{"conversationCode":"493-012","tapeNumber":493,"conversationNumber":12,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-493-012","startDateTime":"1971-05-06T16:15:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-05-06T16:22:00.000Z","startDate":"6-May-1971","startTime":"12:15 PM","endDate":"6-May-1971","endTime":"12:22 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Johnson, Arte; Johnson, Arte (Mrs.); White House photographer;","description":"On May 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Arte Johnson, Mrs. Arte Johnson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:15 pm to 12:22 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 493-012 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":1,"chronRelease":"First Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"5-Oct-1999","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 493-12\n\nDate: May 6, 1971\nTime: 12:15 pm - 12:22 pm\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President met with Ronald L. Ziegler and Mr. and Mrs. Arte Johnson; a photographer was\npresent at the beginning of the meeting\n\nIntroductions\n\nPhoto session arrangements\n\nPresident’s autograph\n     -Spelling of a name\n           -President’s mother’s name\nMr. Johnson\n\nPublishers and editors\n\nA photo of Julie Nixon and [Dwight] David Eisenhower, II\n\nMrs. Johnson’s background\n\nIndustrial complex\n\n“Laugh-in”\n    -Mr. Johnson’s work\n\nAgriculture exhibit\n\nMr. Johnson’s life in California\n     -Westwood\n     -Malibu\n     -San Diego\n          -Beach, zoo\n     -San Clemente\n          -President’s home\n          -Beach\n                 -Photos of President\n\nGifts from President\n      -Cost\n\nA picture\n\nGifts from President\n\nMr. Johnson’s work\n     -Value\n\n                -Richard (“Red”) Skelton\n                -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope\n\nZiegler and the Johnsons left at 12:22 pm","filename":["493a.mp3","493b.mp3"],"tapeStart":"02:44:38","tapeEnd":"02:51:50","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Ziegler, Ronald L.","Johnson, Arte","Johnson, Arte (Mrs.)","White House photographer"],"prevCode":"493-011","nextCode":"493-013","tapeTranscriptFile":"493a.mp3,493b.mp3","transcript":[{"start":9843.8,"end":9845.94,"text":"President Max Friedrichsdorf and Tom Perl, Mr. President, Mr. President, Mr. President, Mr. President, Mr. President,"},{"start":9867.69,"end":9874.87,"text":"Thank you, Mr. President."},{"start":9874.93,"end":9875.57,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":9884.59,"end":9894.54,"text":"I went to a small, large college in southern Indiana, Franklin College."},{"start":9894.62,"end":9895.14,"text":"Right, right."},{"start":9897.22,"end":9900.64,"text":"Time is all that matters."},{"start":9901.91,"end":9903.73,"text":"All right, we've got you for a while."},{"start":9906.15,"end":9908.03,"text":"Oh, we've got a hard laugh here."},{"start":9908.11,"end":9910.65,"text":"Let's get you right here."},{"start":9910.93,"end":9913.11,"text":"Now you just sit right there."},{"start":9913.21,"end":9914.27,"text":"How do you do it?"},{"start":9914.33,"end":9920.93,"text":"You've got to wear that on Sunday for your wife or girl, whichever you're closer to."},{"start":9920.95,"end":9922.5,"text":"Thanks, guys."},{"start":9922.53,"end":9924.85,"text":"Don't tell me you're not together."},{"start":9925.58,"end":9925.9,"text":"There you go."},{"start":9930.45,"end":9932.51,"text":"Oh, yes, it's all right."},{"start":9932.57,"end":9935.07,"text":"It's all right."},{"start":9936.03,"end":9939.36,"text":"All right."