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March 5, 1973

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, March 5, 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: Sunday, March 4, 1973

Next Date: Tuesday, March 6, 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 Camp David, Maryland

  • 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.

  • The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

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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)
      Monday, March 5.

      The President came down from Camp David early today, for no announced reason. Called me in at noon, was concerned about the reaction to the "Evening at the White House" felt that we should have invited the music critics, for instance, to Van Claiborne and to this one, because of the lousy social reporting and got into his whole thing of how we don't get any credit for what we're doing and all.

      Then called Ziegler and said he was concerned about the reporters covering the "Evenings" and entertainment, that he must never invite Sally Quinn. She violated the rules and attacked the guests at a church service. He wants Julie to use Ziegler to control the press over in the East Side, as to who to let in and that sort of thing. That led into his whole thing on entertainment. He wants to do a hand shake reception before the Ford dinner out in California. Wants to try for a big bass singer some time. Wants to be sure we get really good entertainment and control the show at the Ford dinner.

      Got into POW plans. He wants to work out a program with them that gets something going right away, so that we have Congress preempted on any POW activities. Got into Colson, wants to be sure that he understands, as soon as he gets back, that Dean is handling the Watergate, that we went all-out on Balzano, that we’ve set up quotas for the New American Majority. We have to establish the situation for his contacts with me, so that he doesn't end run Brennan and others, and he should be brought into the political group.

      Then got into schedule, wants to move the "Evenings at the White House", to Tuesday nights, keep Easter week clear, put Tanaka in the last half of July, keep the Fourth of July and Labor Day periods clear. Schedule his press conference for the last day of the withdrawal and POW thing, which will be the 27th or 28th, so that he can make the announcement. Dropped the idea of doing the ball game because of the problem of Thieu being in Washington at that time. So he's going to stay out in California, probably go to Palm Springs the 5th, 6th and 7th.

      Got into the general PR area, wants Ehrlichman to hammer the PR and domestic issues, especially, crime, drugs, taxes, and spending. He was concerned with the Harris poll that shows us in bad shape on those, as we always have been. Made the point that men who go through great adversity come out stronger, and that that's the key to the POW's. Wants to send the Denton letter out to the "good letter list". Also to do a TV thing out of the crime deal.

      Got back to the Ehrlichman question, feels that John's too busy with meetings and things and doesn't have time to think and do the PR planning that he should be doing. So he should drop his U.S. News and Editorial Boards and only do what the President would do on the basis that he's representing him and should maintain the same scarcity level.

      End of March 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.

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Context (External Sources)