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At about the same time, Republican National Committee Chairman Dean Burch, who had expected the Jenkins story to appear in Washington's Wednesday afternoon papers, was beginning to wonder why nobody had printed it. Figuring that someone had managed to suppress it, he issued this cryptic statement shortly after 6 p.m.: "There is a report sweeping Washington that the White House is desperately trying to suppress a major news story affecting the national security." Two hours later, at 8:09 p.m., United Press International broke the story, and morning papers across the U.S. rushed it into print.
According to White House spokesmen, President Johnson went through the entire day's campaigning in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York without knowing what was afoot. But between 6 and 7 p.m., just before Lyndon was to call on Jackie Kennedy at her new Fifth Avenue apartment, a newsman called Press Secretary Reedy with details of Jenkins' arrest and hospitalization, and Reedy passed the news on to Johnson. After a few minutes, the President said simply: "We've got to have a resignation."
No Snare. The initial reaction among Jenkins' friends was utter disbelief, followed by dismay. "His worst enemy—if he has any enemies—could never have conceived of such a thing," said another Texan, Wichita Falls Postmaster Pat Hardage. Texas Governor John Connally, a member of Lyndon's court for as long as Jenkins, suggested that it might be a frame-up, that Choka had somehow entrapped Jenkins. But CBS newsmen, who picked up Choka at 1 a.m. Thursday and took him to an undisclosed spot, quoted him as denying entrapment. Choka, who is separated from his wife Lieslotte and their two children, said that he "neither asked nor was offered money to snare Jenkins."
Barry Goldwater, who heard the news as he arrived at Denver's Brown Palace Hotel, said, "I don't know what the hell this is about." Later he added, "I don't intend to comment on it at all." G.O.P. Vice-Presidential Candidate William Miller told a luncheon for Chicago's blue-chip Executives Club: "If this type of man had information vital to our survival, it could be compromised very quickly and very dangerously." Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate Hubert Humphrey appeared shocked, refused to comment. But an aide said gloomily in Milwaukee: "It's bound to cost us votes."
Point of Exhaustion. Lady Bird Johnson quickly issued a statement saying: "My heart is aching for someone who has reached the end point of exhaustion in dedicated service to his country." In the months since the Bobby Baker case was first aired, the President has made only one belated, curt and inadequate comment. This time he waited for 24 hours before saying anything publicly. Finally, accused by Dean Burch of having "covered up" Jenkins' earlier arrest "for 51 years," he issued a statement in Washington.