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The Presidential historical materials of Patrick J. Buchanan, initially a Special Assistant and subsequently Consultant to the President for Media Analysis and Speech Writing, are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-526, 88 Stat. 1695) and implementing regulations. In accordance with the act and regulations, archivists reviewed the file group to identify personal and private materials and nonhistorical items; those found have been returned to Buchanan.
Materials covered by the act have been archivally processed and are described in this register. Items which are security classified or otherwise restricted under the act and regulations have been removed and placed in a closed file. A Document Withdrawal Record, GSA Form 7279 or NA Form 14021, with a description of each restricted document has been inserted at the beginning of each folder from which material has been removed. A Document Control Record marks the original position of the withdrawn item.
Employees of the National Archives will review periodically the unclassified portions of the closed materials for the purpose of opening those which no longer require restrictions. Certain classified documents may be declassified under the authority of Executive Order 12958 in response to a Mandatory Review Request (NA Form 14020) submitted by the researcher.
- Linear feet of materials: 8
- Approximate number of pages: 18,500
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Biographical Note
1938 November 2 Born in Washington, D.C.
1961 A.B. degree cum laude, Georgetown University
1962 M.S. degree in Journalism, Columbia University
1962 Reporter and financial writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat
1962-1966 Editorial writer and assistant editor
1966-1969 Speech writer and research director, press assistant, political aide, and executive assistant to Richard Nixon (as Republican campaigner and Presidential candidate)
1969 January 21 Special assistant to the President for Media Analysis and Speech Writing
197l Married Miss Shelly A. Scarney, White House receptionist
1973 January 21 Special Consultant to the President for Media Analysis and Speech Writing
1974 August 9 Special Consultant to President Gerald Ford
1974 November Resigned from White House staff
1975 March 1 Syndicated columnist (Special Features, Inc.), appearing in: New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and New York Daily News
1978-1986 Commentator, NBC Radio Network; syndicated columnist
1986 February 6 Assistant to the President and Director of Communications
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Scope and Content Note
The materials of Patrick J. Buchanan cover the period from January 21, 1969, to December 31, 1972, and represent the records selected by the personnel of the White House Special Files Unit for inclusion in the Special Files.
Buchanan joined the White House staff as a Special Assistant to the President the day after the 1969 Inauguration. Previously, he had served Richard M. Nixon for three years in a number of capacities. First, when Nixon was active nationally as a campaigner for Republican office seekers, Buchanan was speech writer and research director, press assistant, political aide, and lastly executive assistant. Then, during the Presidential campaign of 1968, Buchanan was a speech writer for both Nixon and Spiro T. Agnew, the vice Presidential candidate.
At the White House, Buchanan's assigned duties continued to be related to written communication. For the most part, this was in the form of daily news briefings, background information for press conferences, and political campaign data gathered for partisan purposes in the 1972 election.
Initially, among Buchanan's responsibilities was that of preparing the President's daily "News Summary." This in-house news publication of some ten-to-twenty pages was assembled for the President's reading each morning and presented to him in capsule format the foreign and domestic news of the previous day and night. Included were major as well as minor news which Buchanan felt would interest the President and his most senior assistants. To a large extent, the daily "News Summary" was Buchanan's succinct analysis of the contemporary news media.
Next among Buchanan's duties was the compilation and coordination of background briefing materials for Presidential and a few Vice Presidential press conferences. The briefings – for both the larger, announced press conferences and the smaller, informal ones held in the Oval Office – related to a widespread number of topics and were in the form of probable questions which the White House staff members anticipated news reporters would address to the President. Along with the questions were answers recommended by Buchanan, other members of the White House staff, and the heads of major departments of the government. The Briefing Book Back-up material was routinely collected for the purpose of presenting to the President, or on a rare occasion to the Vice President, information related to contemporary or forthcoming issues and events before either one of them appeared before members of the press. The background material presented was collected from widespread sources within the Administration, from letters, memorandums, studies and reports, straight news, abstracts of published items of interest, and biographical sketches.
