Editing Dean Rusk (section)

===Vietnam and 1968 election ===
When Johnson first discussed dropping out of the 1968 election at a National Security Council meeting in September 1967, Rusk was opposed, saying: "You must not go down. You are the Commander-in-chief, and we are in war. This would have a very serious effect on the country."<ref name="Langguth 458">Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam 1954–1975'', 2000 p.458</ref> When McNamara advised Johnson in October 1967 to agree to North Vietnam's demand that the United States cease the bombing campaign as the precondition for opening peace talks, Rusk opposed the idea of a "bombing pause" as removing the "incentive for peace", and urged Johnson to continue Operation Rolling Thunder.<ref>Karnow, Stanley ''Vietnam: A History'', 1983 p.510</ref> By this time, many at the State Department were concerned by Rusk's drinking on the job with [[William Bundy]] later saying that Rusk was a like a "zombie" until he started to drink.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam 1954–1975'', 2000 p.458-459</ref> McNamara was shocked when he visited him at Foggy Bottom in the afternoon and saw Rusk open his desk to pull out a bottle of scotch, which he proceeded to drink in its entirety.<ref name="Langguth 458"/> Unlike the abrasive McNamara, who was widely disliked at the Pentagon, Rusk was sufficiently liked by his colleagues in the State Department that none leaked their concerns about his drinking to the media.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam 1954–1975'', 2000 p.459</ref>

On January 5, 1968, notes by Rusk were delivered to [[Ambassador of the Soviet Union to the United States]] [[Anatoly Dobrynin]], pleading support from the US to "avoid recurrence of" claimed bombing of Russian cargo ships in the [[Haiphong]] North Vietnam port the day prior.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/01/07/page/4/article/russ-assured-by-u-s-in-bomb-raid-charges|title=Rush Assured By US In Bomb Raid Charges|date=January 5, 1968|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> On February 9, Rusk was asked by Senator [[William Fulbright]] over his possible information in regards to a US tactical nuclear weapons introduction in South Vietnam report.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/02/10/page/3/article/rusk-is-quizzed|title=Rusk Is Quizzed|date=February 9, 1968|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

Like other members of the Johnson administration, Rusk was shaken by the surprise of the Tet Offensive.<ref name="Karnow 548">Karnow, Stanley ''Vietnam: A History'', New York: Viking, 1983 p.548</ref> During a news briefing at the height of the Tet Offensive, Rusk who was known for his courteous manner, was asked how the Johnson administration was taken by surprise, causing him to snap in fury: "Whose side are you on? Now, I'm the Secretary of State of the United States, and I'm on our side! None of your papers or your broadcasting apparatuses are worth a damn unless the United States succeeds. They are trivial compared to that question. So I don't know why people have to be probing for things that one can bitch about, when there are two thousand stories on the same day about things that are more constructive."<ref name="Karnow 548"/> However, despite his rage at the media who he felt were misrepresenting the war, he admitted to finding signs that public opinion was shifting against the war. He later recalled that during a visit to Cherokee County in February 1968 that people were telling him: "Dean if you can't tell us when this war is going to end, well then maybe we just ought to chuck it."<ref name="Karnow 548"/> Rusk added "The fact was that we could not, in any good faith, tell them."<ref name="Karnow 548"/> Shortly afterwards, in March 1968 Rusk appeared as a witness before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Fulbright that was examining allegations that the Johnson administration had been dishonest about the [[Gulf of Tonkin incident]] in 1964.<ref name="Karnow 558">Karnow, Stanley ''Vietnam: A History'', New York: Viking, 1983 p.558</ref> Fulbright made his sympathies clear by wearing a necktie decorated with doves and olive branches.<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.484">Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 p.484</ref>  Through Rusk handled himself well  under the relentless questioning by Fulbright, the televised hearings were another blow to the prestige of the Johnson administration as it became very apparent to the viewers that a number of senators were now opposed to the war or were only lukewarm in their support.<ref name="Karnow 558"/> When Fulbright asked Rusk to promise Congress a greater say in the war, Rusk replied that Johnson would consult "appropriate members of Congress".<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.484"/> When Senator Claiborne Pell asked if the war was worth all the suffering, Rusk charged that he was suffering from "moral myopia" about "the endless struggle for freedom".<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.484"/>

On April 17, during an American Society of Newspaper Editors luncheon meeting, Rusk admitted that the United States has taken "some lumps" propaganda wise but the Johnson administration should persist in trying to find a location of neutrality for the peace talks to occur.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/04/18/page/5/article/hanoi-warned-by-rusk-dont-wreck-hopes|title=Hanoi Warned By Rusk: Don't Wreck Hopes|date=April 17, 1968|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|first=Russell|last=Freeburg}}</ref> The following day, Rusk added 10 sites to the 5 proposed initially, accusing [[Hanoi]] of having a propaganda battle over neutral areas for discussion during a press conference.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/04/19/page/1/article/u-s-adds-10-parley-sites|title=Rusk Names 4 In Europe And 6 In Asia|first=James|last=Yuenger|date=April 18, 1968|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

Just before the peace talks in Paris were due to open on 13 May 1968, Rusk advocated bombing North Vietnam north of the 20 parallel, a proposal strongly opposed by the Defense Secretary  Clark Clifford who stated it would wreck the peace talks.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 p. 506</ref> Clifford persuaded a reluctant Johnson to stick by his promise of 31 March 1968 of no bombing north of 20 parallel.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 p.506</ref> Rusk continued his advocacy of bombing north of 20 parallel, telling Johnson on 21 May 1968 "We will not get a solution in Paris until we prove they can't win in the South".<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 p.507</ref> During a meeting on 26 July 1968, Johnson briefed all three presidential candidates about the state of the war and the peace talks.<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.514">Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 p.514</ref> Rusk who attended the meeting agreed with Richard Nixon's statement that bombing provided leverage in the Paris peace talks, saying: "If the North Vietnamese were not being bombed, they would have no incentive to do anything".<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.514"/> When Nixon asked "Where was the war lost?", Rusk replied: "In the editorial rooms of this country".<ref name="Langguth, A.J. p.514"/>

On June 26, Rusk assured [[Berlin]] citizens that the United States along with its North Atlantic Treaty partners were "determined" in securing Berlin's liberty and security, additionally criticizing the recent travel restrictions of [[East Germany]] as violating "long standing agreements and practice".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/06/27/page/5/article/berlin-shall-remain-free-rusk-pledges|title=Berlin Shall Remain Free, Rusk Pledges|first=Alice|last=Siegert|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=June 26, 1968}}</ref>

On September 30, Rusk met privately with [[Foreign Minister of Israel]] [[Abba Eban]] in [[New York City]] for discussion on peace plans from the [[Middle East]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/10/01/page/88/article/rusk-israeli-confer-deny-mid-east-plan|title=Rusk, Israeli Confer; Deny Mid-East Plan|first=William|last=Fulton|date=September 30, 1968|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

In October 1968, when Johnson considered a complete bombing halt to North Vietnam, Rusk was opposed.<ref>Langguth, A.J. ''Our Vietnam'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 p.526</ref> On November 1, Rusk said long term allies of the North Vietnam bomb halt should pressure Hanoi to accelerate their involvement in the peace talks in Paris.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1968/11/02/page/5/article/rusk-asks-aid-to-push-hanoi-toward-peace|title=Rusk Asks Aid To Push Hanoi Toward Peace|first=James|last=Yuenger|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>