Gerald R. Ford Library 1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2114 www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov

Domestic Council

KENNETH R. COLE, JR.

Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs;

Executive Director, Domestic Council:

Files, 1974-75

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Topic lists and brief notes from senior staff meetings, notes from several presidential and other meetings on domestic and political issues, and a chronological correspondence file.

QUANTITY

1.2 linear feet (ca. 2,400 pages)

DONOR

Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-107)

ACCESS

Open. Some items are temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT

Gerald Ford has donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Leesa Tobin, Aug. 1981 (Revised Nov. 1983 and Feb. 1986)

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INTRODUCTION

Kenneth R. Cole assumed the position of Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs in January 1974 while also serving as Executive Director of the Domestic Council, a post he had held since December 1972. Prior to those appointments he served as Deputy Director of the Domestic Council and Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs. Before entering government service, Cole was an executive with the J. Walter Thompson Company in New York City from 1965 to 1968 and joined President Richard Nixon's campaign in February 1968.

Cole reported directly to the President. His major responsibility was the formulation of domestic policy and he reviewed legislation, conducted studies and held meetings designed to further that purpose. He also served as the President's representative with state governors and other local government officials.

While Cole was a Nixon appointee, he stayed with the Ford administration until March 1975 in order to assist with the transition and aid in the completion of the 1974 legislative program. He was replaced by James Cannon.

Cole did not leave behind any subject files when he left the White House. Although this collection consists only of Cole's chron file and notes from miscellaneous presidential and staff meetings, the content is often substantive. The collection consisted only of the Chron File when first opened, but Cole's meeting notes were added in November 1983 to facilitate their use. The notes had been part of White House Central Files OA 2117. A small body of additional Cole material remains in the Central Files at FG 6‑11‑1/Cole.

Series Descriptions

1‑2 Chronological File, 1974-75. (0.8 linear feet)

Memoranda, briefing papers, agenda and other correspondence from Cole to especially the President, but also to White House staff; federal, state and local officials; and the public. There is no incoming correspondence. The materials reflect numerous domestic and some administrative concerns, particularly energy policy, draft amnesty, mass transit, Freedom of Information Act amendments, Title IX re sex discrimination, and revenue sharing.

Arranged chronologically.

3 Notes from Meetings with the President, 1974-75. (0.2 linear feet)

Cole's notes from various presidential meetings he attended. The notes vary greatly in detail, the best being a sequential record of participant comments.

Arranged by meeting date.

3 Notes from White House Staff and Other Meetings, 1974-75. (0.2 linear feet)

Cole's notes from almost daily White House staff meetings and from a few other meetings. The staff meeting notes tend to be checklists of matters discussed, with brief additional comments in many instances.

Arranged chronologically

Container List

Box 1 Chronological File

August-November 1974

Box 2 Chronological File

December 1974-February 1975

Box 3 Notes from Meetings with the President

8/14/74 ‑ Governors, Mayors, County Officials

8/20/74 ‑ Bi‑partisan Leadership

9/4/74 ‑ Russell Train

9/17/74 ‑ Cabinet

9/17/74 ‑ Food for Peace

9/19/74 ‑ Guy Stever

9/19/74 ‑ Puerto Rican Governor Hernandez‑Colon

9/30/74 ‑ Russell Peterson

10/3/74 ‑ Selected GOP Leaders

10/4/74 ‑ GOP Leadership

10/12/74 ‑ Re Miscellaneous Legislative Matters

10/14/74 ‑ Small Business Leaders

10/15/74 ‑ Re Mortgage Legislation

12/17/74 ‑ GOP Congressional Leadership

1/4/75 ‑ Pre‑SOTU Economic Review

1/6/75 ‑ Pre‑SOTU Energy Policy Meeting

Notes from White House Staff and Other Meetings

Miscellaneous Meeting Notes, 1974

Staff Meeting Notes