An interesting adjunct to the briefing and back-up materials is the collection of printed political campaign materials assembled in September and October 1972 by Buchanan and filed under the subseries title of "1972 Election File." The purpose of the collection was to provide counteraction against positive public opinion favorable toward George S. McGovern, the 1972 Democratic Presidential candidate. The end product was a compilation of printed points of record issued under the title of "The Assault Book" or "The Book," and which was critical of McGovern's statements, policy positions, and votes which he made commencing not long before and early in the 1972 Presidential campaign. This publication was distributed to Republican field campaigners throughout the nation in order to provide critical opposition to McGovern, using his own words on sensitive topics ranging from abortion, among domestic policy social issues, through opposition to the Vietnam War and Nixon's foreign policy.
In the Name File portion of the National Security Council Files, there is a folder on Buchanan, and there is also a folder of Presidential briefing material in original copy and attributed to Buchanan located among the President's Personal Files.
The materials are arranged into five series:
- Chronological Files
- Desk Calendars
- Subject-Name File
- 1972 Election File
- Briefing Book Back-Up
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Series Description
Boxes: 1-2
Series: Chronological Files | Folder Title List
Spans: 1971 - 1972
Description: Electrostatic and carbon copies of memorandums, letters, and reports drafted, coordinated, or signed by Buchanan between January 1971 and December 1972, which relate to many subjects when his duties included analysis of the news media for input to the President's daily "News Summary," preparing background briefing materials for Presidential press conferences and meetings with groups or people, and assisting in writing speeches. Arranged in chronological order.
Boxes: 1-2
Series: Desk Calendars | Folder Title List
Spans: 1971 - 1972
Description: Business and social appointment entries and reminders; one for 1971 and another for 1972.
Boxes: 3-7
Series: Subject-Name File | Folder Title List
Spans: 1971 - 1972
Description: Originals, drafts, tissue, and electrostatic copies of incoming and outgoing letters, memorandums, reports, and studies received from, or addressed to, other White House staff members. These materials relate to Buchanan's work in analyzing the news media and concern numerous subject matters; they are filed chronologically either by name of author or recipient of the material or by the subject title.
Boxes: 8-11
Series: 1972 Election File | Folder Title List
Spans: 1972
Description: Originals, tissue, and electrostatic copies of memorandums, teletype printings, press releases and statements, newspaper and periodical editorials and articles, drafts of critiques and analyses of campaign statements concerning personalities and subject matter position papers related to, issued by, or attributed to George S. McGovern, to other Democratic Party leaders, or which concerned nationally recognized supporters and opponents of the Democratic Party. Buchanan assisted in gathering this collection for the purpose of providing critical printed statements to be used by Republicans in the 1972 political campaign. Arranged by subject matter or person's name.
Boxes: 12-24
Series: Briefing Book Back-Up | Folder Title List
Spans: 1969 - 1972
Description: Originals, carbons, and electrostatic copies of probable questions which the White House staff felt news reporters could be expected to address to the President at press conferences. Accompanying the questions are recommended answers relating to important events and Administration policy suggested by the White House staff members and the heads of major departments of the government based upon their analysis of subject matter. These questions ranged from the most important topics of national and international policy down to minor issues and events. Arranged chronologically and by major, important subject matter or name of individuals.
