The Vice Presidency: Hubert Unbound

As he beamed for photographers on the boarding ramp of Air Force Two, Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey looked as proud as a boy with his first pair of long pants. In fact, Lyndon Johnson had just allowed Hubert his first extended vice-presidential trip abroad, a week-long swing around four Far Eastern nations.

Though it was billed as a “goodwill mission” for the U.S., speculation around Washington had it that Johnson’s real aim was to drum up some good will for Humphrey. A recent Gallup poll found that 56% of U.S. voters thought Humphrey would not get the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972, and 58% did not want to see him elected President.

In Tokyo, Humphrey drew heavy hints from editorial writers that he had better not ask Japan to get involved in the war in Viet Nam. That was a prime reason for the visit, and in talks with Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, Humphrey requested increased Japanese help, consisting of economic and medical aid and refugee relief. Sato merely looked bland. Hubert also handed Sato a letter from Dean Rusk outlining the U.S.’s negotiation proposals on Viet Nam and assured him that Washington was doing all it could to end the war.

In his 18-hour stay in Japan, Humphrey also managed to attend the U.S. embassy Christmas party, and spent “an exceedingly jovial” 45 minutes with Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako. Next stop was Manila, where Humphrey attended the inauguration of the Philippines’ new President, Ferdinand E. Marcos (see THE WORLD). Later that day, Humphrey flew to Clark Air Force Base, the staging hospital for all U.S. casualties from Viet Nam, spent a somber, occasionally tearful hour visiting wounded G.I.s. After Manila, the Vice President spread good will in Taipei and Seoul before heading home to give Lyndon back his Air Travel card.