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February 5, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Saturday, February 5, 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: Friday, February 4, 1972

Next Date: Sunday, February 6, 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 Key Biscayne, Florida

  • 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.

    • 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)
      Saturday, February 5.

      President had me come over for about three hours today and wandered through a number of things. When I arrived, he was just taking a phone call from Henry in which he had a long discussion about the Vietnam military plans that he wants. He told Henry that he wanted some non-routine approaches rather than the usual military thinking. For example, a 48 hour stand down all over Vietnam, and then a 48 hour total force attack against one area. For instance, hit everything there is in the B-3 area.

      In talking about this, he referred to the historical battles of various wars, and what ought to be done, and said after the Air Force does this, then they can go back to their usual milk runs and air medals. Told Henry to make Haig follow-up daily and make sure these things happen. Said the Air Force and Navy are to follow this with no compromise whatever, not in a routine way. That he wants to superimpose civilian judgment over the conventional military approach.

      We got back into the Rogers-Kissinger problem again, President making the point that Rogers does want us to win in the election, and that Henry has no generosity towards other people's ideas, so the President has got to be the front man on China, and that we've got to work out the problem with them, which will be monumental on the China trip.

      He covered the Muskie-McGovern attacks, and the need to follow-up but is concerned that we must avoid the position where they're against the war and we're for the war. He got into quite a bit of general discussion on political strategy and scheduling and so on. Thinks that we need a lot more surprise appearances and less scheduled things, for example, the athletes deal on Thursday. It was perfectly planned and got lousy television coverage. Whereas the surprise things that aren't announced get good television coverage. He got into the question of campaign strategy as to whether we should consider more appearances out in the country to coun-- counteract the adverse media. Thinks that maybe our campaigning in the country will be indispensable to combat the slanted coverage that we get on the media side. Then he wanted us to go back over '61-'69 and record-- make the record as to when the networks provided equal time or fairness to Republicans other than State of the Union. The record will show, I'm sure, that they provided none. He's also concerned about Colson not getting in the position of repression of the networks, and he got back to the idea of moving out into the country, and said he veers away from Price's concept of serenely soaring above the battle. He reiterated the speech writer problem, the PR problem, says he thinks we ought to get Gyley or McCrary or someone like that aboard to get a different approach from our limited group. He's worried that we'll get position as old hat, predictable and boring.

      We had some discussion of Connally's theory of uncertainty, and the President was quite intrigued with it, and thinks that's something that we need to give some thought to. Out of that came his feeling that our flaw may be that when we advance new programs that in itself says in effect that things are in bad shape, and therefore plays into the opposition's hands. Like a doctor with a pill for every ill, it's a bad way to treat a patient over a long haul. He thinks it's clear that going into the country is good for the people, particularly regarding the uncertainly question. He does agree that the President must, at all costs, maintain a strong, calm, serene attitude above the battle, however.

      End of February 5.
    • 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

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National Security Documents

Audiovisual Holdings

  • 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.

    T - China Advance Team

    • WHCA-SR-T-004
      Walker, Chapin, Ronald Ziegler, Elbourne, start 0906. (2/5/1972)

      Runtime: 48:00:00

      Keywords: People's Republic of China, trips

      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-5032
      "Agronsky & Company".
      Eastern Educational Network
      Runtime: 00:30:36
    • WHCA-5048
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      15. Utley: Dock strike with Secretary of Labor Hodgson. Time Code Start: 42:55. Keywords: harbors, Stevedores, dock workers, longshoremen, strikes, recession, inflation, wages, unemployment, trade, negotiations, trade, negotiations. Network: NBC.

      16. Levine: Balance of trade. Time Code Start: 44:44. Keywords: foreign relations, businesses, imports, exports. Network: NBC.

      17. Mudd/Plante: Vietnam War, possible Viet Cong escalation. Time Code Start: 46:57. Keywords: Vietnam War, People's Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF), National Liberation Front (NLF), VC. Network: CBS.

      18. Mudd/Culhane: John Gardner and Common Cause. Time Code Start: 50:42. Keywords: lobbyists, political transparency, advocates, liberals. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)