Aug. 5, 1964 - In his televised speech last night, President Johnson said he had informed his Republican Presidential rival, Senator Barry Goldwater, of his order of retaliatory military strikes on North Vietnam and had received the Senator’s endorsement.
Congressional leaders of both parties, the President said, had assured him of speedy and overwhelming passage of a resolution “making clear that our Government is unite in its determination to take all necessary measures in support of freedom and defense of peace in Southeast Asia.”
Mike Mansfield of Montana, the Senate majority leader, said the Congressional resolution Johnson had requested would be introduced “sometime this morning.”
Johnson tried to reach Goldwater by telephone three times yesterday afternoon, but Goldwater was cruising on a yacht. The boat was equipped with a ship-to-shore telephone, but the connection was so poor that Goldwater elected to wait until he reached shore to speak to the President.
At 10:07 p.m. Eastern daylight time, Goldwater telephoned the President, who then informed him of the content of his action.
“I am sure,” Goldwater said afterward in a statement, “that every American will subscribe to the actions outlined in the President’s statement. I believe it is the only thing he can do under the circumstances. We cannot allow the American flag to be shot at anywhere on earth if we are to retain our respect and prestige.”
Richard M. Nixon, the 1960 Republican candidate, also backed Johnson. Nixon, in Washington, said he believed the President should have bipartisan support in dealing with the situation.
Henry Cabot Lodge, former Ambassador to South Vietnam, said he was happy the U.S. had met force with force after U.S. destroyers were attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin.
“The Navy has a right to be in those waters,” Lodge said. He asserted the destroyers “had a right to defend themselves, and I’m glad they did.”
Lodge declined to speculate on the cause of the North Vietnamese attack.
He said he had not been in contact with President Johnson or Administration officials on the current crisis.
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