The New York Times noted Vandenberg, Jr.'s work as "a series of competent explanatory notations" while International Affairs called it "illuminating documentation" and "an impressive memorial.

Moody welcomed the prospect of a Vandenberg candidacy, saying it would mean a clean race and that he approved anything that would help Eisenhower win the Republican presidential nomination over the isolationist Taft.

[23] Following Eisenhower's victory in the presidential race, at the end of November 1952, the President-elect designated Vandenberg to be his Appointments Secretary,[24] He immediately began preparing for those duties,[25] then in January took a vacation in Florida "because of ill health."

"Close associates of General Eisenhower," reported the New York Times, "said there was no basis for speculation that Mr. Vandenberg's absence meant that he might not take office with the new Administration.

"[26] On January 13, 1953, however, a week before Eisenhower's inauguration, the White House announced that Vandenberg was taking a leave of absence for health reasons.

[4][29][30] I am delighted that you are continuing to take a friendly interest in an individual who, regardless of anything in the past, is obviously a sensitive character, devoted to his country and well informed in the international field.

President Eisenhower later wrote discreetly to Rockefeller concerning "a mutual friend of ours" and said he was aware of the contents of an article, presumably the Confidential exposé, though he had not read it.

He wrote: "I am delighted that you are continuing to take a friendly interest in an individual who, regardless of anything in the past, is obviously a sensitive character, devoted to his country and well informed in the international field."

[35] On October 7, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson's Special Assistant and Chief of Staff Walter Jenkins was arrested on a morals charge in Washington, D.C.

James Reston, writing in the New York Times the following day, wrote that "President Eisenhower was embarrassed by a comparable morals charge against one of his first appointees of his first Administration," but gave no specifics.

[1] Campaigning in San Diego on October 28, 1964, just days before the 1964 presidential election, President Lyndon Johnson was questioned about morality in his administration.

Johnson replied that every administration had its scandals and cited the case of Eisenhower's appointments secretary, thus confirming Pearson's outing Arthur H. Vandenberg Jr.[38] Later that evening, Johnson described his San Diego response to Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach:[39][40] I said that every administration has these problems ... Now the press plays it up pretty big, as if I indicted Eisenhower as having a pervert as his appointments secretary ...

From Hoover when he had Andrew Mellon ... to Roosevelt with Sumner Welles, to Truman with Matt Connelly and with Harry Dexter White, Eisenhower with Vandenberg ...The President now feared some of the press thought that I am guilty of McCarthy-like character assassination ... because I did specify that Ike had this problem with his appointments secretary.