168. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson 1

General Eisenhower made a reference2 to our lack of use of the formal NSC machinery. It could be picked up this year as a political issue. One way to head it off would be to budget for a few formal sessions. My first suggestion is: a formal NSC session on Vietnam at the end of Lodge’s visit, when all the major issues are settled between us and we can control what matters do and don’t get into play.3

W.W. Rostow 4
  1. Source: Johnson Library, White House Central Files, Confidential File, FG 11–5. Confidential. Copies were sent to Moyers and Kintner.
  2. Not further identified.
  3. An NSC meeting on Vietnam, in which Lodge participated, was held on May 10. Lodge returned to Washington for consultations in early May and departed May 17.
  4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.