Oct. 8, 1964 - Secretary of State Dean Rusk told a news conference today that the Johnson Administration’s decisions about the war in South Vietnam had “nothing to do” with the Presidential election.
Contrary to widespread speculation, Rusk said, “we are not concealing anything or postponing or marking time or refusing to make the decisions that are required.”
Whether the U.S. becomes more deeply involved in the war, he added, depends upon the future conduct of North Vietnam and Communist China.
“I do want to make it very clear, however,” he said, “that we are not going to pull away from our commitments to the security of Southeast Asia, and specifically South Vietnam.”
The Vietnam issue was raised with a reference to reports in Washington and Saigon that the Administration was considering a “major turn” in policy but was deferring a decision until after Election Day, Nov. 3.
“Yes,” Rusk replied. “I should like to hit that one just as hard as I possibly can.”
South Vietnam is a major issue of war and peace, he said. Whether North Vietnam and China leave South Vietnam alone is also a major issue, he said. But the entire matter is not one that an American President of any party can handle in political terms, he added.
“I can tell you — and I hope it is not an indiscretion — that the President has made it very clear to his own principal advisers that the decisions that are required with respect to South Vietnam have nothing to do with the American elections,” the Secretary said.
He did not deny that policy was under constant review and that a deeper U.S. involvement might be decided upon. He should not predict the future, he said, because the Communist forces “are writing the scenario for the future.”

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