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August 9, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, August 9, 1972, 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: Tuesday, August 8, 1972

Next Date: Thursday, August 10, 1972

Schedule and Public Documents

  • The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    The President's day began at Camp David, Maryland

  • The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents made available transcripts of the President's news conferences; messages to Congress; public speeches, remarks, and statements; and other Presidential materials released by the White House.

    Digitized versions can be found at HathiTrust.

  • Each Public Papers of the Presidents volume contains the papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the White House Office of the Press Secretary during the time period specified by the volume. The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In instances when the release date differs from the date of the document itself, that fact is shown in the text note.

    To ensure accuracy, remarks have been checked against audio recordings (when available) and signed documents have been checked against the original, unless otherwise noted. Editors have provided text notes and cross references for purposes of identification or clarity.

  • The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other Presidential documents.

  • The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

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.

  • 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)
      Wednesday, August 9.

      Still at Camp David. The President and I stayed over, as did Ehrlichman and Kissinger, but they left first thing this morning. The President had me over by the Aspen pool this morning for a general political discussion. First, to talk about the Connally operation. He's concerned because Connally has no one to run it. We've got to get Colson out of it now. He wants me to talk to Connally on his various matters, rather than Colson. Have Colson work Labor and so forth, and feed names to the Democrats. He wants me to tell Connally we're pulling Colson off, that he'll just feed names and so forth, that he can deal with me on any problems and information, there's no need to go through Colson on anything. Connally can feed in phone call recommendations to the President, rather than going through Colson. The President needs more information than Colson is giving him. Also, Connally should bring his team in, George Christian, and so forth. Not with Colson. Then he got into the lack of direction on themes, attack, and so forth. He said he had talked with Ehrlichman, that John agrees that part of the fault is his, that Colson is a superb operator but deficient in judgment. For example, on the McGovern white paper on economics, Colson got Stein into it and screwed it up, then gave it so some guy-- young guy to write a speech and MacGregor never did get the right line.

      We need to get Ehrlichman tuned in more on the political thing. There's the problem of the big picture men. We should forget the big picture now, except for a once-a-week review on where are we and what should we change. Ziegler should sit in on all major strategy groups. He has better judgment than the others do. The problem basically is, though, that the campaign has no head, in terms of strategy, on when, how, what we attack. Scheduling folds into this. We must fit it into the basic pattern. MacGregor can't handle this because he's too parochial, he doesn't sees the grand sweep, so I have to handle it and I have to handle all calls from Graham and Connally.

      On the President's schedule, the odds and ends, it's a waste of my time to work on it with the President. I should give it to Alex and let him work with Dave Parker. From now on, there will be no more Presidential appointments except from 11:30 to 12:30. No more Cabinet leaders meetings, etcetera, except maybe one or two in the fall. Let Alex handle the routine schedule, the nickel and dime stuff. Not the stuff that relates to publicity or politics. There should be nothing on the President's schedule except something that will affect the campaign, unless the President puts it on himself for personal reasons. When the President's in town, we can use the 11:30 to 12:30 time for Alex's minutiae, but only when the President says do it or when we need it for a campaign opportunity or a picture. The President says he told Ehrlichman to do something regarding the good economic news, and John put a packet together for the leaders, but they had never heard of it because it didn't have a simple sheet that explained it. Ehrlichman must do more on the preparation of materials. Alex should not bring in agendas for meetings to the President. It should be someone who can discuss the substance with him. The key is a sheet stating the purpose of the meeting, is to make the following points, so that that's understood. Good use of the President's time is to sit down and talk with surrogates. Get them thinking in simplistic terms. The strategy memos don’t focus hard enough on the simple points we need to ram home over and over. The new world, the man of peace, the reform at home, and the attack on McGovern, he's dangerous to peace abroad, dangerous to peace at home, dangerous to your pocketbook. Besides that, the best issue we've got for conservative Democrats is the Court appointments.

      We have to decide who is the strategy group. He thinks Ehrlichman, Ziegler, MacGregor, Connally whenever he's in town, probably Harlow, and me. Then on the outside group, we add Mitchell, Brownell, and he now suggested Thurston Morton. Discussed the convention schedule and planning, then he said, going back to the attack thing, "What is our answer to McGovern's line that he pledges a job for every American? How do we answer that, or do we ignore it, or do we attack it on the basis that it would raise taxes?" He wants us to set up a daily 5:00 strategy meeting that can be worked out on that. On his own schedule, he plans to stay in Washington till Congress adjourns. The Vice President should be out traveling full time. Maybe once a week the President will take a quick shot to a major state for a nonpolitical event. He wants to lock Connally's Texas event, wants to hold the last three weeks of the campaign, look at it at that time and decide what we do. He wants the Vice President not to get bogged down in fundraisers and a lot of extraneous stuff. Wants to be sure we use him with the ethnics and other areas where it really counts. He offers the line we can't take a chance on peace, or don't risk peace.