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Folder Title List
CHRONOLOGICAL FILES, 1971-1972
Box 1
January 1971
February 1971
March 1971
April 1971
May 1971
June 1971
July 1971
August 1971
September 1971
October 1971
November 1971
December 1971
Box 2
January 1972
February 1972
March 1972
April 1972
May 1972
June 1972
July 1972
August 1972
September 1972
October 1972
November 1972
December 1972
DESK CALENDARS, 1971-72
[Desk Calendar, 1971]
[Desk Calendar, 1972]
STAFF MEMORANDA RECEIVED 1971-72, NAME FILE
Box 3
Action Memos--1971
Chapin--1971
Colson--1971 [1 of 2]
Colson--1971 [2 of 2]
Dent -- 1971
Ehrlichman--1971
Haldeman--1971 [1 of 2]
Haldeman--1971 [2 of 2]
Box 4
Higby--1971
Khachigian--1971 [1 of 3]
Khachigian--1971 [2 of 3]
Khachigian--1971 [3 of 3]
Kherli--1971
Magruder--1971
Muskie--[1971-72]
Presidential Memos--1971
Timmons--[1971]
Box 5
Chapin--1972
Colson-1972 [1 of 5]
Colson - 1972 [2 of 5]
Colson - 1972 [3 of 5]
Colson - 1972 [4 of 5]
Colson - 1972 [5 of 5]
Dean--1972
Dent--1972
Ehrlichman--1972
Box 6
Haldeman--1972 [1 of 4]
Haldeman--1972 [2 of 4]
Haldeman--1972 [3 of 4]
Haldeman--1972 [4 of 4]
Higby--1972
Kehrli--1972
Box 7
Khachigian--1972 [1 of 3]
Khachigian--1972 [2 of 3]
Khachigian--1972 [3 of 3]
Media Political Analysis
Malek--1972
Presidential Memos--1972 [1 of 2]
Presidential Memos--1972 [2 of 2]
Box 8
Timmons--1972
Ziegler--1972
1972 ELECTION FILE
McGovern [1 of 5]
McGovern [2 of 6]
McGovern [3 of 6]
McGovern [4 of 6]
Box 9
McGovern [5 of 6]
McGovern [6 of 6]
Re-Election Committee [1 of 3]
Re-Election Committee [2 of 3]
Re-Election Committee [3 of 3]
Shriver
Box 10
Assault Book [1 of 5]
Assault Book [2 of 5]
Assault Book [3 of 5]
Assault Book [4 of 5]
Assault Book [5 of 5]
George McGovern--Nathaniel Weyl: McGovern the Candidate
George McGovern-Vietnam
George McGovern--Bugging Democratic National Committee
George McGovern--Social Security [empty]
George McGovern--Gun Control
George McGovern--McG(overn) Market [empty]
George McGovern--Angela Davis
George McGovern--Hanoi's Little Helper
George McGovern--Jack Anderson
George McGovern--E[dward] M[.] K[ennedy]
George McGovern--Aid to Parochial Schools
George McGovern--McG[overn] on Preventive Detention
George McGovern--McG(overn] and Rebuilding the Alliances
George McGovern--Plans for U.S. Businessmen
George McGovern--Welfare Proposals
George McGovern--Abandoning American Prisoners
George McGovern [empty]
Box 11
The Book [1 of 3]
The Book [1 of 3]--Elitist Radical Chic
The Book [1 of 3]--Parts of the Book
The Book [1 of 3]--Usable Quotes and Stats
The Book [1 of 3]--Defense
The Book [1 of 3]--McG[overn] and Radical Chic
The Book [1 of 3]--Personal Tax Exemption and Tax
The Book [1 of 3]--Middle East
The Book [1 of 3]--Israel and Israeli Security
The Book [2 of 3]
The Book [2 of 3]--General Background
The Book [2 of 3]--Hoover and Chicago's Finest
The Book [2 of 3]--Miscellany
The Book [2 of 3]--McGovern Supporters and Endorsers
The Book [2 of 3]--Tax Program for U.S. Families
The Book [2 of 3]--McGovern`s Voting Record
The Book [2 of 3]--Integration for the Suburbs
The Book [2 of 3]--Health Care
The Book [2 of 3]--Lockheed Loan
The Book [2 of 3]--McGovern and Meany
The Book [3 of 3]
The Book [3 of 3]--Inflammatory Rhetoric
