LBJ celebrating his last Christmas, with family, LBJ Ranch, yesterday 1972. With ranch now open to public, this dining room looks much the same, except for that Lady Bird had linoleum floor yanked out and replaced by wood parquet after her husband’s death:

For those eager to search for replicas of Presidential furniture, at left is the hide-covered chair with little stirrups that LBJ often sat in while presiding at head of his ranch dining room table:

Note the desk in LBJ’s ranch office during his Presidency—he was using Nixon’s old Vice Presidential desk—after his 1968 election, Nixon went looking for it—learned that LBJ had flown it to Texas—Nixon had it flown back to DC, where he used it for all of his time in Oval Office:

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Michael Beschloss

@BeschlossDC

24 Dec 21

@MSNBC

My TV show “Fireside History with Michael Beschloss” (today, 5 PM Eastern on @MSNBC) shows the 1963 Christmas card JFK never lived to send:

@MSNBC

@MSNBC “Fireside History with Michael Beschloss” (today, 5 PM Eastern on @MSNBC) includes behind-the-scenes movies and images of First Families (including dogs) as they observe the holidays and open gifts:

@MSNBC

@MSNBC “Fireside History with Michael Beschloss” (today, 5 PM Eastern on @MSNBC) shows how FDR had Christmas dinner with his houseguest Winston Churchill at White House eighteen days after Pearl Harbor:

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Michael Beschloss

@BeschlossDC

20 Dec 21

Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley died forty-five years ago today:

One of last photos of elder Mayor Daley, taken today 1976 as he dedicated a Chicago fieldhouse, not long before he died of a sudden, massive heart attack:

Mayor Daley did not enjoy hearing “Gestapo tactics” of Chicago authorities denounced by Senator Abe Ribicoff from podium at 1968 Democratic convention. Note facial expression of Daley aide at right: #AP

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