Terrence O'Donnell Papers, White House Special Files, 1973-1974

1973-1974


Descriptive Summary

Title: Terrence O'Donnell Papers, White House Special Files, 1973-1974
Dates: 1973-1974
Collection Number: 6850891
Creator/Collector: O’Donnell, Terrence, 1944-
Extent: 10 linear inches; 2 boxes
Repository: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
Abstract: Terrence O'Donnell worked as an advance man during the 1972 campaign and in the Advance Office after the re-election of President Nixon. He then served as Staff Assistant to H.R. Haldeman and Deputy Special Assistant to the President, Office of Presidential Appearances and Scheduling. The materials of Terrence O'Connell in the Special Files comprise a single series and date 1973-74. They pertain to the development of the President's daily and weekly schedule.
Language of Material: English

Access

Collection is open for research. Some materials may be unavailable based upon categories of materials exempt from public release established in the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974.

Publication Rights

Most government records are in the public domain; however, this series includes commercial materials, such as newspaper clippings, that may be subject to copyright restrictions. Researchers should contact the copyright holder for information.

Preferred Citation

Terrence O'Donnell Papers, White House Special Files, 1973-1974. Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Acquisition Information

These materials 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.

Scope and Content of Collection

According to his exit interview, Terry O'Donnell joined the White House staff in May 1972 as one of Ron Walker's advance men for President Nixon and worked in this capacity through the Republican National Convention in August. After the Miami convention he was placed in the Advance Office under Dwight Chapin to do Presidential scheduling until the election. With Nixon's reelection, O'Donnell was promoted to Staff Assistant in the Office of H. R. Haldeman working under Larry Higby in preparing for the President's inauguration. In Haldeman's office, O'Donnell functioned as a clearing point for incoming proposals, suggestions, plans, and requests for Presidential trips, visits, letters, speeches, statements, messages, and phone calls from White House staff members and high-level agency officials. He also served as a receiving agent for materials sent to Haldeman and the President from the Staff Secretary. When Haldeman resigned his White House position on April 30, 1973, and shortly thereafter Gen. Alexander Haig assumed Haldeman's job as White House Chief of Staff, O'Donnell was assigned to train General Haig's assistant, Maj. Gen. John C. Bennett. Afterward O'Donnell was reassigned to the office of Dave Parker with the title of Deputy Special Assistant to the President, Office of Presidential Appearances and Scheduling. He remained in this position until the end of the Nixon administration. The materials are arranged into one series: Subject Files. This series, Subject Files, reflects O'Donnell's primary duty, developing the President's daily and weekly schedule. There are daily and weekly schedules for the period from May 20 through October 1973. Several folders contain suggestions and proposals from White House staff members, agency personnel, and members of Presidential councils and commissions requesting the President make speeches, phone calls, or visits. There are two briefing notebooks relating to the proposed 1974 budget that was designed to revamp drastically the structure of Federal programs. The one briefing notebook lists the objective submissions for 21 major Federal departments and agencies that were participating in the President's management initiative program. The other notebook primarily contains an overview, including the goals of the administration, of some of the major Federal programs, and of legislation that had been targeted for elimination or reduction in the 1974 budget.

Additional collection guides