# Dean Rusk  "Eyeball to eyeball"  Apocryphal?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-rusk-eyeball-to-eyeball-apocryphal/3905>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 14, 1999, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-rusk-eyeball-to-eyeball-apocryphal/3905 "1999-10-14T20:13:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-rusk-eyeball-to-eyeball-apocryphal/3905/1 "1999-10-14T20:13:00Z")

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This phrase is attributed to him during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I saw an interview with him some years ago, and he seemed to indicated either that he had not said it–or he didn’t remember saying it.

Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dean-rusk-eyeball-to-eyeball-apocryphal/3905/2 "1999-10-14T21:53:00Z")

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According to Bartlett’s, Rusk said it in a conversation on October 24, 1962.