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July 26, 1972

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, July 26, 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, July 25, 1972

Next Date: Thursday, July 27, 1972

Schedule and Public 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)
      Wednesday, July 26th. The Eagleton story was the big deal today. The President had me follow-up with Dole and MacGregor to order them that no discussion on this at all, even with their intimates or their staffs, and we had quite a bit of discussion as the day went on about the significance and what was going to happen, there's still total disagreement as to what the effect's going to be, and nobody really can measure it. Eagleton and McGovern seem to be playing it about as totally wrong as they possibly could. The President called Bush...

      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      DECLASSIFIED - E.O. 13526, Sect. 3.4: by MS, NARA, June 12, 2013
      Audio Cassette 23, Side A, Withdrawn Item Number 10 [AC-23(A) Sel 7]
      Duration: 21 seconds

      …and told him to really zap Waldheim on the criticism of bombing the dikes. And then said, if Waldheim raises the question of the President coming to the UN at any time, simply give him a flat no.
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      On the political side, the President feels that we need a fundamental shift in our strategic thinking; that we've been convinced that a small vote helps conservatives, and a large vote helps the left wing, but this time we have a different situation. The Sindlinger question shows a much higher intention to vote on the part of McGovern-preferers, than those who prefer the President. We have to assume that the McGovern people will come out regardless. This year, for the first time since '52, a big vote helps us, a small vote helps McGovern. He's won the primaries on a small vote, so we need to stir up the Nixon faithful in our people. We can't increase our share of the vote, so we have to get that vote enthusiastic and get it out, which requires a re-evaluation of where we go in scheduling. There has…

      [End of tape reel AC-23(A)]

      [Begin tape reel AC-23(B)]

      Continuing July 26th, making the point that we, in a fundamental shift in our strategy, we have to get our vote out with a massive get-out-the-vote drive, because McGovernites are sure to vote, and ours aren't. Plus, we've got to give the anti-McGovernites a reason to be for us. We have to fire up the Democrats for Nixon. We have to activate the silent majority against the activist minority, therefore, the President above the battle theory becomes very dangerous unless our people are stirred up.

      The Wallace thing apparently is still going on from yesterday. The President talked to Connally, and on the basis of that, he wants someone from our side call on Snyder about the busing plank, and also have MacGregor or someone say something about Wallace's influence, that he's made a constructive contribution to the debate, and so forth, to get out that he's been heard. So I'm going to have Haig brief Wallace, give him our views on National Defense, tell him how helpful he's been, appreciate his speaking against the bug-outers and so forth. We got word that Wallace is going to announce at noon today, which he did, that he would not attend the American Independent Party Convention, and that on Saturday, he will announce that he won't be a candidate, and will not run, etcetera.

      Rogers called, concerned about the end-the-war resolutions, thinks we're building to a major problem on this, that Speaker Albert now feels he has to support the Throckmorton position of going along with the Democrats, and that maybe the President should involve himself more with the Speaker on this.

      End of July 26th.
    • 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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