 I just talked to Admiral Sharp again. He's been in contact with the carriers. They have not been able to launch yet. They won't launch for another about 45 minutes. They should launch at 10pm. I have this suggestion to make to you that you make your statement at approximately 10pm and that you leave out one sentence. It is the sentence that states, air action is now an execution against gunboats and supporting facilities in and near four ports of North Vietnam. Without that sentence, you don't disclose the targets, but you do disclose that action is presently underway. It's in the fourth paragraph on the first page. But repeat the accident, get on board. That black speak to you. Air action is now... No, you would read it, but repeated acts of war against the armed forces must be met not only with alert defense but with a positive reply. That reply is now being given as I speak to you, period. Then take out the next sentence. Well, we're going to make it too indefinite. No, sir, I don't believe so. I think it's perfectly appropriate that while the action is underway you not describe the specific targets or the type of action. What do you think about it? I don't see why we bring Goldwater in on this. Why don't we just say I felt it appropriate just to communicate my decision to the Republican candidate for president and not say he's assured me in his full support. I think it makes us sound like we're very much together and Buddy is in agreement on bombing everybody. Well, in that case, I'd leave out the paragraph. You wouldn't even say you... I wouldn't say it. I wouldn't say I communicated it. What do you think? Well, have you been able to talk to him? No. I'd leave the paragraph out. You've talked up above about the leaders of both parties and it seems to me that's the strong point. The trouble is he's going to be calling in about nine feet. Well, I keep talking to him. I'm trying to talk to him all right, but I don't think I'd refer to it. What would you do, just wait until after...talk to him until he's out on a boat and they're going to get him? Well, would you talk to him as soon as he gets in and tell him I'm going to make a statement and want them to know about it and not refer to it? That's exactly what I'd do, Mr. President. I tried to talk to him before I made it, but I wouldn't refer to having talked to him. And the purpose of talking to him would be to stop any opposition from him. And if you did that, I think you'd accomplish your purpose. You don't have to tie him into your statement. I think it's better not to. Yeah. What's delayed it so? Just the limitations of time, Mr. President. We ask an awful lot of them. They said initially they could do it, but it's proven now that they couldn't. They had to brief the crews and load the aircraft with specific types of weapons for these particular targets, and it took more time than they anticipated. Now, when they leave the carrier, Ken, how long do you take them to get over the target? The last time over the target will be two hours from that, we believe. Cool. Which would be about 12 o'clock our time. The first plane is over there. Well, do we want to give them two hours notice? I don't believe there's any reason not to, Mr. President. I don't think there's any serious problem in that. Better check that, Bob. I did. I just talked to Admiral Sharpe about it. He did not want this particular sentence read, the one I'm suggesting be taken out prior to the time they get over the targets. Oh, then we'll take it to the simultaneous almost? They'll get the statement simultaneously, but they won't know what targets are being attacked. Well, it looks like they'd think that they'd love to hit the where those boats coming from. Looks like they might get out to some anti-aircraft gun. I'm not sure as hell. I hate to have some others say you announced it. My boy got killed. I don't think there's much damage or much danger to that, Mr. President. How late would you be willing to hold him today? I guess we could hold it until 11 o'clock in the evening. I don't know. We don't have to make it, do we? Oh, I think you need to make some kind of a statement of this kind because tomorrow morning will be too late. Something will have to be on the news tomorrow morning and ought to come from you. Well, let's see how it goes along. He's told you that he's going to launch them at 10. That's right. That takes them two hours to get over the target. Well, the launch will take place over a period of time and the last aircraft launched is estimated to be over the target at two hours after launch. So what do you think the first one will be? The first one ought to be over the target within an hour after launch, but the radar of the North Vietnamese should pick up the first aircraft a few minutes after launch. So say 10.30 our time, the North Vietnamese would be aware of the attacking aircraft coming in. So that'd be all right. I would think so then. If you did it at 10.30 you could make the 11 o'clock news. Okay, thank you.