Editor's note: Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. His new book, "Arsenal of Democracy: The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism," will be published this fall by Basic Books. Zelizer writes widely on current events. Julian E. Zelizer says so far the Obama presidency resembles that of Lyndon B. Johnson. PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- While pundits have compared President Obama to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, less attention has been paid to another, perhaps more apt parallel -- Lyndon Baines Johnson.
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Julian E. Zelizer: The Obama presidency resembles that of Lyndon B. Johnson
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Zelizer says both aimed high and worked skillfully with congressional leaders
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A president can shape legislation without dictating the details, professor says
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Zelizer: Obama has gotten big results from Congress by keeping leaders on his side
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Both Johnson and @placeholder understood that Congress was a credit-claiming institution whose members did not like to have proposals rammed down their throats.
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Both Johnson and Obama understood that @placeholder was a credit-claiming institution whose members did not like to have proposals rammed down their throats.
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Thus far, @placeholder has taken a similar approach with the economic stimulus and, more recently, with his budget proposal.
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The second similarity is that Johnson, like @placeholder, distanced himself from the arguments of liberals who said that conservatives did not need to be feared.
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With domestic policy, @placeholder avoided programs that could be tagged as "socialistic," and on foreign policy he worked hard to demonstrate a tough stance against communism.
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The comparisons between Johnson and @placeholder likewise offer reminders about what could go wrong for the current president.