January 7, 1971

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

• Original typewritten diary (PDF)

The President's day began at San Clemente, California

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.

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.

• Federal Register of Thursday, January 7, 1971

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 News Summaries, Box 29, News Summaries - January 1971 [During this period, the Staff Secretary only removed pages from the News Summaries which contained President Nixon's handwriting, often leaving the document with no date. In addition to the individual document(s) listed below, you should also consult the full folder for the month.]
  • [1/7/71]
• President's Daily Schedule, Box 101, [President's Daily Schedule, Jan.-Feb. 1971] [1 of 3]
  • The President's Schedule, Thursday - January 7, 1971

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)
  Thursday, January 7.
  
  The President still at San Clemente, and I'm still at Palm Springs. The President called to say he had talked to Finch this morning, and that it was clear to him that Mitchell and I were going to have to keep very tight control over the political operation. He had learned from Bob that Finch had started maneuvering in the Scott versus Dole situation. As a result of which, he had sent Goldwater to see Scott, to promise that Goldwater and his troops would not oppose-- actually, that they would actually back Scott, for leader, if Scott would back Dole. This is directly contrary to the plan we were working, which was on the basis that we-- Scott had no strength and we had-- didn't have to give him anything. We could simply take a strong and firm position that we wouldn’t oppose, or that Dole wouldn't oppose him, but that we would make no promises of support. Now that's been blown and will put us in a serious problem vis-à-vis our own forces in the Senate. Many of them feel that Howard Baker has a real chance to get the leadership post.
  
  The President felt maybe we should have Mitchell come out here to discuss the whole political situation, and had me call John, which I did, and we agreed that we'd wait until we got back to Washington. The President feels we have to give Finch something to do that gives him status and responsibility but that keeps him under control in the political area. For example, we could put him in charge of youth and other groups of that kind, and also give him responsibility for one or two states, like Pennsylvania, take on the YR’s and all of that, that Mitchell has no affinity for. But that we can't give him control, we've got to keep John in overall control. There is a real question as to whether that can be done. When I called Mitchell after the President's call, John was very upset about the whole situation. He felt that we had a real problem. As a result of that, I called Finch, and it's perfectly clear that Bob had just moved unilaterally, decided what ought to be done, and did it. Unfortunately, he was wrong in this decision.
  
  Chapin and I are making some progress in discussing the general PR and organizational setup, and I've got to get to work now in putting some specifics down, and getting a plan worked out.
  
  End of Decem-- of January 7.
• 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

• Text search for January 7, 1971
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All National Archives Units

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• Date search for January 7, 1971

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.

• President's Daily Brief of 07 January 1971

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. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

The NSC System

• 131. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, January 7, 1971

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S–NSC Matters Files, Lot 73 D 288, Senior Review Group Memos. Secret.

Vol. IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969-1972

Foreign Assistance Policy, 1969-1972

• 48. Action Memorandum From Richard T. Kennedy of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), San Clemente, California, January 7, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 196, AID 1/1/71-12/31/71. Top Secret; Sensitive; Urgent. This copy of Kennedy’s memorandum is on White House stationery, but Kissinger and Kennedy were both in San Clemente, as was OMB Director Shultz.

Vol. XIII, Soviet Union, October 1970-October 1971

"A Key Point in Our Relationship": Backchannel Talks on SALT, Berlin, and the Summit

• 85. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin) and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), January 7, 1971, 12:05 p.m., PST

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Henry Kissinger Telephone Conversation Transcripts, Box 27, Dobrynin File. No classification marking. Dobrynin was in Washington; Kissinger was in San Clemente. All brackets are in the original.

• 86. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), San Clemente, California, January 7, 1971

  Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger-Scowcroft West Wing Office Files, Box 22, General Subject File, Sonnenfeldt, Helmut—Miscellaneous Communications. Secret; Sensitive; Personal.

• 87. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers, San Clemente, California, January 7, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 714, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. XII. Secret. Haig forwarded the memorandum to Eliot on January 8 and noted that it had been “received from San Clemente early this morning.” (Ibid.) In a memorandum to Hillenbrand on January 18, Eliot reported: “the Secretary asked me to inform you that the procedures outlined in the memorandum [Kissinger’s of January 7] should not alter our internal procedures for clearance of substantive cables with the White House. This means that such cables will only be cleared with the White House if the Secretary, the Under Secretary, or the Under Secretary for Political Affairs deem it necessary.” (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL US–USSR)

Vol. E-2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969-1972

Chemical and Biological Warfare; Geneva Protocol; Biological Weapons Convention

• 210. National Security Study Memorandum 112, Washington, January 7, 1971

  The President directed a study of policy options with regard to the use of riot control agents and chemical herbicides in post-Vietnam warfare, the environmental effect of that use, and of any relevant international or Congressional considerations related to those topics.
  
  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, NSSMs (104–206). Secret; Eyes Only. A copy was sent to Moorer. In an April 23, 1971, memorandum, Kissinger notified recipients of NSSM 112 that the due date for the NSSM study had been extended to October 15, 1971. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL 27–10 VIET)

Nuclear Test Ban Issues; Peaceful Nuclear Explosions

• 296. Telegram 2322 From the Department of State to Embassy in the Soviet Union, Washington, January 7, 1971

  This telegram transmitted Dobrynin’s verbal statement criticizing the U.S. for the venting from recent underground nuclear explosions.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, DEF 18–8 US. Confidential; Limdis. It was repeated to AEC. Drafted by Dubs (EUR/SOV); cleared by Davies (EUR) and in PM, SCI, ACDA, and AEC; and approved by Hillenbrand.

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

Nicaragua

• 499. Telegram 25 From the Embassy in Nicaragua to the Department of State, January 7, 1971, 1511Z., January 7, 1971, 1511Z

  Ambassador Shelton reported on conversations with President Somoza during a weekend at the President’s lakeside house. Much of the discussion surrounded Somoza’s planned retirement from politics, continuation as head of the National Guard, and plans for a provisional government and general elections.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 NIC. Secret; Limdis.

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.

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-4077
  Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 1:00
  
  1. Smith: Muskie. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: ABC.
  
  2. Smith/Donaldson: 1972 candidates. Time Code Start: 02:04. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: ABC.
  
  3. Chancellor: McGovern. Time Code Start: 06:20. Keywords: Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning, candidates. Network: NBC.
  
  4. Kalb: Cambodia. Time Code Start: 08:49. Keywords: Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

• New York Times of January 7, 1971

• AP Images photos from January 7, 1971
• Getty Images photos from January 7, 1971

The Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. They have been recording, preserving and providing access to television news broadcasts of the national networks since August 5, 1968.

• January 1971 Broadcast Index

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• January 7, 1971