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April 23, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, April 23, 1973, pulls together various records created by the federal government and links to additional resources which can provide context about the events of the day.

Previous Date: Sunday, April 22, 1973

Next Date: Tuesday, April 24, 1973

Schedule and Public Documents

Archival Holdings

Any selection of archival documents will necessarily be partial. You should use the documents and folders identified below as a starting place, but consult the linked collection finding aids and folder title lists and the collections themselves for context. Many documents to be found this way do not lend themselves to association with specific dates, but are essential to a complete understanding of the material.

  • Selective document listing

    President's Office Files

    The President's Office Files consists of materials drawn together by the Special Files Unit from several administrative subdivisions within the White House Office. It is the handwriting and sensitive papers sent to the Staff Secretary that now comprise much of the President's Office Files. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • Annotated and Unmarked News Summaries [Note: Although there was no News Summary on this date, due to the way News Summary products were compiled, you should also consult nearby days for potentially relevant materials.]

  • The H. R. Haldeman Diaries consists of seven handwritten diaries, 36 dictated diaries recorded as sound recordings, and two handwritten audio cassette tape subject logs. The diaries and logs reflect H. R. Haldeman’s candid personal record and reflections on events, issues, and people encountered during his service in the Nixon White House. As administrative assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Haldeman attended and participated in public events and private meetings covering the entire scope of issues in which the Nixon White House engaged in during the years 1969-1973. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • Transcript of diary entry (PDF)
      Monday, April 23.

      Ehrlichman and I stayed at Camp David all day today. Worked on the background material for the lawyers and some discussion of strategy regarding leave of absence and so forth. Came down for dinner at home. Ziegler called me early this evening and was obviously in a very emotional state and covered things as follows:

      He said well, I have to say that his mind is made up, as far as I can see. It was made up at Grand Cay last night. It's not decided finally, but I think that he's really set. He feels there are no good choices. He returned today from Grand Cay and had a six hour meeting with Rose, Chappy Rose, and Buchanan in the whole session. And the President, at the conclusion, said there are no good choices, and he talked to Ron sort of on the way out and had tears in his eyes. Went out for a boat ride, then came back. Called Ziegler and told him to call me and tell me. Ron thinks he's going in the direction, and he said he had talked to Rogers and others, and he's aiming in the direction, although he says that he's not decided, that there's no choice but for Ehrlichman and Haldeman to move away and above it, in the appropriate way.

      He bases this on the argument of three premises that he evaluates. First, the legal standpoint, where he thinks we will survive. Second, public opinion that would probably won't make the case in the long run. There will be-- then he goes into a long dissertation on that, agonizing. Ron says everybody fought it, but something has to be done. The President feels guilt. As President, he must get this out of his mind. He has an obligation to run the nation and he cannot, as a human being, run the country with this on his mind. He told Ziegler he knows what it means, and that's why he's fought it and so on. He told Ziegler to call me and tell me that from the standpoint of the Presidency, and from my own standpoint, I should consider seriously that the President has no alternative and that I should resign and fight this, as I know how to fight it.

      Ron said the separability idea was argued at length and the view is that it can't be separated. Ehrlichman and I both have to go. The President said these two men are strong enough to deal with this, to move on their own to make their case. But the Presidency cannot be encumbered by it. The points of history, separability, won't go away, anyway, no guilt and so on were all argued, and the President argued the most strongly; then got up and walked out the door. And Ron realized that basically it was done. He's leaned on Rogers heavily. Rogers argued the case the other way, but he thinks this is the right decision.

      Then Ron read from his notes as to various things the President said, which is what follows. There's no good way to handle this. It will in no way separate Ehrlichman and Haldeman from me, and this is irrelevant anyway. They did no wrongdoing, but they cannot assume that they will not be in the swirl of controversy. I know now the grand jury won't act for another month. There's no way that this will not go down in history as a very bad chapter with the Presidency seriously hurt, and I must accept responsibility for this. But Haldeman and Ehrlichman are strong men. They have served the Presidency as dedicated a way as any man has served the Presidency. Probably the strongest men in terms of dedication who have ever served the Presidency. But as we look at the political forces, the forces against the Presidency, the country must have a President moving in a direction. He realizes there will be clamor. This will not pass, I'm still involved. Charges and claims are still made that I knew about it and was aware of it. But I must make a decision and move ahead in a new tone and a new way. The best thing I can do is make the decision, but I just can't do it because I can't prejudice their rights. I believe in these two men, I love these two men. The White House can't respond and can't operate with this force against us, though.

      Ron says then that after Rose and Buchanan left, the President said, I will face this on my own. I will make these points to the men involved. They have to realize where we are in all this. Ziegler again said he was sure he had decided on this in Grand Cay last night. Ziegler says he raised the question of resignation versus leave of absence. Gave all the arguments. The President said there's no choice, a leave is not a viable choice. They have to make their case and I must separate the Presidency from them. Then they discussed who should talk to Haldeman and who should talk to Ehrlichman. Ziegler raised the point that this would prejudice their legal case. The President said he's convinced we have no legal concern. May not even have a public opinion concern. But he then says I am not the type of man who can run this country, and then went into a 20 minute dissertation on the problems of the Middle East and all that. Ziegler said what if they relieve themselves of their duties? The President pointed to his head-- his own head and said, I can't relieve myself of it. Ziegler emphasized this can't be separated from the President. He says, I must go out to the public and say that I can't run the Presidency with this burden. That's why I've accepted this.

