From World War II until the end of the Cold War, untold thousands of gay men and women were either purged from government service or denied employment altogether, solely because of their sexual orientation.Īt the same time, some of the most important prerequisites for success in the nation’s capital-the ability to work long hours on a low government salary, a willingness to travel at a moment’s notice, prioritizing career over family-are more easily attained by those without a family to support, a set of circumstances that made Washington an especially attractive place for gay people, gay men in particular. For nearly half a century, no graver sin existed in the black book of American politics than homosexuality.
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This article is excerpted from Kirchick’s forthcoming book.īut just as Waldron was about to fulfill a lifelong ambition to work for the president of the United States, forces beyond his control were preparing to ensure that he would be prevented from doing so. In time, Waldron became a fixture in Johnson’s retinue outside the office, once attending dinner at the Johnson home, by his own estimate, 14 nights in a row.
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Waldron’s role gradually expanded to “body man,” that term for an all-purpose gofer so particular to Washington-where some in positions of authority view menial tasks such as inserting contact lenses and picking their daily wardrobe as beneath their dignity. Johnson had initially recruited Waldron for his quick note-taking skills, but he soon became something much more significant: a combination of aide, travel companion, and personal confidant. By 1959, though technically still in Thornberry’s employ, he had essentially become a member of Johnson’s Senate staff, one of several people whom allies and benefactors “loaned” to the then–Senate majority leader during his decades-long political rise. Kennedy, had just been assassinated, Waldron, 36, was an administrative assistant for Representative Homer Thornberry, Johnson’s heir to the Tenth Congressional District seat in Texas. Johnson called Bob Waldron to commiserate about the colossal burden that had just been placed upon his shoulders.Ī native of Arp, Texas, a town of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants some 125 miles east of the city where Johnson’s predecessor, John F. O n November 23, 1963, the morning after he swore the oath of office in an impromptu ceremony aboard Air Force One, President Lyndon B.