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January 3, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, January 3, 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: Tuesday, January 2, 1973

Next Date: Thursday, January 4, 1973

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.

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  • 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, January 3.

      Back at work. The President had me in at 11:00 for about three hours on just a general recap of where things were. He went through a lot of odds and ends -- the question of whether the Heath visit is a dinner, and if so, he wants to go on the new rule of very limited staff and Cabinet. Wants to have Ed David in after the Inaugural. Wants to hold all that kind of thing that he can until after the Inaugural. He was asking about Hodgson’s status, which I didn't know, and Klein’s, which I also didn't know. Plans for Cabinet meeting on the 22nd, wondered about Safire's status, which I didn't know. Wants to keep the OEP post position open for someone that he might want to use, just as a good hard intellectual and as a foil for Kissinger on the NSC. Wants to be sure Ehrlichman handles the reorganization at the leadership meeting on Friday morning, and that he does not go into a lot of detail about the Counselors and their big staff and so on, but rather to make the point that we’ve cut the White House staff and we're putting the responsibility out to on the Departments. The President will provide offices in EOB for the Counselors, but not with staffs, all staffing will come from their departments. Wants Conger to check on other possible Presidential desks for the Oval Office and says he's gotten some expert to agree to do some redecorating in the Oval Office, apparently somebody that Mrs. Nixon has been using at the Residence, so that may work out. He's at least getting rid of the Boehme birds on the shelves.

      He's concerned about David's Congressional seat and wants to be sure we're getting that set up. Had a lot of ideas on the news summary, to leave off the magazines and local Washington papers, emphasize the positive, rather than dwelling so much on negative things. He said he'd have a reception for the National Committee after the Inaugural, wants to hold up on the diplomatic reception until Vietnam is settled. Was pleased with the Senate resolution today on Vietnam, wants the House to go for the same resolution. Met with Henry last night, again today, and will meet with him again on Saturday extensively on Vietnam before he leaves Sunday for the new talks. Wants Ehrlichman, Kissinger and me to establish three major goals in big terms--not a laundry list-- but the real problem is what there is to do in the domestic area. There really isn't anything. One goal would be destroy the establishment, the intellectual and media and so on. Was very pleased with Schlesinger's idea of knocking off MIT funds from DOD before Elliot Richardson gets in. Agreed to see Elliot tomorrow at 11:30 after the NSC meeting.

      Kept coming back to the concern about Rose and her attitude. Apparently she’s been very negative and unpleasant. That, as usual, worries him.

      Also a lot of concerns about Henry, saying that he's been through a awful lot in trying to keep his dauber up, and so on, while I had been gone, that he had been using Colson very heavily for this, which the record indicates is correct. He spent hours talking with Colson during the period I was gone. Colson also said this was the case. He thinks Henry is at least partially responsible for the media efforts to separate the President and Kissinger's positions, and is concerned that he not get away with that. Basically, however, he seems to be in very good spirits, no major problems.

      End of January 3.

      As a general comment, it's clear to me that he still hasn't really focused on getting down to work on the second term. He's using the Inaugural as an excuse for not scheduling things, but he's not working on the Inaugural. I think until he gets Vietnam settled, everything else is going to pretty much stay in the background, and there won't be much concentration on anything.
    • 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. 

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    Nixon Library Holdings

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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. IX, Vietnam, October 1972-January 1973

    America Leaves the War, December 30, 1972-January 27, 1973

    Vol. XVIII, China, 1973-1976

    Kissinger's Visits to Beijing and the Establishment of the Liaison Offices, January 1973-May 1973

    • 1. Memorandum of Conversation, New York City, January 3, 1973, 10:15-11:00 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 94, Country Files, Far East, China Exchanges, January 1–April 14, 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only.

    Vol. XXXVI, Energy Crisis, 1969-1974

    March 16, 1972-March 6, 1973

  • 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

Context (External Sources)