IKE, JFK ENLIVEN DRAB CAMPAIGN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP64B00346R000200140007-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 22, 2004
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2004/03/31 : CIA-RDP64B00346R000200.140007-2
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e two bi
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ve from
This is not dev ftly wishe
lit in the relation-
y and Dwight D.
ay not be avoided.
rid Eisenhower as
anyone that the intricacies of :the '
Cold War are not: made easier.-by
the harsh bite of partisanship.
The evolution of the contretemps
is ? easily traced. Eisenhower has
prided himself on a reluctance to engage the new
President on issues arising from his conduct of the
Cold War and on the fact that his reticence has
extended even to the obvious boggle at the Bay of Pigs.
As Republicans charted their strategy for the
campaign, they implored the ex-President to throw
his prestige behind a charge that Kennedy has not
been decisive in dealing with the Russians. Eisen-
hower vehemently declined.
His famous temper began to rise, however, when
Kennedy declared In a speech at Harrisburg on
September 20 that the picture was "dreary" around
the world when he took office and listed the problems
he had found in Berlin, Laos, Viet Nam and The
Congo. He went on to say, "The dark clouds were
gathering in Latin America, which had been ignored
for eight years, and the Communists had already
taken over Cuba."
The resentment stirred in Ike by these remarks
was brought to a boil when Kennedy later referred
to Cuba as a problem he inherited. Eisenhower'fel't
badly repaid for his efforts for unity on foreign policy.
His anger exploded last week in a campaign
speech at Boston in which he zeferred to a "dreary
foreign record of the past 21 months" which was
"too sad to talk about," and replied to Kennedy's
"extraordinary words about Latin America."
In thus arousing, Eisenhower, Kennedy's experi-
ence parallels that of Harry Truman in 1952, who
waged a lively campaign I!: behalf of Adlal Stevenson
and Infuriated the General to push a degree that
Eisenhower would have no relations with him for
six years.
The President has refrained from further assets-
ments of the Eisenhower foreign policy record and
is unlikely to rejoin the debate at the poir.t where
Eisenhower left it in Boston.
vowing; t~
encouraa
more
prospec
Keane ts
i on Cuba= .
' Tiiierefore
on foreign oil
central M40 414,"
to stress sheir d1 greement on domestic mat
Both men .a eke tins themselves with :'.? old
knowledge -'t t . words are unlikely to ehange?
any important: number of minds. But they also know
they are .bringing life to a lack-luster campaign Snd
thus helpin significantly -to' bring out the votes in
November.
aroused: o
to a battle agaia t e f y,y,
,whether this iri's he , , a dly,
ty professionals, will ?q*t .
rations se i c i r?
Vwn le
tature, willffer al e
" t7; th Adrninlstratioz}e
reviving'
truce may be main' bid
Iboh men will continue . ' be .
" Congreessional campaigns , rid,
Approved For Release 2004/03/31 : CIA-RDP64B00346R000200140007-2