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May 16, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Sunday, May 16, 1971, 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: Saturday, May 15, 1971

Next Date: Monday, May 17, 1971

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 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.

    No Federal Register published on this date

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)
      Sunday, May 16.

      He had me come over around noon for a couple of hours, pretty much just to generally get caught up. He did talk about the plans for the SALT announcement. He's going to have the bipartisan leaders in Thursday morning at 9:00, and then make the announcement on TV at noon. Reemphasized the need for Henry to handle the briefings with the three networks and then with three or four key press––the Times, the Post and the wires––and with the key news magazines using the top guys: Steele for Time and Oz Elliot for Newsweek, instead of the local reporters. We reviewed the list for the leaders meeting, got into some discussion on general scheduling. He wants to do more of the regional stuff in July and August while the schools are out, particularly to get into Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York and Indiana, maybe also Wisconsin, and then some concentration in California, with the particular need to hit Northern California.

      He also got into the PR thing, thinking back on Buchanan's memo that we're overdoing the human interest stuff. He thinks Buchanan's wrong, and that the deal here though is not to talk about the PR aspects, but we do need to get this kind of thing out. He makes the point that Kennedy was colder, more ruthless, etcetera, than the President is, but look at his PR. He came through as the warm, human guy, sponsoring the arts, loving his family, and all that kind of stuff. Then made the point that PR is right if it emphasizes the truth. It's wrong, at least for us, if it isn't true, but the untrue coverage did work for Kennedy. The thing now is that on-- our people on the substantive side have all got to realize that the only thing that matters is doing things with an eye to the PR. If we spend money, we've got to do it for people. Same on schedule, we should only do things that help on the PR impact.

      End of May 16.
    • 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

    All National Archives Units

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.

    • No President's Daily Brief delivered on this date

  • 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. XXVIII, Southern Africa

    Regional Issues

  • 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

  • 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.

    H - White House Staff Member Recordings

    • WHCA-SR-H-180
      Press briefing by Ronald Ziegler, Gerald Warren, and Henry Kissinger. (5/16/1970, Press Center, Miami, Florida)

      Runtime: 42:00:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media, press secretary

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by KAP (initials of WHCA engineer)

      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-4370
      "Face The Nation" AND "Meet The Press".
      ABC, WRC
      Runtime: 01:27:42
    • WHCA-4371
      "Comment". a discussion of television news
      WRC, NBC, CBS
      Runtime: 00:29:25
    • WHCA-4379
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 1:30

      20. Chancellor: Senator Mansfield's troop strength cut. Time Code Start: 42:51. Keywords: Vietnam War, mlitary, troops, decreases, withdrawals. Network: NBC.

      21. Chancellor/Nolan: McGovern, Bayh, Hughes, and Muskie in Winsconsin (Demonstration dinner). Time Code Start: 44:50. Keywords: food, dinners, dining, banquets, fundraisers, Presidential elections, campaigns, primaries, candidates. Network: NBC.

      22. Brinkley: "Dump Nixon" (Dump President Nixon) movement in Washington, D.C. by Republicans with Representative McCloskey. Time Code Start: 47:27. Keywords: political parties, Republicans, GOP, Presidential elections, campaigns, campaigning. Network: NBC.

      23. Chancellor: Presidential Advisor MacGregor on Supersonic Transport (SST) costs. Time Code Start: 49:13. Keywords: Supersonic Transport, SST, aircraft, speed of sound, subsonic airliners. Network: NBC.

      24. Mudd: Senator Mansfield's troop cut proposals. Time Code Start: 49:50. Keywords: Vietnam War, Armed Forces, mlitary, troops, decreases, withdrawals. Network: CBS.

      25. Mudd/Plante: Demonstration dinner in Wisconsin. Time Code Start: 51:35. Keywords: food, dinners, dining, banquets. Network: CBS.

      26. Mudd/Duval: Indochina report. Time Code Start: 55:56. Keywords: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)