Vanderbilt Television News Archive

ABC Evening News for 1972-01-04

This program is 27 minutes long

• Introduction Howard K. Smith (Washington, DC); Harry Reasoner (New York)

  #17790

  05:00:40 pm — 05:01:40 pm

• Campaign `72 / Muskie, McGovern - Northh.

  #17791

  05:01:40 pm — 05:05:40 pm

  (Studio) Senator Edmund Muskie to announce candidacy for Democratic President nomination tonight on TV. [MUSKIE - expresses hope for the country in seeking Presidency.] Muskie forecasted winner of March 7 New Hampshire primary. Undaunted, Senator George McGovern files for New Hampshire race.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (Concord, New Hampshire) Senator and Mrs. McGovern submit petitions for primary. [MCGOVERN - challenges Muskie and pollsters.]
  REPORTER: Stephen Geer

  (Clairmont, New Hampshire) McGovern hits New Hampshire campaign trail at Stephens H.S. [MCGOVERN - major theme is Vietnam War.]

• Campaign `72 / Nixon-San Diego

  #17792

  05:05:40 pm — 05:07:50 pm

  (Studio) President Nixon says no campaigning until after Republican Convention in San Diego in August Flew from Washington, DC to San Clemente to meet Premier Sato of Japan, making side trip to San Diego.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (San Diego) President Nixon proclaims campaign promise fulfilled in modernizing Merchant Marine fleet. [NIXON - announces order for 3 giant tanker ships to be built, boosting employment.]
  REPORTER: Bill Gill

  (Studio) President Nixon announces annual State of the Union message.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• (Commercial)

  #17793

  05:07:50 pm — 05:08:50 pm

• Pentagon Papers / Ellsberg

  #17794

  05:08:50 pm — 05:10:40 pm

  (Studio) In Los Angeles, Dr. Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony Russo plead innocent to new Federal charges resulting from publication of Pentagon Papers on Vietnam.
  REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

  (Los Angeles) Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony Russo charged with conspiring to steal and distribute Pentagon Papers. [Former Senator Charles GOODELL - defends 2 indicted men.] [ELLSBERG - justifies actions; criticizes President Nixon's handling of Vietnam War.]
  REPORTER: Dick Shoemaker (Sketches: Bill Lignante)

• POWs / Nixon

  #17795

  05:10:40 pm — 05:12:40 pm

  (Studio) prisoners of war families challenge Nixon statement with regard to P.O.W.s exchange for US withdrawal, saying such a proposal has never been made. Senator George McGovern agrees.
  REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

  (State Department) [Secretary of State, William ROGERS - says North Vietnam ties P.O.W. release to political settlement.]
  REPORTER: Ted Koppel

  (Studio) News special, "A Conversation with the Secretary of State" with William Rogers announced 7:30 pm EST, January 5.
  REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

• (Commercial)

  #17796

  05:12:40 pm — 05:13:40 pm

• Vietnam, Laos

  #17797

  05:13:40 pm — 05:16:00 pm

  (Studio) Enemy gunners shot down 4 US copters trying to rescue ambushed US patrol 40 mile from Saigon. United States phantom jet lost over Laos.
  REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

  (U.S.S. Coral Sea) Aircraft carrier in South China Sea carries on air war role, as other United States involvement slows.
  REPORTER: Bill Zimmerman

• Paris Peace Talks

  #17798

  05:16:00 pm — 05:16:20 pm

  (Studio) Allies and Communists resume deadlocked peace negotiations.
  REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

• (Commercial)

  #17799

  05:16:20 pm — 05:18:20 pm

• Peace Corps

  #17800

  05:18:20 pm — 05:18:40 pm

  (Studio) Peace Corps reduces 8,000 volunteer force by 50% due to failure of Congress to approve $82 million appropriation.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Sky Marshals

  #17801

  05:18:40 pm — 05:19:00 pm

  (Studio) Department Transportation recommends Federal Sky Marshal program, to halt hijacking, be cut 1/3, shifting emphasis to armed airport guards.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• FDA Inspects Drugs

  #17802

  05:19:00 pm — 05:21:30 pm

  (Studio) FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to investigate safety and effectiveness of non-prescription drugs.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (FDA) FDA (Food and Drug Administration) believes many over-the-counter drugs over-advertise, lack adequate instructions, or are promoted in deceptive ways. [FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Commissioner, Dr. Charles EDWARDS - National Academy, in reviewing prescription drugs, also reviewed some over-the-counter drugs, finding only 25% of effective.] FDA (Food and Drug Administration) limited budget noted.
  REPORTER: Jules Bergman

• Penn Central / Fraud

  #17803

  05:21:30 pm — 05:22:00 pm

  (Studio) David Bevan, former Fin. Chairperson Penn. Central RR, charged, with 2 other executives, in conspiring to defraud RR.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• (Commercial)

  #17804

  05:22:00 pm — 05:23:10 pm

• Malta

  #17805

  05:23:10 pm — 05:23:30 pm

  (Studio) British Defense Min. to evacuate dependents of British troops from Malta, but cannot meet January 15 deadline of Maltese P. Min. Dom Mintoff.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Mrs. Nixon / Liberia

  #17806

  05:23:30 pm — 05:25:20 pm

  (Studio) Mrs. Pat Nixon attends Monrovia inauguration of Liberian President William Tolbert.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (Monrovia) Lights for cameras go out, making documentation of inauguration difficult. Mr. Tolbert and Mrs. Nixon parade for public.
  REPORTER: Barrie Dunsmore

• Plane Turbulence

  #17807

  05:25:20 pm — 05:25:40 pm

  (Studio) National Airline Boeing 747 jet from Miami to Los Angeles, encounters extreme turbulence over Texas. 21 injured.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• (Commercial)

  #17808

  05:25:40 pm — 05:26:50 pm

• Commentary (Randomocracy)

  #17809

  05:26:50 pm — 05:28:50 pm

  (Studio) "Randomocracy", form of gov't. proposed for computer age. Random choice of gov't. officials considered.
  REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

• Good Night

  #665996

  05:28:50 pm — 05:28:50 pm