After meeting privately with Chicago newspaper publishers, Kissinger appeared at lunch to speak. The 500 persons in the room heard a statement written by Herb Klein, White House press secretary, which said that "Dr. Kissinger's remarks are not to be quoted, are not to be attributed to Dr. Kissinger, because Dr. Kissinger never appears in public." More laughter.

Kissinger was introduced by AHA president Roswell Perkins and by Robert F. Spindell '27, a Chicago banker. "Who would have dared hope in May that the Administration would be able to diffuse the Vietnam war as an issue by the November election?" Spindell said. "The fact is that within four or five months the American people recognized the necessity of the Cambodian invasion to the success of the Vietnamization program."

"It is commonly acknowledged in Washington that two men were responsible for the important decision concerning Cambodia: President Nixon and his special assistant for national security affairs, Henry Kissinger," Spindell added.

One of the alumni commented later, "I don't suppose Kissinger was overly grateful for that introduction."

After speaking and answering a number of questions, Kissinger received a standing ovation. He strolled leisurely to an exit and was then rushed away by Secret Servicemen.