      He feels the way to do this is for each of us to submit our resignation at our own request. The question of Dean's resignation and how to handle that has to be determined. Ron says he's very concerned about Colson. Told Ziegler he talked to Colson yesterday and had Ziegler call him a couple times today. Then told Ziegler not to talk to him again at all. Said I now know what kind of a man Colson is. He started into the whole "What'll I do now without them" business, and Ziegler said don't talk about that now. The President wants to move immediately. He was going to have Rogers talk to us tomorrow. Then said to Ron, what if Haldeman and Ehrlichman roll him. Ron said they wouldn't try.

      The President raised the point about keeping Higby in. Ziegler said I don't think he'd stay. Then Ziegler said, if I stay, I don't know how I'll handle things, and the President was horrified at the thought of Ron leaving, but Ron made the point that he may have to, but Ron said he couldn't in any way replace me. He pushed Kehrli and Parker and all those people as able to take on many of the tasks, and said the President responded favorably to that. In the President's summation, he said he can't separate himself from this, for his true responsibility. He argued a long time about the buffer theory and the lightning rod idea. But said, it doesn't matter. I have to make a decision, I have to make a move, and I have to go on.

      I called Larry and told him, which was quite a shock. Also called Ehrlichman, who took it very hard. He thought I ought to call Wilson, the lawyer, which I did. He felt it was a great surprise and will definitely have an effect on the legal case. Said they had discussed this, but had no indication that it was a real possibility. He understands the President's concern, but wonders if this is the right way to handle it. I called Ehrlichman back to report on that. He said he was having a very hard time with this. I said, why? He said it seems unfair. Which, of course, it does.

      I made a long speech to Ziegler, a medium one to Larry, and a short one to John, on the need to treat this as a progressive step and approach it on that basis, recognizing that each step takes us ahead in some way, even though we don't perceive that at the time. Ron was obviously flabbergasted by my reaction and the way I tried to deal with him and strengthen him, and he kept saying that someday he wanted to tell me what he really thought of me or something. It's obviously very hard on him, because he's had to take all the long sessions over the weekend, plus delivering the final news which must have been very rough to face up to, but he did it very well. Larry called back later to say he would be happy to do anything he could to help and so on. Obviously disturbed, and we'll see where it goes from there.

      End of April 23.
    • Original audio recording (MP3)

  • The National Archives Catalog is the online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records. It is the main way of describing our holdings and also provides access to electronic records and digitized versions of our holdings. 

    The Catalog searches across multiple National Archives resources at once, including archival descriptions, digitized and electronic records, authority records, and web pages from Archives.gov and the Presidential Libraries. The Catalog also allows users to contribute to digitized historical records through tagging and transcription.

    Nixon Library Holdings

    All National Archives Units

National Security Documents

  • The President's Daily Brief is the primary vehicle for summarizing the day-to-day sensitive intelligence and analysis, as well as late-breaking reports, for the White House on current and future national security issues. Read "The President's Daily Brief: Delivering Intelligence to Nixon and Ford" to learn more.

  • The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Visit the State Department website for more information.

    Vol. XXXVIII, Part 1, Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1973-1976

    Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1973-1976

    • 8. Address by the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), New York, April 23, 1973

      Source: Department of State Bulletin, May 14, 1973, pp. 593–598. Kissinger delivered his remarks at the annual meeting of the Associated Press editors, held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Kissinger recalled that the timing of the speech, preceding the resignations of H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman by a week, “proved disastrous,” and suggested that the Watergate crisis doomed the Year of Europe. (Years of Upheaval, pp. 101 and 153)

    Vol. E-3, Documents on Global Issues, 1973-1976

    Space and Telecommunications

    • 77. Telegram 1501 From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, New York, April 23, 1973, 1615Z

      The telegram summarized events at the UN Outer Space Legal Subcommittee session. It focused on advances toward completion of a treaty on registration of space objects and relative lack of progress in Moon Treaty negotiations.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files. Confidential; Priority. Repeated for information to Moscow, Paris, Ottawa, and the Mission to NATO.

  • The Kissinger telephone conversation transcripts consist of approximately 20,000 pages of transcripts of Kissinger’s telephone conversations during his tenure as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1969-1974) and Secretary of State (1973-1974) during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Visit the finding aid for more information.

    Digitized versions can be found in the National Archives Catalog.

Audiovisual Holdings

  • The White House Photo Office collection consists of photographic coverage of President Richard Nixon meeting with prominent social, political, and cultural personalities; speaking engagements and news conferences of the President and various high-ranking members of the White House staff and Cabinet; Presidential domestic and foreign travel, including Presidential vacations; social events and entertainment involving the First Family, including entertainers present; official portraits of the President, First Family, and high-ranking members of the Nixon administration; the 1969 and 1973 Inaugurals; the President’s 1972 Presidential election campaign appearances (including speeches) and other official activities of the White House staff and the President’s Cabinet from January 20, 1969 until August 9, 1974 at the White House and the Old Executive Office Building; other locations in Washington, DC, such as The Mall; and the Presidential retreats in Camp David, Maryland, Key Biscayne, Florida, and San Clemente, California. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    Roll WHPO-E0691 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0691-, The annual White House Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. unidentified attendees.

