Russell Long

Despite such appeal, the President harbored no illusions that the U.S. response to the Six Day War would win over Fulbright.

President Johnson and [Louisiana senator] Russell Long, 16 June 1967, 7.48am

WH6706.01 PNO 7, 11907

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President Johnson: If I said to one senator—I never saw a senator I could say anything to that wouldn’t repeat it.

Russell Long: Not even Dick Russell?

President Johnson: No. No, sir. Not in my life. Not one.

As a matter of fact, most of my trouble last week with the Israel thing was because we said to senators that we hoped that we would get a declaration, and then a flotilla over there—and in 20 minutes after they walked out, by God, every communist country in the world was pressuring the other countries not to go with us because this was our plan.

Long: The time you told Bill Fulbright that, Mr. President, you knew that the Soviet ambassador was going to know that within six hours. I mean, you need to have known that if you told Bill Fulbright. [Both laugh.]