JAMES M. CANNON PAPERS, 1974-79

The papers of James M. Cannon, 1974-79, relate to his brief service as an assistant to Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and to his dual role of Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs and Executive Director of the Domestic Council, 1975-77. Well documented topics include Vice President Rockefeller's role in the Ford Administration, a small number of key issues (especially those Cannon Worked on toward the end of his White House service), and the administration of the Domestic Council. The material comprises a valuable supplement to the Cannon files which the Ford Library received as part of President Ford's papers in January 1977.

Because Cannon had a long-time relationship with Nelson Rockefeller and was one of the highest ranking Rockefeller associates in the White House, his papers reveal much about Rockefeller's role in the administration. One small series documents Cannon's work while on Rockefeller's Vice Presidential staff, Dec. 1974 - Feb. 1975. Additionally, Cannon's general subject series include 900 pages under the heading "Vice President" and scattered items elsewhere showing Cannon's interactions with Rockefeller and Rockefeller's role in supervising the work of the Domestic Council. Much of Cannon's post administration series is also Rockefeller related, including transcripts of unpublished interviews with Ford and Rockefeller about Rockefeller's role in the Administration.

Cannon's papers are especially strong for three topics on which he worked in the closing weeks of the administration. These are: the status of Puerto Rico (especially President Ford's statehood proposal), Domestic Council input for the 1977 State of the Union address, and the latter stages of the FY 1978 budget process. Cannon's large file on the 1976 State of the Union address is also included, presumably because it was used as a background for his work on the 1977 speech. Significant but smaller files appear on such topics as energy, a health policy White paper, the nuclear policy statement of October 1986, and regulatory reform.

Researchers will find most or all of Cannon's material on other policy issues in his Ford Papers files rather than in this collection. Many of the folders on issue here contain only fragmentary or duplicative items.

Significant materials on the organization and administration of the Domestic Council include: staff meeting minutes, weekly staff work reports, and files on changes planned by Cannon, Rockefeller and others in the weeks just before Cannon transferred from the vice presidential staff in March 1975. Approximately 500 pages relates to the 1977 transition to the Carter administration, including material on a Domestic Council transition report and a report which Cannon helped Rockefeller to write giving advice to Walter Mondale, the new Vice President.

Related Materials (July 1988)
The most important related materials in the Library are the Cannon files among President Ford's papers. Staff files of Domestic Council staff members are also related, especially those of Sam Halper and Dean Overman for Puerto Rico; and those of Arthur Quern for the 1976 State of the Union address, the FY1978 budget, and Domestic Council administration. White House Central Files category FG 39 has additional materials on Vice President Rockefeller and his role in the administration.