Vanderbilt Television News Archive

ABC Evening News for 1973-04-24

This program is 27 minutes long

• Introduction Howard K. Smith (Washington, DC)

  #25503

  05:00:00 pm — 05:01:10 pm

• Watergate Case

  #25504

  05:01:10 pm — 05:04:00 pm

  (Studio) President Nixon returns Washington, DC after wkend. in Florida considering what to do about Watergate.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (DC) Secretary of State Rogers to be charged with helping reorganize White House staff. So far no White House aides fired for connections with Watergate scandal. [Nixon Chief of Staff H.R. HALDEMAN - refuses to comment to reporter Bill Matney with regard to his connection with Watergate bugging.]
  REPORTER: Bill Gill

  (Studio) Nixon said to have been in touch with aides John Dean, John Ehrlichman and H.R. Haldeman over Easter wkend. White House denies report of columnist Jack Anderson that Nixon offered James McCord executive clemency.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Mitchell / Nixon Campaign Contribution

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  05:04:00 pm — 05:06:00 pm

  (Studio) Former Attorney General John Mitchell appears before New York federal grand jury investigating unreported campaign contribution.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (NYC) Robert Vesco gave Nixon campaign $250,000 at time Vesco under investigation by Securities and Exchange Commission Question is whether Mitchell offered to intervene on Vesco's behalf in exchange for contribution. [MITCHELL - tells reporters it's ridiculous to ask if he might be indicted in case.] Mitchell admits contribution was made; hints Maurice Stans took care of it.
  REPORTER: Ann Medina

• (Commercial: American Motors; Hush Puppies.)

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  05:06:00 pm — 05:07:00 pm

• Floods / Mississippi River

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  05:07:00 pm — 05:11:00 pm

  (Studio) Spring rains add more water to already flooding Mississippi River. More crop destruction, evacuations, etc., expected.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (Hannibal, Missouri) Hannibal badly flooded. Thousands acres under water in area. Business district under water. Many families have evacuated homes. (Family shown.) Situation expected to worsen.
  REPORTER: Ron Miller

  (Jonesville, LA) Jonesville, population 4000, surrounded by water. People and National Guard working around clock building emergency levees. 300 families already evacuated. [Shirley WALKER - says trusts that God will make waters go down soon.] Water expected to rise 5 foot in next 2 weeks
  REPORTER: Arnold Porsch (WVUE-TV newsfilm)

• Tornadoes / South

  #25508

  05:11:00 pm — 05:11:20 pm

  (Studio) Tornadoes strike several communities in areas of Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas. 45 injured.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• (Commercial: State Farm Insurance; GE.)

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  05:11:20 pm — 05:12:20 pm

• Cambodian War

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  05:12:20 pm — 05:12:40 pm

  (Studio) United States air strikes used heavily in Cambodia to help government troops oust Communist forces from area around Phnom Penh.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Vietnam / Cease-Fire Violations

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  05:12:40 pm — 05:14:20 pm

  (Studio) United States charges North Vietnam with more truce violations.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (State Department) United States ignores Viet Cong in charges of truce violations. Charges North Vietnam with massive infiltration of South Vietnam.
  REPORTER: Ted Koppel

• Vietnam / Prisoners of War Release

  #25512

  05:14:20 pm — 05:14:40 pm

  (Studio) Agreement reached between South Vietnam and North Vietnam with regard to exchange civilian POW's.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Shipwreck / Navy Minesweeper

  #25513

  05:14:40 pm — 05:15:00 pm

  (Studio) Fire sweeps Navy minesweeper, USSR Force, in Philippine Sea. Ship sinks but crew rescued.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Helicopter Collision / Ft. Hood, Texas

  #25514

  05:15:00 pm — 05:15:20 pm

  (Studio) 2 Army helicopters collide while taking part in war games at Fort Hood, Texas. 9 killed and 4 injured.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• (Commercial: Lifebuoy; Birds Eye Orange Plus; Savings and Loan Association; Haley's M-O.)

  #25515

  05:15:20 pm — 05:17:20 pm

• Mideast / Israeli Arms and Egyptian Threats

  #25516

  05:17:20 pm — 05:21:00 pm

  (Studio) Egypt says is actively preparing for new war with Israel. If war comes Israel well prepared.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (Tel Aviv, Israel) Israel has developed own weapons industry since 1967 war and even plans to export some newly developed weapons abroad.
  REPORTER: Bill Seamans

• (Commercial: McCulloch Chain Saws; Sun Life of Canada.)

  #25517

  05:21:00 pm — 05:22:00 pm

• Credit Costs

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  05:22:00 pm — 05:22:30 pm

  (Studio) Supreme Court upholds federal regulation requiring sellers to disclose credit costs on items paid for in installments.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Gas Shortage

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  05:22:30 pm — 05:25:00 pm

  (Studio) Gas dealer predicts gas shortage may drive prices up to $.70/gal. by next year
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

  (Betavia, Illinois) [Independent fuel dealer Roy FEECE - says gas company can't or won't provide him with enough gas to service his customers.] [Farmer Lyle LAWSON - says farmers will have to have fuel to plant crops when ground dries.] Fuel dealer Roy Feece has been providing farmers with fuel. [Farmer Larry BREON - says country already in trouble with high food prices, but if farmers don't have fuel to plant crops there won't be any food at all.]
  REPORTER: Jim Kincaid

• Stock Market Report (Studio)

  #25520

  05:25:00 pm — 05:25:20 pm

  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• (Commercial: Speidel Watch Bands; Polident.)

  #25521

  05:25:20 pm — 05:26:20 pm

• Commentary (Watergate and Peanuts)

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  05:26:20 pm — 05:28:20 pm

  (Studio) Everybody agrees that Watergate scandal must be cleared up as fast as possible. Reporter reviews "Peanuts" cartoon and parallels it with Watergate story.
  REPORTER: Howard K. Smith

• Good Night

  #667203

  05:28:20 pm — 05:28:20 pm