—I think we’re going to complete this report we’re making this morning, finish preparation of it. I went over it with [Robert S.] Bob [McNamara] and with Dean [Rusk] last night, and we’re classifying it very highly, so it’ll—we—in the nature of a report to you, and we’re also putting a special classification on it to keep it quite secret so that you can use it as you want.[note 1] Robert S. “Bob” McNamara was president of Ford Motor Company from November 1960 to January 1961; U.S. secretary of defense from January 1961 to February 1968; and president of the World Bank from April 1968 to July 1981. Dean Rusk was U.S. secretary of state from January 1961 to January 1969. But, on the whole, I think that we’ve come out with an agreed report that indicates that we ought to perform these missions in a somewhat different fashion in the future, that we probably shouldn’t send them into waters of this kind without protection, and so forth. I wondered if it would—if you would like me to come over for five or ten minutes and just run through it before we finally put it to bed.

I sure would. I had two folks that I kind of wanted to—‘cause they’ll have to live with it some—to talk to you before you all really got it down finally, because I’m afraid that it’ll be like a Gaither Report.[note 2] The 1957 Gaither Report concluded that the Soviet Union had a burgeoning capacity to expand its nuclear arsenal. The report urged the U.S. government to respond with massive increases in American spending on nuclear weapons and fallout shelters. Although classified, the report’s recommendations leaked widely. Somebody in some department looks at it, will leak it. I thought that these folks would be my best defense if you’re in Europe or some other place when we call you for help. And I wondered if you would mind spending ten minutes with [Maxwell D. “Max”] Taylor and Clark [M. Clifford] together—[note 3] Gen. Maxwell D. “Max” Taylor was a military representative of the president from 1961 to 1962; chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1962 to July 1964; and U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam from July 1964 to July 1965. Clark M. Clifford was a Washington lawyer; an adviser to presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson; a member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board from 1961 to 1968; chair of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board from April 1963 to February 1968; and U.S. secretary of defense from March 1968 to January 1969.

Sure.

—because they had gone out and done a lot of things for us. They’ll both be here. Max is testifying from time to time. He was on the Bay of Pigs thing.[note 4] President John F. Kennedy recruited Gen. Maxwell D. “Max” Taylor to write a report on what went wrong with the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion. He has the background. He’s on that intelligence board [President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB)].[note 5] Clark M. Clifford chaired the PFIAB. Maxwell Taylor soon replaced him as chair.

Right.

Clark is chairman of it, and Clark has to kind of do what you used to do—oppose, put in the “no” vote sometimes, [Ball acknowledges throughout] for—so I don’t think everything’s love and peaches and cream. If you would do that, then come right on in. [W.] Marvin Watson will open the door any time you’re ready.[note 6] W. Marvin Watson was White House appointments secretary from February 1965 to April 1968, and U.S. postmaster general from April 1968 to January 1969. You can bring them or you can just come by yourself and tell me. Just tell them I’d like to have a little reaction from them and any suggestions they have, because [L. Mendel] Rivers [D–South Carolina] is already refusing to hear Bob up there on his valedictory, and we’ve got the [J. Strom] Thurmonds [R–South Carolina] and the Rivers and these wild men that want to blow up a city, and I’ve just got to have Clark handle some of those, and Taylor will have to give them a little touch.[note 7] L. Mendel Rivers was a U.S. representative [D–South Carolina] from January 1941 to December 1970. J. Strom Thurmond was a U.S. senator [D–South Carolina] from December 1954 to April 1956 and November 1956 to September 1964, and [R–South Carolina] from September 1964 to January 2003. So if you’ll talk to them, I’ll tell Marvin now to give me an hour or two’s notice, and we’ll bust up what we’re doing and receive you any time, and I thank the Lord you’re living.[note 8] In May 1968, Ball became the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

[Chuckles.] Fine, Mr. President. [Unclear.]

All right. Bye. Bye.

Thank you.