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September 8, 1971

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, September 8, 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: Tuesday, September 7, 1971

Next Date: Thursday, September 9, 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 The White House - Washington, D. C.

  • 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.

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

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, September 8.

      President had the day clear to work on the Congressional speech for tomorrow, had me over at 10:00 this morning during a break on speech drafts to go over schedule plans in detail, particularly the Northwest trip—the question of when to go to Montana, Portland, Seattle, and so on. But he wants to try to work all of them in on the way to Alaska, and he's agreed not to try to get into California at that time, but thinks we need to really work on doing some good planning for California, and to get in there. Also, he's anxious to get started on the state committee dinners with the political types.

      That got him into a general PR analysis. He wants to be sure I force all our staff to read the new media book when it comes out. Then he got to going back over what we've done this year—China, the economy, the wedding, etcetera--and we should be doing much better than we are in the polls as a result of that. He feels the problem is that-- is that we try to use the economy and the war as an explanation, and that's not the answer. The real problem is media erosion day-byday. On the plus side is our warm reception in the country, but now we need to get our own orators out. He raises the question, now what do we do about it? How do we get this turned around?

      We got into a discussion of Shultz's plan to set up a series of meetings for consultation following the Congressional address--one with labor, one with business, one with agriculture, and one with Congress--allowing an hour and a half for each of the meetings. The President agreed to do them, on the basis that they'd just be listening sessions for him, and he'll include the fact that he's doing them in the Congressional speech as part of his pitch.

      He raised the question with me of his concern on Henry's delusions of grandeur as a peacemaker, in that he keeps hitting the President on the idea of his going to Hanoi secretly to try and settle Vietnam. President doesn't want him to do it, first of all, because he doesn't think it'll work; and secondly, because he doesn't think it can be kept a secret. He's concerned that it would be a disaster to do it and fail. The risk is too great, and also there's no use meeting with Pham Van Dong anyway, the President doesn't feel. He wants me to have Haig tout Henry off of this. He feels Henry doesn't realize that the Communist method of working is to keep talking and to screw you behind your back while they're doing it. To them, talking is a tactic to win, not to work out an agreement; whereas, Henry keeps trying to work out an agreement with them.

      He also said he-- the troop announcement in November, he's not going to do on TV. He'll wait until December 21 and do the final announcement at that time, and do it on television. And he's moved the office press conference from October 7 to the 12th, so he can tie that in with the Russian announcement.

      He wants to be sure that Colson and his crew blast Muskie on his busing statement. We should hit him not for avoiding taking a position. He doesn't want to leave them on the "I don't know where he stands" hook. He wants to hit him for holding the wrong position, which is, that he is for busing. Figures Dent should get the busing-- the anti-busing people to take him on on this.

      End of September 8.
    • 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.

  • 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

    Appointment of UN Development Program Administrator

    Chinese Representation in the United Nations

    Vol. XI, South Asia Crisis, 1971

    South Asia Crisis, 1971

    • 144. Minutes of Washington Special Actions Group Meeting, Washington, September 8, 1971, 3:07-4:25 p.m.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–115, WSAG Minutes, Originals, 1971. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. Another record of the meeting was prepared on September 13 by James Noyes (OASD/ISA). (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files, FRC 330 76 0197, Box 74, Pakistan 381 (Jan–Nov) 1971)

    Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

    Cool and Correct: The U.S. Response to the Allende Administration, November 5, 1970-December 31, 1972

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Mediterranean, 1969-1972

    Greece

    Cyprus

    • 380. Minutes of the Senior Review Group Meeting, Washington, September 8, 1971

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H-112, SRG Minutes, Originals, 1971. Secret. No drafting information appears on the minutes. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room from 4:27–4:37 p.m. Jeanne Davis sent the minutes under a covering memorandum to Kissinger on September 10 and also sent copies to Kennedy and Saunders. Kissinger initialed the transmittal memorandum.

    Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

    Vol. E-16, Documents on Chile, 1969-1973

    Cool and Correct: The U.S. Response to the Allende Administration, November 5, 1970-December 31, 1972

    • 82. Memorandum for the 40 Committee, Washington, September 8, 1971

      Summary: This memorandum outlined the pressing situation facing the “bulwark against the regime of President Salvador Allende,” the newspaper El Mercurio, and requested funds to support the paper.

      Source: Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, INR/IL Historical Files, Box 1, Chile, 40 Committee Action After September 1970. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. A handwritten notation on the first page reads, “On 9 Sept 1971 the 40 Committee referred the proposal to HA. [HA approved 700,000 on 15 Sept. 71.] See 9 Sept. minute.” The memorandum for the record of the September 9 40 Committee meeting is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XXI, Chile, 1969–1973, Document 258.

  • 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

Context (External Sources)