1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Almanac

December 19, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Tuesday, December 19, 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: Monday, December 18, 1972

Next Date: Wednesday, December 20, 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 The White House - Washington, D. C.

  • 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.

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)
      Tuesday, December 19.

      Some discussion today on personnel. The President wants to keep pushing to get some punch into the Under Secretary selections. He's concerned about still going ahead with the "dull, gray manager" types. Decided he wanted to change his decision on Commerce and take the guy with more pizzazz instead of Bob Frye, a good, safe manager. He wants to keep the OEP job open, to consider using it for Anne Armstrong as an additional assignment, and decided to send Marshall Green to Australia. Had some discussion regarding a letter he'd received from Bunny Lasker on SEC selections.

      The main object of concern today was Vietnam. He had Kissinger in this morning and is talking about the Haig report on his meeting with Thieu yesterday, he says Thieu is really shaken by the President--

      [End of tape reel AC-28(B)]

      [Begin tape reel AC-29(B)]

      I was talking about Vietnam. Kissinger reporting on his meeting with Javits and Javits’ advice, saying don't play to me, on the Vietnam thing, because I'll oppose you in any event, but use your mandate and play to the House not to the Senate. Nothing is going to happen in the Congress anyway for six months, and you should go ahead on the basis of what you're doing, even though some of us will have to publicly oppose you. Henry said the first bombing wave today got in and out with no losses, so that's a little better than yesterday's run.

      Talked about the POW's, and the need to work on them. Have to keep the League of Families in line and all -- discuss some points of contact with them via Haig and Scowcroft. The President then emphasized that the main thing now is what happens as a result of the bombing, all that matters is getting it done. That is, getting the settlement, we shouldn't worry about the press in the meantime. They're worse now because we won the election and that frustrates them. The President obviously was trying to shore Henry up, as he seems to keep feeling he has to do.

      After Henry left, he made the point that we can't let the line develop about the point that Kissinger had peace, and the President pulled him back. He can't let the President take the blame for the thing breaking down. For example, the theory that some columnist is [unclear] that presidents seem to do foolish things in their second terms. As he got to thinking about it, he said he was going to put off his Florida trip for a day and get everyone in and give them the line to get it out -- Ziegler, Colson, Klein and so on. He thinks that we need to keep that moving to keep everyone suppressed on the adverse stuff, such as Dole and Human Events and all that. Feels we should be fighting that part of things better, and that he's got to get control of it.

      He did later today get Ziegler and Colson and me in. And Ron gave him a report on his briefing on Vietnam and all, then discussed the question of what should be done on our PR on Vietnam, especially on the "Nixon broke Kissinger's word" line, and that "Nixon pulled Kissinger back from peace". How do we answer the point that we raised false hopes; that answer being that North Vietnam was the one that raised the false hopes -- by putting the talks on; not us. And now we have got to make it clear that North Vietnam needs to pull back from their POW position, and that the President wants an absolute, unconditional agreement from North Vietnam that all POW's will be returned in 60 days, before he'll do anything. He's very strong on this point and on his concern that we aren't getting the right basic line across, although all of us felt that it was coming across right and it would be the worst possible thing for us to start trying to push the line at this point, so he gave up on his idea of leaving.

      Had a long meeting with Stans this morning, he reviewed with the President the same things that he reviewed with me last week. The President generally agreed with his recommendations for recognition of major donors and so forth. Wants to have him hold the surplus $3 million in some fund under his control until we decide what we want to do with it. Some discussion of RNC finance chairman and Stans is pushing Bill Middendorf. And some discussion of the House Congressional Campaign Chairman -- Stans thinks Bob Wilson is going to go for it. The President said he would not do the March 28 fundraising dinner if Wilson was the chairman.

      After the President met with Ruckelshaus today, called Cole and me in today to see what we thought of Ruckelshaus as FBI director, which might be a very good idea.

      Also, Colson was in. The President got into some discussion of Connally and the need for him to make a move now, that he can't just stay on the Democrat side and hope to come in later and pick up the Republican nomination. He's got to move for it now, or he's got no chance of getting it.

      End of December 19.
    • 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

Audiovisual Holdings

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

    Oval Office

    White House Telephone

  • 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-D1134 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1134-03A-23A, A close-up portrait study of Bill Timmons. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Bill Timmons.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1134-11, Head and shoulders portrait study of Bill Timmons smiling. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Bill Timmons.

