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October 2, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Saturday, October 2, 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: Friday, October 1, 1971

Next Date: Sunday, October 3, 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 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.

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.

    • Annotated and Unmarked News Summaries [Note: Although there was no News Summary on this date, due to the way News Summary products were compiled, you should also consult nearby days for potentially relevant materials.]

  • 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)
      Saturday, October 2nd. Late last night, we got rumors that Poff was considering withdrawing, and that was confirmed this morning. He made it irrevocable. Told Kleindienst to call off the ABA consideration of his nomination, and he drafted a statement hitting the controversy on civil rights and saying it would be divisive and not in the best interest of the country, the Court, or his family for him to stay in. The real reason for his withdrawal is that as our guys were working him over on the problems he would face on confirmation, they got to the point that he has a very substantial net worth and is unable to document the sources of this money. He just doesn't have the facts. They're convinced there's nothing wrong, but that a lot could be made that would appear to be wrong. John Dean is concerned about Poff on the purely human side. He thinks that he's okay, but he needs some feeling of support and all, that he's quite shook by the whole thing.

      Bryce Harlow called worried about the FBI situation because of Sullivan being kicked out. He thinks it's going to blow up big and that Hoover will come out very badly on it. That it's a political football of major proportions, that the other side's going to use, and that Sullivan will probably sing, and that we should really be careful of this.

      Shultz called with reports on the West Coast and East Coast dock strikes, both of which are still hung up with no real progress. On the coal strike, Hodgson's had a request from Boyle to be called into the White House to be lectured, which Hodgson thinks Boyle is just doing to build himself up.

      Apparently, things are going pretty well on putting Phase II together, and on textiles.

      On Poff, the President wanted to be sure that we hang it tight on civil rights, and he says he's going to go for a real Right-Winger now, that is stronger than Poff on civil rights. The worst thing he could do is go to the left. He wants to get someone worse than Poff and really stick it to the opposition now.

      He's concerned about the textile thing and thinks Connally may have to get into it to handle the industry, because he's not convinced that Peterson has the ability to deal with them. He thinks he can't risk leaving it in Peterson's hands, especially the textile people themselves. We've got to have a deal set, and it must be done without the President getting involved in it. So he wants to get all the key people in, get them all on salvo, play it cold...

      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      DECLASSIFIED - E.O. 13526, Sect. 3.4: by MS, NARA, June 12, 2013
      Audio Cassette 14, Side A, Withdrawn Item Number 22 [AC-14(A) Sel 17]
      Duration: 14 seconds

      ...make the point to them that, legally, we can't use the Trading with the Enemy Act. That it's this, or it's legislation, but we don't think legislation will work, and there's no other avenue. He also wants to be sure Connally's handling the Yen question, not Petersen.
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      The President called me at noon today, all cranked up about the Efron book, because Julie and Bebe apparently been reading it. He was not satisfied that our people recognized the importance of it, and the massive effect that it can have. He feels that it has to be required reading for all our people: it's well written, interesting, utterly devastating. And he went on and on about how strongly he feels that we should allocate a million dollars for distribution of the book. That his concern is that, like in the history of warfare, the mistake is in fighting on too many fronts, and that we must recognize the enormous importance of the media and this book's impact, and go with that. Colson should spin it off to an individual full time; make it a bestseller, etcetera. Wants Klein to take this on, do a case history on Cambodia like she did on the election, and force the print media to react.

      On the Court, he came up with the idea of Byrd of West Virginia, because he was a former Ku Klux Klaner, he's elected by the Democrats as Whip, he's a self-made lawyer, he's more reactionary than Wallace, and he's about 53. In addition to Byrd, he wants Charles Allen Wright, a law professor at Texas, considered. Apparently, Connally raised that man's name. He also agreed to Ehrlichman's idea of considering Wilbur Mills again.

      The President left this afternoon for Grand Cay for the night.

      End of October 2nd.
    • 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

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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. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

    Chinese Representation in the United Nations

    • 414. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, New York, October 2, 1971, 0200Z

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, UN 6 CHICOM. Confidential. Repeated to Bangkok, Bathurst, Bogota, Canberra, Fort Lamy, Guatemala, Managua, Manila, Maseru, Mbabane, Monrovia, Montevideo, Port-au-Prince, San Jose, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, Tegucigalpa, Taipei, Tokyo, Wellington, and Suva.

