d be on the line, too. And I do want you to tell Lady Bird how I feel, won’t you?

I sure will. I’ll let you talk to her. Wait just a second.

Oh—

Hello?

Bird?

Yes!

It’s Abigail.

Yes!

I’m in Milwaukee [Wisconsin]. And I’m just so shaken, I don’t know what to do. But I just wanted to tell you that I remember the time we were [unclear], you know? And . . .

[Laughs.] Well, it’s simply a matter of—I know that this takes 18 hours a day as it is, and still all’s not done that you want to get done.

I know.

And it is not possible to add on the hours and the days that primaries would take or a campaign would take, and do the fair job, the great job that this place deserves.

I know that.

So one has to make a choice.

I know it, Bird, and I hope you understand how I feel. I just—

Well, you’re sweet to call. And particularly, when you have boys out there, [slight chuckle] when you feel pretty darn close to all 500,000 of them and hear from a whole lot of them—

I know.

—and you’re just about to get two out there yourself [Patrick J. “Pat” Nugent and Charles S. “Chuck” Robb], you don’t think much about politics.[note 5] Both Marine Captain Charles S. “Chuck” Robb, the husband of Johnson’s eldest daughter Lynda Bird, and Air Force officer Patrick J. “Pat” Nugent, the husband of Johnson’s younger daughter Luci Baines, were serving in Vietnam at the time. [Chuckles.]

I know that, and—and I just think that it’s, you know, very noble. And I just wanted you to know how I feel about it.

Well, thank you for calling, and I think you’re sweet to do it.[note 6] End of 2021 revisions.

Well, you know how I’ve always felt about you two and—you know—

Well, I appreciate it. [Slight laugh.]

I hope that another time, another place . . . you know?

[Laughs.]

And you’ll just—just realize I’m thinking about you.

Well, I sure will.

All right.

Good-bye!

Bye-bye.