40. Memorandum From Marshall Wright of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow)1
Washington, July 13, 1968.
SUBJECT
- The Performance of Prime Minister Gorton
The attached Airgram2 is a pastiche of memoranda of conversation with knowledgeable Australians about Prime Minister Gortonʼs performance. If you have the time, I think you will find it interesting reading.
What it amounts to is this:
- (1)
- Gorton is having an open and bitter feud with the civil servants.
- (2)
- His difficulties with his Cabinet (principally Paul Hasluck) are getting worse, not better.
- (3)
- Gortonʼs personal performance is a subject of increasing criticism among knowledgeable circles.
- (4)
- His standing with the party has deteriorated sharply, and Hasluckʼs popularity has risen.
Balanced against all this is the fact that the opposition, the Labor Party, is in total disarray. The Liberal Party Government, therefore, seems in no danger. But unless Gorton begins to take hold better than he has thus far, there might grow up a real challenge to Gortonʼs leadership of that Government.
Marshall
- Source: Johnson Library, National, Security File, Country File, Australia, Vol. III, Memos, 8/67–1/69. Secret; Limdis. Rostow sent this memorandum and its attachment to the President under cover of a note which suggested that, if he had the time and interest, he might read about the “vicissitudes of Gorton who has clearly not settled down yet.” An indication on Rostowʼs note reveals that the President saw it and its attachments. (Ibid.)↩
- Attached, but not printed was airgram A–615 from Canberra, July 7. The Department of State copy is in Central Files, POL 15–1 AUSTL.↩