    Vol. XI, South Asia Crisis, 1971

    South Asia Crisis, 1971

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

    Between Beijing and Moscow: Summit Announcement, July 19-October 12, 1971

    Vol. XXIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1969-1972

    • 254. Telegram From the Department of State to the Interests Section in Egypt, Washington, October 2, 1971, 2104Z

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 658, Country Files, Middle East, Middle East Nodis/Cedar/Plus, Vol. IV. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Cedar Plus. Drafted by Sterner and approved by Atherton. Repeated Priority to USUN for Secretary Rogers and to Tel Aviv.

    Vol. XXXIX, European Security

    MBFR and the Conference on European Security, December 1970-December 1971

    • 73. National Security Decision Memorandum 134, Washington, October 2, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 364, Subject Files, National Security Decision Memoranda (NSDMs), Nos. 97–144. Top Secret. Copies were sent to the Attorney General, the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of Central Intelligence, and the Secretary of the Treasury.

    • 74. National Security Study Memorandum 138, Washington, October 2, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, National Security Study Memoranda (NSSMs), Nos. 104–206. Secret. Initialed by Haig. Copies were sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of Central Intelligence.

    Vol. XLI, Western Europe; NATO, 1969-1972

    Western Europe Region and NATO

    • 73. National Security Decision Memorandum 134, Washington, October 2, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 364, Subject Files, National Security Decision Memoranda (NSDM’s) Nos. 97–. Top Secret. Copies were sent to the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

    Canada

    Vol. E-5, Part 2, Documents on North Africa, 1969-1972

    Tunisia

    • 155. Telegram Secto 7/3076 From Secretary of State Rogers to the Department of State, New York, October 2, 1971, 2231Z

      The telegram contained a memorandum of conversation between Rogers and Foreign Minister Masmoudi on the subject of the Middle East. Masmoudi outlined his concerns for Tunisia and emphasized the importance of maintaining a close relationship with the United States. Rogers outlined the U.S. position highlighting the importance of an interim peace agreement before the United States would consent to any further assistance.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 7 TUN. Confidential; Exdis. It was repeated Priority to Tunis and to Cairo and Tel Aviv. In telegram 4608, September 11, Calhoun reported Masmoudi’s plea for U.S. support in achieving a political solution, which he passed along from Egyptian President Sadat. (Ibid., POL TUN)

    Vol. E-13, Documents on China, 1969-1972

    • 29. Memorandum for the Record, Paris, October 2, 1971, Paris, October 2, 1971

      Military Attaché Walters orally delivered a message to Chinese Ambassador to France Huang Chen regarding President Nixon and his Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger’s meeting with Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko and Gromyko’s probable invitation for Nixon to visit the Soviet Union. The two also discussed the probability of a trip by Nixon to China and Nixon’s personal and political courageousness.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 849, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, July 1971-Oct 20, 1971. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Drafted by Walters on October 4. The lunchtime meeting was held at Chen’s residence in Neuilly. The precise time of the conversation is not indicated on the memorandum.

  • 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 Videotape Collection contains “off-the-air” recordings of televised programs produced between 1968 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • WHCA-4711
      Weekly News Summary, Tape I.
      All networks
      Runtime: 01:24:53

      15. Mudd/Pierpoint: Poff withdraws as a Supreme Court nominee (Representative Gerald Ford). Time Code Start: 31:14. Keywords: law officials, judges, justices, courts, nominees, withdrawals. Network: CBS.

      16. Mudd/Williams: Vietnam politics, rigged elections. Time Code Start: 34:03. Keywords: Vietnam War, Presidential elections, candidates, campaigns, campaigning, voting, results. Network: CBS.

      17. Mudd: Senator Aiken wants Vietnam withdrawal. Time Code Start: 36:49. Keywords: Vietnam War, troops, withdrawals. Network: CBS.

      18. Mudd/Kalb: Secretary of State Rogers seeks support for two China's (Secretary of State Rogers) (People's Republic of China). Time Code Start: 37:19. Keywords: People's Republic of China, Taiwanese, leaders, cabinet, advisors, travel, trips. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)