[Robert A Cook PE]

He opposed the (potential) Civil Rights laws so fervently that Byrd (still "the" democrat Senator from WV) actually ran as an independent AGAINST the Kennedy proposal in the 1960 election.

Noxon favored passage of most of the parts of the plan also, but that fact is conveniently forgotten as well in today's liberal brainwashing/whiteashing of St. Kennedy.

Johnson saw it as part of his "Great Society" and pushed it through to lock in votes.

Johnson himself? Hard to say: he was so thoroughly political that even IF he opposed it privately, but saw Civil Rights as something he (Johnson) would gain from - he'd back it in public.

[ThreeYearLurker]

That was Harry Byrd from Virginia, not Robert Byrd from West Virginia. The Prince of Pork was not elected to the Senate until 1962.