Lyndon Johnson’s election victory in 1964 over Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater shattered the Republican party and ushered in a darker time of presidential leadership.

Johnson must have known the old political adage. Above all, you have to give people something to vote for rather than asking them to vote against.

On the campaign trail, Johnson talked about his “Great Society,” which at the time must have seemed like an aspirational extension of John F. Kennedy’s “New Frontier.”

Johnson declared war on poverty and ignorance as he ran against Goldwater, whose ideas about the tactical use of nuclear weapons in Europe and reforming Social Security created fear and confusion.

As the ultimate political animal, Johnson also ran attack ads against his opponent, which highlighted Goldwater’s extremism. The most notable one, known as “Daisy Girl,” has served as a template for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and other presidential aspirants.

As a result, the year 1964 was a watershed in presidential politics. Moving against his Southern brethren in the U.S. Senate, LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on July 2, which prohibited racial discrimination at polls, schools, offices, and restaurants.

The act was a major step toward reversing the “separate but equal” doctrine that reinforced racial segregation. And it gave LBJ a new voting block: African Americans.

Picking a Vice President

Johnson picked the more liberal Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey as his vice presidential running mate. This helped shore up support in the Northeast.

Humphrey was also a good choice, because he was Johnson’s bridge to the more liberal wing of his party.

After LBJ’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention in late August in Atlantic City, he headed into September, and unleashed the dogs.

Johnson hired the Manhattan advertising firm Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) – a “mad men” firm known for their successful campaigns for Volkswagen, Avis Rent a Car, and El Al Airlines.

To accomplish the attack mission, DDB produced three TV ads, including the 60-second “Peace, Little Girl,” which aired Sept. 7 during NBC’s Monday night movie, “David and Bathsheba.”