      Back to the Convention, we discussed the need for tying in Catholic and Italian women and Polish, not just WASPs on "Pat Nixon Night". He says he can't go on TV about jawboning meat prices, which is what apparently Ehrlichman and the crew want him to do, because it's not a strong enough move. He wants to plan on a lot of telephoning while he's in California, not to old friends, just those that are effective in the election. He's worried on the acceptance speech drafts that the writers just don't share the President's basic philosophical points.

      In the process of this, we got the report on Connally's announcement of the Democrats for Nixon, which was done via press conference because he refused to take advantage of the equal time opportunity we had, so didn't get on television, which is a real tragedy, but that's the way he wanted it, so that's the way it was done. Unfortunately, we have to handle him that way to survive.

      The Vice President called concerned about a problem with Sinatra and the Democrats. Sinatra was miffed that the Vice President didn't call him, instead of Connally, but he's aboard now and he's giving $100,000. Also talked about his amnesty speech and suggests that surrogates could use a good line that the principles that have involved the United States in Vietnam under the four Presidents are as valid today as when the first United States soldier set foot on Vietnamese soil. Then he was all upset about a story on the UPI wire that MacGregor was evidencing no objection to Relsbach's reform goals for the Convention, which the VP is violently opposed to. I talked with Connally. He read me his statement from the press conference announcement. He thinks everything went well. He's in good shape although there was a flap with Stans this morning. He agrees on the idea of getting Colson out. The President hit on the need to buy prime time on television, or at least radio, to present the Connally thing to a larger audience.

      Rogers called to say he had talked to Meany regarding the platform, is hopeful to get some labor concerns mentioned in our platform. Meany said fine, to talk to the people in his office, so they're coming over tomorrow afternoon to meet with Rogers. This is an area that McGovern is against the unions on, and Meany says he won't testify himself at our platform thing but he's sending B. Miller. Bill also talked to Cardinal Krol, is going to have lunch with him next Thursday and he seemed to be very enthusiastically involved in the campaign.

      The President called me over at 5:30 and he was swimming in the pool, but kind of floated around for a half an hour and covered some odds and ends. And he wants to be sure we have a Jew in the Convention program, wants Chapin to talk to Colson regarding Italians, Catholics, Poles, Labor, our big breakthrough areas of the ethnics. Maybe we should use Balzano or Rogers. He wants a bowling alley built into the Residence, he wants to buy a house in Georgetown with a pool, so he can get some exercise. Wants Kissinger to be sure we have a good Israeli plank in the platform and that he reviews all foreign policy planks. Wants Colson to get a mailer out fast to 100,000 Democrats with the Connally announcement.

      End of August 9.
    • 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. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

    Chinese Representation in the United Nations

    Vol. XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969-1972

    Republic of Korea Troops in Vietnam and Force Modernization, April 1971-December 1972

    • 153. Minutes of a Senior Review Group Meeting, Washington, August 9, 1972, 3:03-3:37 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–113, SRG Minutes, Originals, 1972–1973. Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room.

    Vol. XIX, Part 2, Japan, 1969-1972

    November 1971-December 1972: Toward a New Equilibrium

    • 124. Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, August 9, 1972, 6:30-7 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 538, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. VIII, May–Dec 1972. Secret. Presumably drafted by Holdridge or Hormats. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s office at the White House. On August 9, Hormats prepared Kissinger’s talking points for this meeting. (Ibid.)

    Vol. E-5, Part 2, Documents on North Africa, 1969-1972

    Libya

    Vol. E-10, Documents on American Republics, 1969-1972

    Costa Rica

    Jamaica

    • 429. Telegram 2024 From the Embassy in Jamaica to the Department of State, August 9, 1972, 1650Z., August 9, 1972, 1650Z

      The Embassy reported that Prime Minister Manley told Ambassador de Roulet that the Jamaican Government had no intention of establishing diplomatic or trade relations with Cuba while U.S. restrictions were still in effect.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 17 JAM–CUBA. Confidential. In telegram 1928 from Kingston, July 29, the Embassy reported that Manley denied press reports that his government had invited Fidel Castro to attend Jamaican independence day celebrations. (Ibid.)

    Paraguay

    • 575. Telegram 2217 From the Embassy in Paraguay to the Department of State, August 9, 1972, 1517Z., August 9, 1972, 1517Z

      Department of State’s Coordinator on International Narcotics Matters Gross informed Paraguayan officials that Paraguay faced a cutoff of U.S. and multilateral assistance unless they extradited Auguste Ricord to the United States. Stroessner decided on August 11 to extradite him.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 792, Country Files, Latin America, Paraguay, Vol. 1. Secret; Exdis. A stamped notation on the telegram indicates that it was received in the White House Situation Room at 7:41 a.m. on August 10. President Nixon sent a letter to President Stroessner on October 3 thanking him for expediting Ricord’s extradition. (Ibid., Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Office of East Coast Affairs (ARA/ECA): Lot 78 D 26, “NARCOTICS–A, PARAGUAY, August 1972”)

  • 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

  • Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.