    Roll WHPO-D1135 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1135-04-25, Close-up portrait study of Ron Walker. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Ron Walker.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1135-8A/9-12A/13 No negatives - contact sheet only., Close-up portrait study of Ron Walker. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Ron Walker.

    Roll WHPO-D1136 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1136-03-31, Close-up portrait study of Bill Timmons. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Bill Timmons.

    Roll WHPO-D1137 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1137-02-30, Close-up portrait study of Ron Walker. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Ron Walker.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1137-07-11 No negatives - contact sheet only., Close-up portrait study of Ron Walker. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Ron Walker.

    Roll WHPO-D1138 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1138-06-33, Close-up portrait study of Kim Agnew. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown. Kim Agnew.

    Roll WHPO-D1139 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1139-02-07, President Nixon Receiving Diplomatic Credentials from Ambassador Pheng Norindr, Laos. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, Pheng Norindr & Family, Alberto Quevedo Toro & Family, Khristo Delchev Zdravchev & Family, Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza & Family, Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, John Argyrios Sorokos & Family.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1139-08-13, President Nixon Receiving Diplomatic Credentials from Ambassador Alberto Quevedo Toro, Ecuador. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, Pheng Norindr & Family, Alberto Quevedo Toro & Family, Khristo Delchev Zdravchev & Family, Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza & Family, Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, John Argyrios Sorokos & Family.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1139-14-19, President Nixon Receiving Diplomatic Credentials from Ambassador Khristo Delchev Zdravchev, Bulgaria. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, Pheng Norindr & Family, Alberto Quevedo Toro & Family, Khristo Delchev Zdravchev & Family, Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza & Family, Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, John Argyrios Sorokos & Family.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1139-20-26, President Nixon Receiving Diplomatic Credentials from Ambassador Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza, Sudan. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, Pheng Norindr & Family, Alberto Quevedo Toro & Family, Khristo Delchev Zdravchev & Family, Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza & Family, Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, John Argyrios Sorokos & Family.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1139-27-29, President Nixon Receiving Diplomatic Credentials from Ambassador Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, Panama. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, Pheng Norindr & Family, Alberto Quevedo Toro & Family, Khristo Delchev Zdravchev & Family, Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza & Family, Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, John Argyrios Sorokos & Family.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1139-30-36, President Nixon Receiving Diplomatic Credentials from Ambassador John Argyrios Sorokos, Greece. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, Pheng Norindr & Family, Alberto Quevedo Toro & Family, Khristo Delchev Zdravchev & Family, Abdel Aziz Al Nasri Hamza & Family, Nicolas Gonzalez Revilla, John Argyrios Sorokos & Family.

    Roll WHPO-D1140 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1140-01A-15A, The National Christmas tree and Washington Monument seen through a White House window. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. Blue Room, Grand Hallway, White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, choir, unidentified persons.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1140-15A-18A, President Nixon and Pat Nixon standing with a choir. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. Blue Room, Grand Hallway, White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, choir.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1140-16A-23A, Unidentified persons standing by the White House Blue Room Christmas tree. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. Blue Room, Grand Hallway, White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, choir, unidentified persons.

    Roll WHPO-D1141 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1141-09-15, The National Christmas tree and the Washington Monument seen from a White House balcony. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. South Portico, room, Grand Hallway, Blue Room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, choir, unidentified persons, Santa Claus.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1141-16-17, Christmas decorations reflected in a wall tall mirror. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. South Portico, room, Grand Hallway, Blue Room.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1141-18-20, President Nixon and Pat Nixon standing with a choir. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. South Portico, room, Grand Hallway, Blue Room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, choir.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1141-21-30, Unidentified persons with Santa Claus standing by the White House Blue Room Christmas tree. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. South Portico, room, Grand Hallway, Blue Room. unidentified persons, Santa Claus.

    Roll WHPO-D1142 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1142-04, 06A, 09A, 14, 15A, 18A, The National Christmas tree illuminated at night with the White House visible in the background. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1142-06, The National Christmas tree illuminated at night with the White House visible in the background. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1142-08, The National Christmas tree illuminated at night with the White House visible in the background. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. unknown.

