LBJ on campagin strategy, Dems vs GOP

This was on LBJ commenting on his campaign against Barry Goldwater:

LBJ: "Oh, I'd just be shocked. I would say that....you hope Goldwater doesn't
stoop to...guilt by association. We cannot have character assassination. We had
that in the McCarthy days...I'd just take the high line-that is, we just cannot
deteriorate and degenerate...But I'd just take my speech and Miller's and contrast
them and say now here is one speech that tries to unite the country. There is
no reason why we can't have a pro-and-con election...There's no reason why
we can't have Democrat-Republican. But this business of being traitors,
or treasonable, or their morals or something else-that's another thing. Nobody
thinks Hubert Humphrey has been controlled by any force except the force of
the people and the forces of compassion. And to try to leave the impression
otherwise is a reflection on the Grand Old Party..."

Pages: 30-31, Reaching for Glory, Michael Beschloss, Simon and Schuster, NY 2001

this kind of dirty politics is a choice, even LBJ sidestepped it