Lyndon Baines Johnson was a giant. Physically, sure—he stood 6’4” in an era when that felt like skyscraper height. But the strange things about Johnson weren't about his stature. They were about the sheer, unadulterated weirdness of how he handled power, his body, and the people around him.
He was a man who would pull you into a bathroom while he was mid-business just to finish a political argument. Honestly, imagine being a high-ranking cabinet member and having to discuss the Vietnam War while the President of the United States is sitting on the toilet with the door wide open. That wasn't a rare occurrence. It was his Tuesday.
The Bathroom Briefings and "Jumbo"
LBJ had zero concept of personal space. Or maybe he had a very specific concept of it: he wanted yours. He used his body as a weapon of diplomacy. If he wanted you to vote for a bill, he’d lean in until his nose was an inch from yours, his massive frame blocking out the light, effectively "Johnson-treating" you into submission.
But the bathroom thing? That was a power move. He’d continue conversations while performing every private human function imaginable. He reportedly didn't want to stop the flow of a meeting, but historians like Robert Caro suggest it was also about dominance. If you could handle the smell and the sight of the leader of the free world on the commode, he knew he owned you.
And then there was "Jumbo."
Yes, he named his own anatomy. He was strangely proud of it. There’s a famous, though perhaps slightly hyperbolic, story where a reporter asked why we were still in Vietnam. Johnson supposedly unzipped, showed the reporter "Jumbo," and barked, "This is why!" Whether he was literally equating military might with his own manhood or just trying to shock the press into silence, it remains one of the most bizarre anecdotes in presidential history.
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The Needle-Like Shower of The Elms
If you think his bathroom habits were odd, his plumbing requirements were a full-blown engineering nightmare. When Johnson moved into the White House, he was obsessed with the shower. He wanted water pressure that could basically strip paint off a car.
He had a specific setup at his private residence, The Elms, that he insisted be recreated in the White House. We’re talking about multiple nozzles.
- One pointed at his back.
- One at his chest.
- One aimed directly at... well, Jumbo.
The pressure had to be "needle-like." It was so intense that it reportedly required a special pumping system that the White House plumbers struggled to maintain. He once screamed at a staffer because the water wasn't hot or forceful enough. To LBJ, a weak shower was a personal insult.
10 Shirts a Day and the "Fresca" Button
The man was a walking radiator. He sweated through clothes at an alarming rate. It wasn't uncommon for him to go through five to ten fresh shirts in a single day. He’d change in the middle of meetings, stripping down to his skin while aides continued to read him memos. He just didn't care.
Social norms? Not for Lyndon.
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He also had a very specific obsession with Fresca. He had a button installed on the desk in the Oval Office. Most presidents use those buttons for emergencies or to summon the Chief of Staff. Johnson used his to signal a steward to bring him a cold Fresca.
It’s kinda funny when you think about it. The leader of the free world, managing the Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement, just tapping a button for a grapefruit soda.
The Amphicar Prank
One of the best strange things about Johnson involves his ranch in Texas. He owned an Amphicar—a vehicle that looks like a car but can drive right into the water.
He loved to terrify his guests.
He’d be driving a Senator or a foreign dignitary around the ranch, usually at high speeds (he was a notorious speeder who once bragged about doing 85 mph with a paper cup of beer in his hand). Suddenly, he’d scream that the brakes were out and veer the car directly into a lake.
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As his guests prepared to drown, screaming in the passenger seat, the car would simply bob up and start floating. Johnson would howl with laughter. It was a cruel, weird, and perfectly LBJ way of testing someone's mettle.
Why These Strange Habits Mattered
You might wonder why we’re talking about toilets and soda buttons. But these quirks weren't just "fun facts." They were the blueprint of a man who refused to be contained by rules.
Johnson was a "New Dealer" at heart. He grew up in the Texas Hill Country with no electricity and no running water. That kind of poverty leaves a mark. It creates a hunger for control. When he finally got power, he squeezed it. He squeezed his aides. He squeezed the plumbing. He even squeezed the seat of his pants—literally.
There is a recorded phone call of him ordering trousers from the Haggar Clothing Co. He goes into vivid, almost uncomfortable detail about where the pants are too tight, using some pretty colorful language about his "bunghole."
You can find the audio online. It’s real. It’s awkward. And it’s pure Johnson.
Actionable Insights from the LBJ Playbook
While you probably shouldn't hold meetings in the bathroom, there are actually things to learn from his "strange" behavior regarding human psychology:
- The Power of Physicality: Johnson knew that how you carry yourself in a room dictates the terms of the conversation. Use posture to project confidence, even if you aren't 6'4".
- Break the Ice with Humor (Even if it’s Weird): The Amphicar prank was a test. He wanted to see who people really were when they were scared. While you shouldn't fake a car crash, seeing how people react to the unexpected is a great way to judge character.
- Specific Requirements Lead to Results: His obsession with the shower and his shirts showed a man who knew exactly what he needed to function at 100%. Don't apologize for having specific needs that help you perform.
- The "Johnson Treatment": This was about persistence. He wouldn't take no for an answer. If someone dodged him, he'd find them in the gym, the bathroom, or the hallway. Persistence is often the difference between a stalled project and a signed bill.
Lyndon B. Johnson remains one of the most complex figures to ever sit in the Oval Office. He was a man of massive contradictions: a vulgar, intimidating bully who also pushed through the most significant civil rights legislation since the Civil War. He was "strange," absolutely. But in that strangeness was a raw, unfiltered humanity that modern politics often lacks.