--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in…" description: "\"“With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the reverence, the childlike dependence, the willingness to follow where the President leads, the t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/robert-a-caro-15999_white-house_with-a-note-of-sadness-wicker-wrote-in-1_898367.jpg" --- # With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the… ![“With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the reverence, the childlike dependence, the willingness to follow where the President leads, the trust, are long gone—gone, surely, with Watergate, but gone before that.… After Lyndon Johnson, after the ugly war that consumed him, trust in ‘the…” quote by Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/robert-a-caro-15999_white-house_with-a-note-of-sadness-wicker-wrote-in-1_898367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/robert-a-caro-15999_white-house_with-a-note-of-sadness-wicker-wrote-in-1_898367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/robert-a-caro-15999_white-house_with-a-note-of-sadness-wicker-wrote-in-1_898367.jpg) > ““With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the reverence, the childlike dependence, the willingness to follow where the President leads, the trust, are long gone—gone, surely, with Watergate, but gone before that.… After Lyndon Johnson, after the ugly war that consumed him, trust in ‘the President’ was tarnished forever.” That tarnishing revolutionized politics and government in the United States. The shredding of the delicate yet crucial fabric of credence and faith between the people of the United States and the man they had placed in the White House occurred during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson.”” [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political scandals eroded public trust in the presidency, beginning with Watergate and deepening after Johnson’s era, reshaping American governance. **In simple terms:** Scandals broke trust in presidents, changing politics. Key Takeaway Recognize how trust loss reshapes institutions. Themes politics trust leadership history Mood cautious analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy debates - media coverage - civic education Key Concepts disillusionment institutional decay public perception Questions to Reflect On - What steps can rebuild confidence in leaders? - How does media influence public trust? A Different Perspective Restoring trust requires transparency and accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lyndon johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon-johnson/) [Occurred Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occurred-presidency-1217090/) [Presidency Lyndon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency-lyndon-1217088/) [President Tarnished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-tarnished-1217089/) [Watergate Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate-gone-1217091/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) ## Related quotes > [“It is not clear who will bring to the Whitehouse those useful commodities of vivid language, a sense of history and most important -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/it-is-not-clear-who-will-bring-to-the-whitehouse-those-useful/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“But then one evening in November, 1939, the Smiths were returning from Johnson City, where they had been attending a declamation contest, and as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/but-then-one-evening-in-november-1939-the-smiths-were-returning-from/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Lyndon Johnson. The junior congressman saw two things that no one else saw. The first was a possible connection between two groups that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/lyndon-johnson-the-junior-congressman-saw-two-things-that-no-one-else/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“This man who in the pursuit of his aims could be so utterly ruthless—who would let nothing stand in his way; who, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/this-man-who-in-the-pursuit-of-his-aims-could-be-so-utterly-ruthless/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“We have talked long enough ... about civil rights,' Lyndon Johnson had said. 'It is time ... to write it in the books of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/we-have-talked-long-enough-about-civil-rights-lyndon-johnson-had-said/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“He was to become the lawmaker for the poor and the downtrodden and the oppressed. He was to be the bearer of at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/he-was-to-become-the-lawmaker-for-the-poor-and-the-downtrodden-and/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“The second most powerful man in the country.” All his life Lyndon Johnson had been taking “nothing jobs” and making them into something—something big.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/the-second-most-powerful-man-in-the-country-all-his-life-lyndon/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Ask not what you have done for Lyndon Johnson, but what you have done for him lately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/ask-not-what-you-have-done-for-lyndon-johnson-but-what-you-have-done/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/is-where-power-goes-the-most-significant-factor-in-any-equation-that/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“He won that election in the byways,” Bill Deason says. Ava Cox says: “That’s what made Lyndon Johnson be elected the first time.… He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/he-won-that-election-in-the-byways-bill-deason-says-ava-cox-says-that/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [My mother missed having dinner with Lyndon Johnson because she couldn't find the right hat to wear. While my father went off to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-estevez/my-mother-missed-having-dinner-with-lyndon-johnson-because-she-couldn/) [Emilio Estevez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-estevez/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Everyone believed the Senate could not really be led. It used to take so long to rise up through seniority. In two years Lyndon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/everyone-believed-the-senate-could-not-really-be-led-it-used-to-take/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Lyndon Johnson faced some clear moral issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lyndon-johnson-faced-some-clear-moral-issues/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [ \[Lyndon \] Johnson was responding to a black freedom movement that was tearing the country open and he did what he had to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/lyndon-johnson-was-responding-to-a-black-freedom-movement-that-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) ## More by Robert A. Caro > [“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country” that they summoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/and-so-my-fellow-americans-ask-not-what-your-country-can-do-for-you/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“And, in fact, had Johnson’s plan succeeded, in many ways it would indeed have been “just the way it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/and-in-fact-had-johnson-s-plan-succeeded-in-many-ways-it-would-indeed/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“As one 1935 study put it, boys and girls who were 15 or 16 in 1929 when the Depression began are no longer children;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/as-one-1935-study-put-it-boys-and-girls-who-were-15-or-16-in-1929/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“On the rare occasions on which a movie was shown, there was as much suspense in the audience over whether the electricity would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/on-the-rare-occasions-on-which-a-movie-was-shown-there-was-as-much/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“I, sir, take a different view of the whole matter. I look upon Ohio and South Carolina to be parts of one whole—parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/i-sir-take-a-different-view-of-the-whole-matter-i-look-upon-ohio-and/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“A newcomer could ascertain the identity of a town's true leaders – which storekeeper was respected, which farmer was listened to other farmers –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/a-newcomer-could-ascertain-the-identity-of-a-town-s-true-leaders/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“MR. CALHOUN.   