    Camp David Hard Wire

    Camp David Study Table

  • 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-9758 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9758-03-12, Barbara Maluk with White House as background. 8/9/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. Barbara Maluk.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-9758-13-16, Unidentified persons in the Rose Garden. 8/9/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden. unidentified persons.

    Roll WHPO-9759 Photographer: Grove, Andrew | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9759-03A-06A, Deputy Special Assistant John E. Nidecker receiving a gift from Congressman Danielson. 8/9/1972, Washington, D.C. Unknown Room. Nidecker, George Danielson, Future Business leaders.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-9759-10A-13A, Future Business leaders on the steps. 8/9/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, Diplomatic Entrance Steps. John E. Nidecker, George Danielson, Future Business leaders.

    Roll WHPO-9762 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9762-, Pat Nixon standing with Mamie Eisenhower and Rusty Young, the official White House Floral Designer. (Florist). 8/9/1972, Washington, D.C. Yellow Oval Room, White House. Pat Nixon, Mamie Eisenhower, Rusty Young.

    Roll WHPO-9764 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-9764-, Jack Allen standing with White House as a background. 8/9/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, South Lawn. Jack Allen.

  • 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.

    H - White House Staff Member Recordings

    • WHCA-SR-H-638
      Herbert Klein, Director, Office of Communications, speaks to Summer Interns. (8/9/1972, Room 160, Executive Office Building)

      Runtime: 52:00:00

      Keywords: Briefings, private briefings

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by GET (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-5637
      Drapes Tape of Oval Office with Mark Goode. a color test of the oval office Pat Nixon, telethon participants.
      Metromedia
      Runtime: 00:24:23
    • WHCA-5638
      "CBS Morning News". Shriver's replacement of Eagleton in the vice-presidential nomintation slot on the Democratic ticket FTN: U.S. Senator George McGovern (D-SD); "I&A": U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton (D-MO).
      CBS, ABC
      Runtime: 00:59:54
    • WHCA-5639
      "Panorama". Moment: Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Chief of Naval Operations; "MTP": Secretary of the Treasury John B. Connally.
      NBC
      Runtime: 01:31:07
    • WHCA-5640
      "A Public Affair: Election '72".
      Undetermined
      Runtime: 0:30
    • WHCA-5644
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      24. Smith/Donaldson: Former Secretary (Connally) heads "Democrats for President Nixon". Time Code Start: 64:15. Keywords: political parties, Democrats, Democratic Party. Network: ABC.

      25. Reasoner/Shoumacher: Harris poll; Democratic financial problems, President Nixon picking up Jewish support. Time Code Start: 66:20. Keywords: funding, political parties, public opinions, polls, approval ratings, Gallup poll, Harris poll, Presidential elections, campaigns, primaries, candidates, voting. Network: ABC.

      26. Smith/Zimmerman: (McGovern) and (Shriver) are working for party unity; meeting with mayors. Time Code Start: 69:15. Keywords: Vice Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates, Mayors, conferences, conventions, meetings. Network: ABC.

      27. Jarriel: President Nixon campaign strategy. Time Code Start: 72:05. Keywords: Presidents,. Network: ABC.

      28. Giggans: Last combat unit in Vietnam. Time Code Start: 73:16. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: ABC.

      29. Smith: Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark says U.S. may be bombing indiscriminately. Time Code Start: 76:30. Keywords: Vietnam War, bombings, protests, lawyers, attorneys, activists. Network: ABC.

      30. Smith: Commentary on how McGovern may be making a mistake by using "America Come Home" slogan. Time Code Start: 78:12. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: ABC.

      31. Chancellor/Dancy/Kiker/Pettit: (McGovern) and (Shriver) start campaigning; Democratic National Committee; Harris poll; Connally to head "Democrats for Nixon" (Democrats for President Nixon). Time Code Start: 80:00. Keywords: public opinions, polls, approval ratings, Gallup poll, Harris poll, Vice Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, candidates, voting. Network: NBC.

      32. Chancellor: Watergate bugging incident. Time Code Start: 86:30. Keywords: bugging, bugs, wiretapping, wire taps, surveillance, spying, recordings, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: NBC.

      33. Chancellor/Troute: Vietnam war. Time Code Start: 87:04. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: NBC.

      34. Chancellor: (Romney) and (Schapp) on the floods. Time Code Start: 89:07. Keywords: floods, weather, disasters, damages, rescues, aid. Network: NBC.
    • WHCA-5645
      Weekly News Summary, Tape III.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:00

      1. Rather/Plant/Kalb: (McGovern) and (Shriver) start campaign. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: Vice Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: CBS.

      2. Rather/Jones/Schieffer: Vietnam war. Time Code Start: 04:23. Keywords: Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

      3. Rather/Drinkwater: On Farah boycott. Time Code Start: 09:43. Keywords: boycotts, protests, strikes, employees, unemployment, clothing manufactuers, pants, slacks, Farah jeans. Network: CBS.

      4. Rather: Romney and Schapp on the floods. Time Code Start: 15:10. Keywords: floods, weather, disasters, damages, rescues, aid. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)