    Roll WHPO-E0692 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0692-, The annual White House Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. unidentified attendees.

    Roll WHPO-E0693 Photographer: Parish, William | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0693-, The annual White House Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. unidentified attendees.

    Roll WHPO-E0694 Photographer: Parish, William | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0694-, The 1973 White House annual Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. children, parents, adults, clowns.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0694-15A, A sad looking Clown entertains the audience of children at the he 1973 White House annual Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. clown, children.

    Roll WHPO-E0695 Photographer: Parish, William | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0695-, The 1973 White House Annual Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. Children, adults, clowns.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-E0695-12A, A group of clowns pose for photos at the 1973 White House Annual Easter Egg Roll. 4/23/1973, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. Children, adults, clowns.

  • The White House Communications Agency Sound Recordings Collection contains public statements that took place between 1969 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    S - White House Press Office Briefings (continuation of the L-series)

    • WHCA-SR-S-079
      Press briefing by Herbert Stein. (4/23/1973, EOB Conference Room (450))

      Runtime: 30:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by GSA; Recorded by Earl Doss (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-S-080
      Henry A. Kissinger address to Associated Press Annual Luncheon in Waldorf-Astoria. (4/23/1973, Waldorf Astoria, New York, New York)

      Runtime: 52:17:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by [not listed]; Recorded by RMM (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-S-081
      Press briefing by Gerald Warren. (4/23/1973, 4 Ambassadors Press Center)

      Runtime: 31:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by WT (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

  • The White House Communications Agency Videotape Collection contains “off-the-air” recordings of televised programs produced between 1968 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • WHCA-6243
      "Face The Nation" with Mohammed Hassan El Zayyat. U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker (R-CT).
      CBS
      Runtime: 00:29:24
    • WHCA-6249
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      25. Smith/Jarriel/Donaldson: Watergate, Haldeman and John Dean. Time Code Start: 80:51. Keywords: advisors, counsels, attorneys, lawyers, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: ABC.

      26. Smith/Branigan: Ceasefire violations; Kissinger in New York. Time Code Start: 84:58. Keywords: Vietnam War, ceasefires. Network: ABC.

      27. Smith/Jennings: American demonstrations for the Arabs. Time Code Start: 87:20. Keywords: Arabian, Arabs, Middle East, Mideast, support, demonstrations, rally, protests, protesters, demonstraters, demonstrators, anti-war. Network: ABC.

      28. Smith/Chapman: food prices up again; exports from Japan. Time Code Start: 90:20. Keywords: food, meat, agriculture, animal products, dairy products, prices, costs, increases, shortages. Network: ABC.

      29. Smith: Comment on evil money. Time Code Start: 93:02. Keywords: credit, loans, cash, currency, funding. Network: ABC.
    • WHCA-6250
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      1. Chancellor/Duke/Kiker/Valeriani/Graham: Watergate, Ehrlichman and Haldeman may be involved; Cover up why Mitchell resigned. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: advisors, counsels, attorneys, lawyers, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: NBC.

      2. Chancellor/Jones: Cambodian fighting. Time Code Start: 07:07. Keywords: Vietnam WarCambodia, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.

      3. Chancellor: Kissinger in New York with speech on Cambodia. Time Code Start: 09:10. Keywords: Cambodia, Vietnam War, officials, speeches, travel, trips. Network: NBC.

      4. Chancellor: Pentagon papers trial defendant Anthony Russo says General Earl Wheeler and Gen. William Westmoreland may be called to testify. Time Code Start: 10:40. Keywords: Armed Forces, military, classified documents, secrets, Ellsberg, Russo, Watergate, courts, trials, Supreme Court, Vietnam War, Indochina War, bombings. Network: NBC.

      5. Chancellor: food price; Herbert Stein says tax increase. Time Code Start: 12:31. Keywords: food, meat, agriculture, animal products, dairy products, prices, costs, increases, shortages, taxes, taxation, revenue. Network: NBC.

      6. Cronkite/Stahl/Rather: Watergate; McCord; court leaks news to Jack Anderson. Time Code Start: 14:47. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: CBS.

      7. Cronkite: Kissinger in New York speech on Watergate. Time Code Start: 18:56. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: CBS.

      8. Cronkite/Webster: Cambodian fighting. Time Code Start: 19:55. Keywords: Vietnam WarCambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

      9. Cronkite/Shieffer: Drugs used by American soldiers in Vietnam. Time Code Start: 22:47. Keywords: Vietnam War, military, pharmaceuticals, medicines, drugs, drug abuse, narcotics, heroin, marijuana, alcohol, alcoholism, addicts, addiction, prevention, programs, drug use. Network: CBS.

      10. Cronkite/Sevareid: Comment on Watergate. Time Code Start: 24:30. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)