Never, never. MR. WEBSTER.   What he means he is very apt to say. MR. CALHOUN.   Always, always. MR. WEBSTER.   And I honor him for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/mr-calhoun-never-never-mr-webster-what-he-means-he-is-very-apt-to-say/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“When Silent Cal Coolidge noted that “You don’t have to explain something you haven’t said,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/when-silent-cal-coolidge-noted-that-you-don-t-have-to-explain/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“...his success in public relations had been due primarily to his masterful utilization of a single public relations technique: identifying himself with a popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/his-success-in-public-relations-had-been-due-primarily-to-his/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“He won that election in the byways,” Bill Deason says. Ava Cox says: “That’s what made Lyndon Johnson be elected the first time.… He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/he-won-that-election-in-the-byways-bill-deason-says-ava-cox-says-that/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/is-where-power-goes-the-most-significant-factor-in-any-equation-that/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“A candidate who, night after night, tries “to capitalize on the emotion of honest patriotism, cheapens the impulse.… It is like playing on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/a-candidate-who-night-after-night-tries-to-capitalize-on-the-emotion/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Ask not what you have done for Lyndon Johnson, but what you have done for him lately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/ask-not-what-you-have-done-for-lyndon-johnson-but-what-you-have-done/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“BUT WHAT, really, had the People’s Party—the farmers who called themselves “Alliancemen”—asked for? Only that when men found themselves at the mercy of forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/but-what-really-had-the-people-s-party-the-farmers-who-called/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) [Explore all 41 Robert A. Caro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) ## More Lyndon johnson quotes > [ \[Lyndon \] Johnson was responding to a black freedom movement that was tearing the country open and he did what he had to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/lyndon-johnson-was-responding-to-a-black-freedom-movement-that-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Lyndon Johnson faced some clear moral issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lyndon-johnson-faced-some-clear-moral-issues/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Everyone believed the Senate could not really be led. It used to take so long to rise up through seniority. In two years Lyndon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/everyone-believed-the-senate-could-not-really-be-led-it-used-to-take/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Like Lyndon Johnson, President Obama understands that timidity in a time of troubles is a prescription for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/like-lyndon-johnson-president-obama-understands-that-timidity-in-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Originally, John Kennedy was going to come speak, and then Lyndon Johnson. Because it was October of '62, neither made it because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maraniss/originally-john-kennedy-was-going-to-come-speak-and-then-lyndon/) [David Maraniss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maraniss/) > [The most intimidating world leader was Lyndon Johnson, who became U.S. President when John Kennedy was assassinated. He exulted in this power and liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-most-intimidating-world-leader-was-lyndon-johnson-who-became-u-s/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Every politician - FDR, Lyndon Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama - they're all conservative by nature. They are part of the big thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/every-politician-fdr-lyndon-johnson-abraham-lincoln-barack-obama-they/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Lyndon Johnson rose above the doubt and fear to hold this Nation on course until we rediscovered our faith in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/lyndon-johnson-rose-above-the-doubt-and-fear-to-hold-this-nation-on/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [ Years of concentration solely on work and individual success meant that in his retirement \[Lyndon Johnson\] could find no solace in family, in recreation,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/years-of-concentration-solely-on-work-and-individual-success-meant/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Much of the conventional wisdom associated with Vietnam was highly inaccurate. Far from an inevitable result of the imperative to contain communism, the war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-r-mcmaster/much-of-the-conventional-wisdom-associated-with-vietnam-was-highly/) [H. R. McMaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-mcmaster/) > [I wasn't part of John Kennedy's vision of the world, or Lyndon Johnson's. I thought of them as anti-Communist imperial monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-wasn-t-part-of-john-kennedy-s-vision-of-the-world-or-lyndon-johnson/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the war, but when I was drafted and shipped off to Vietnam, the signature on my orders was Nixon's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/lyndon-johnson-may-have-escalated-the-war-but-when-i-was-drafted-and/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [The American people on the ground need a clearer, stronger, Lyndon B. Johnson-type voice from their president. Obama has that voice. It has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-american-people-on-the-ground-need-a-clearer-stronger-lyndon-b/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [President Lyndon Johnson's high spirits were marked as he circulated among the many guests whom he had invited to witness an event he confidently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/president-lyndon-johnson-s-high-spirits-were-marked-as-he-circulated/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Browse all 144 Lyndon johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon-johnson/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the reverence, the childlike dependence, the willingness to follow where the President leads, the trust, are long gone—gone, surely, with Watergate, but gone before that.… After Lyndon Johnson, after the ugly war that consumed him, trust in ‘the President’ was tarnished forever.” That tarnishing revolutionized politics and government in the United States. 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