The Book [3 of 3]--How the Democrats See McGovern
The Book [3 of 3]--Wrong about Hanoi
The Book [3 of 3]--Amnesty
The Book [3 of 3]--Busing/Radical Balance
The Book [3 of 3]--Black Caucus
The Book [3 of 3]--Space and the SST [Space Science and Technology]
The Book [3 of 3]--Marijuana
The Book [3 of 3]--Fat Cat
The Book [3 of 3]--Pentagon Papers
The Book [3 of 3]--May Day
The Book [3 of 3]--Abortion
The Book [3 of 3]--Carbon Copies
BRIEFING BOOK BACK-UP, 1969-72
Box 12
6 February 1969
14 March 1969
18 April 1969
18 June 1969 [1 of 2]
18 June 1969 [2 of 2]
26 September 1969
Box 13
Haynsworth [October 1969]
8 December 1969
26 January 1970 [1 of 2]
26 January 1970 [2 of 2]
Environmental Briefing [January-February 1970]
Box 14
Mrs. Nixon Briefing--February 1970
19 March 1970
18 April 1970
29 April 1970
5 May 1970 - Foreign Policy
1 July 1970
Box 15
20 July 1970 [1 of 2]
20 July 1970 [ 2 of 2]
28 July 1970--San Clemente
28 July 1970--San Clemente--Foreign
28 July 1970--San Clemente--Domestic and Foreign
28 July 1970--San Clemente--New and Revised Domestic Questions
28 July 1970--San Clemente--Domestic
28 July 1970--San Clemente--New and Revised Foreign Policy Questions
30 July 1970--Los Angeles [1 of 2]
30 July 1970--Los Angeles [2 of 2]
14 September 1970--Domestic: CANCELLED
Box 16
14 September 1970--Foreign: CANCELLED
VEEP--David Frost Show: September 21, 1970
10 December 1970 [1 of 2]
10 December 1970 [2 of 2]
December--4 January 1971 [1 of 2]
Box 17
December--4 January 1971 [2 of 2]
28 January 1971--Finch/Klein/Dole/Rumsfeld
3 February 1971--CANCELLED
15 February 1971
4 March 1971--Foreign Policy [1 of 2]
Box 18
4 March 1971--Foreign Policy [2 of 2]
19 March 1971--Domestic and Foreign--CANCELLED [1 of 2]
19 March 1971--Domestic and Foreign--CANCELLED [2 of 2]
22 March 1971--H[oward] K. Smith Briefing/RN
28 March 1971--CANCELLED
17 April 1971--Editors [1 of 2]
17 April 1971--Editors [1 of 2]--14 April 1971--Domestic Policy Book [1 of 4]
17 April 1971--Editors [1 of 2]--14 April 1971--Foreign Policy Book [2 of 4]
17 April 1971--Editors [1 of 2]--15 April 1971--Domestic Follow-up Memos--Set I [3 of 4]
17 April 1971--Editors [1 of 2]--15 April 1971--Domestic Follow-up Memos--Sets II and III [4 of 4]
Box 19
17 April 1971--Editors [2 of 2]
29 April 1971
1-2 May--#2. San Clemente [sic]
1 June 1971--Briefing Book/RN [1 of 2]
1 June 1971--Briefing Book/RN [2 of 2]
Box 20
17 June 1971--Rochester/RN
30 June 1971--McCloskey
6 July 1971--Kansas City: Domestic--Media Briefing
August 1971 [1 of 3]
August 1971 [2 of 3]
August 1971 [3 of 3]
Box 2l
16 September 1971 [1 of 2]
16 September 1971 [2 of 2]
24 September 1971--Detroit [1 of 2]
24 September 1971--Detroit [2 of 2]
12 October 1971 [1 of 2]
12 October 1971 [2 of 2]
Box 22
23 November 1971 [1 of 2]
23 November 1971 [2 of 2]
24 April 1972--Questions and Answers
26 April 1972--Vietnam Speech
27 April 1972--Connally Ranch Questions and Answers
30 April 1972--RN/Connally Remarks
9 June 1972--Foreign Policy
12 June 1972--NOT GIVEN
Box 23
19 June 1972--Domestic
29 June 1972--Foreign and Domestic [1 of 2]
29 June 1972--Foreign and Domestic [2 of 2]
27 July 1972--In Office
[Out-Card: Folder "8/29/72"]
Box 24
15 December 1972 [1 of 2]
15 December 1972 [2 of 2]
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