    Roll WHPO-D1143 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1143-02A, 12A, 14A, The National Christmas tree and of White House, separately and together. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. Ellipse.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1143-05A, White House at night, seen through boughs of a Christmas tree. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. Ellipse.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1143-07A, 9A, 10A, White House at night, seen through boughs of a Christmas tree. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. Ellipse.

    Roll WHPO-D1144 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1144-02A-03A, President Nixon seated at his desk with Ken Cole and William Ruckelshaus (Environmental Protection Agency, EPA). 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Kenneth Cole, William Ruckelshaus, Richard Van Dusen, barber, unidentified man.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1144-05A-08A, President Nixon seated at his desk with Ken Cole and Richard Van Dusen. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Kenneth Cole, William Ruckelshaus, Richard Van Dusen, barber, unidentified man.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-D1144-13A-14A, Unidentified man sitting in a barber chair in the White House barber shop. Barber standing behind him holding a comb and smiling. 12/19/1972, Washington, D.C. White House, Barber Shop. President Nixon, Cole, William Ruckelshaus, Richard Van Dusen, barber, unidentified man.

  • 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.

    L - White House Press Office Briefings

    • WHCA-SR-L-093
      Press briefing by Ronald Ziegler. (12/19/1972, White House Press Lobby)

      Runtime: 30:42:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media, press secretary

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-721205
      Remarks by President Nixon in a telephone conversation with the crew of Apollo 17 and "U-Press," with additional remarks by Vice President Agnew and the astronauts via Matrix 71. (12/19/1972, White House)

      Runtime: 0:08:27

      Keywords: NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, space program, astronauts

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by "None"; Recorded by GET (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-P-721206
      Remarks by President Nixon at reception for surrogate campaigners. (12/19/1972)

      Runtime: 13:19

      Keywords: Presidential campaigns, Presidential elections, 1972 Presidential campaign, 1972 Presidential election

      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-5954
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:35:07

      27. Reasoner/Rolfson/Jarriel/Clark: Renewed bombing in North Vietnam; North Vietnamese negotiator Xuan Thuy still in Paris (Paris Peace Talks); White House and Capitol Hill reaction. Time Code Start: 72:00. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, officials, diplomats. Network: ABC.

      28. Smith: Commentary on breakdown in Paris peace talks. Time Code Start: 82:23. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations. Network: ABC.

      29. [Time correct?] Reasoner: Watergate. Time Code Start: 79:52. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: ABC.

      30. Chancellor/Valeriani/Dobyns: Bombing resumes over North Vietnam; North Vietnamese negotiator Xuan Thuy still in Paris (Paris Peace Talks). Time Code Start: 84:10. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations, officials, diplomats. Network: NBC.

      31. Chancellor: Commentary on End the Vietnam war. Time Code Start: 88:55. Keywords: Vietnam War, endings. Network: NBC.

      32. Chancellor/Nessen: POW and MIA families disappointed by lack of peace settlement. Time Code Start: 90:45. Keywords: Vietnam War, Vietnam Prisoner of War/Missing in Action, families, treaty, treaties, negotiations, reactions, public opinions. Network: NBC.
    • WHCA-5955
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:00

      1. Chancellor: Watergate. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: NBC.

      2. Cronkite/Webster/Davis: U.S. heavily bombs North Vietnam; General Haig meets with South Vietnam's President Thieu. Time Code Start: 02:08. Keywords: South Vietnam, Presidents, speeches, statements, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

      3. Cronkite/Kalisher/Kalb: Communist reaction to stepped-up bombing. Time Code Start: 07:41. Keywords: Vietnam War, bombings, reactions. Network: CBS.

      4. Cronkite: Watergate; Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) seen as part of the problem in Paris Peace Talks; Capitol Hill reaction with Humphrey; Javitts; Brock; Representative Hebert. Time Code Start: 13:12. Keywords: Vietnam War, Watergate, Senate committee hearings, investigations, testimony, testify, cover-ups, break-in, burglary, theft, plumbers, scandals. Network: CBS.

      5. Sevareid: Commentary on breakdown in Paris peace talks; why?. Time Code Start: 14:59. Keywords: Paris Peace Talks, Vietnam War, treaty, treaties, negotiations. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)