Lyndon Baines Johnson

The first thing I saw when I walked in the Fredrickberg B&B was this original painting of our 36th President and his wife, Lady Bird. Fredricksberg is LBJ country because after leaving the White House, LBJ retired to a ranch just a few miles away from Fredricksberg in Johnson City (there is no coincidence between the name of this city and LBJ's last name), where he lived until his death in 1973.

What makes this painting even creepier is that it was painted in 1969 --- according to the painter's signature --- the year LBJ left office in near disgrace. That year, most people had long forgotten about LBJ's work to improve civil rights in this country and his great society programs. Instead, people were furious with him for leading the nation into the Vietnam War. LBJ's poll number were in the toilet in 1969. I doubt there are many artists who are committing W to canvas right now --- at least in a dignified way.