188. Memorandum From the President’s Secretary (Whitman) to the President1

Secretary Herter called at 9:15. He said they in New York had reviewed carefully Mr. K’s talk of yesterday and thought for time being it would be best if you said no more—rested on your statement of yesterday.2

He said he thought the situation was “riding along very well …3 Mr. K did not make many friends yesterday.”

He also hopes you understand that he could not consult with you, because of time, before he made his statement to the foreign press correspondents about Mr. K’s talk. Said Mr. K talked until about two and about a half hour later he had this press conference, and the only thing the reporters were interested in was reaction to Mr. K’s talk.

He will be in New York through the lunch hour, just in case you want to call him. But he just wanted you to understand.

ACW4
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman Files. A copy was given to Goodpaster.
  2. Regarding Khrushchev’s statement, see Document 183. The New York Times reported that on September 23 the White House press secretary had announced that Eisenhower would not make an official statement on Khrushchev’s remarks, but that he supported Herter’s and Wadsworth’s responses. (September 24, 1960, p. A1) Herter’s comments are in Document 184; regarding Wadsworth’s statement, see Document 185.
  3. Ellipsis in the source text.
  4. Printed from a copy that bears these typed initials.