},{"start":9973.34,"end":9978.63,"text":"to Archonowski, his wife, and his counselor."},{"start":9978.65,"end":9979.17,"text":"How do you do?"},{"start":9979.29,"end":9979.79,"text":"He's from Germany."},{"start":9983.19,"end":9987.88,"text":"All of these centers love people."},{"start":9987.92,"end":9991.82,"text":"Yes, yes, you're right on that."},{"start":9992.24,"end":9994.34,"text":"All right."},{"start":9994.52,"end":9995.86,"text":"All right."},{"start":9995.98,"end":9996.72,"text":"All right."},{"start":9996.88,"end":10000.46,"text":"All right."},{"start":10000.54,"end":10004.28,"text":"All right."},{"start":10004.64,"end":10006.82,"text":"All right."},{"start":10006.92,"end":10007.3,"text":"All right."},{"start":10007.32,"end":10007.98,"text":"All right."},{"start":10008.12,"end":10009.92,"text":"All right."},{"start":10009.94,"end":10010.34,"text":"All right."},{"start":10010.36,"end":10010.66,"text":"All right."},{"start":10016.29,"end":10018.8,"text":"This is a dentist in California?"},{"start":10018.82,"end":10018.94,"text":"Yes."},{"start":10019.12,"end":10020.18,"text":"She was such a woman."},{"start":10020.92,"end":10027.21,"text":"She got the marriage, the residency of a historian."},{"start":10027.27,"end":10027.95,"text":"You have the name?"},{"start":10028.01,"end":10028.31,"text":"Yes."},{"start":10028.41,"end":10029.89,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":10040.78,"end":10046.53,"text":"And also it's spelled the way my middle name is and my mother's name is."},{"start":10046.69,"end":10048.01,"text":"It's not an easy job."},{"start":10048.07,"end":10050.73,"text":"And it's actually, as he told me, he was a waiter."},{"start":10050.77,"end":10053.95,"text":"They were all waiters."},{"start":10054.05,"end":10058.86,"text":"But I'm very interested."},{"start":10059.94,"end":10060.6,"text":"This is from?"},{"start":10061.28,"end":10065.38,"text":"I'm so glad to have that."},{"start":10065.46,"end":10067.9,"text":"I was curious, isn't that nice?"},{"start":10069.94,"end":10071,"text":"I'm sure they've already found some stuff out here."},{"start":10071.02,"end":10071.46,"text":"Except for the bridge."},{"start":10071.48,"end":10072.68,"text":"I didn't get anything with what they wanted to live with, sir."},{"start":10079.64,"end":10080.06,"text":"That's a problem."},{"start":10080.09,"end":10080.88,"text":"The smart ones are out."},{"start":10105.65,"end":10106.97,"text":"Are you coming too?"},{"start":10107.05,"end":10108.21,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":10108.35,"end":10111.67,"text":"She's going to sit with Julia and David."},{"start":10111.75,"end":10113.35,"text":"Oh, you're going to sit with women?"},{"start":10113.38,"end":10115.38,"text":"They're going to sit with Julia and David."},{"start":10115.44,"end":10118.44,"text":"I'm going to sit with Julia and David."},{"start":10118.46,"end":10120.4,"text":"You're going to sit with Mr. Affleck now."},{"start":10121.92,"end":10127.15,"text":"Oh my goodness, you have a good tie."},{"start":10127.53,"end":10131.55,"text":"Oh yes, are you a German?"},{"start":10131.57,"end":10133.05,"text":"Uh-huh."},{"start":10133.43,"end":10136.81,"text":"We accept you."},{"start":10136.87,"end":10137.27,"text":"Right."},{"start":10145.31,"end":10149.16,"text":"Wait a moment, what is the, what part of the journey is this?"},{"start":10149.2,"end":10151.3,"text":"I come from Vienna."},{"start":10151.36,"end":10151.82,"text":"Oh, yes."},{"start":10152.46,"end":10157.42,"text":"What do you mean, the U-boat, you know?"},{"start":10157.56,"end":10157.76,"text":"Oh, yes."},{"start":10157.78,"end":10158.68,"text":"It's good for children."},{"start":10158.72,"end":10159.92,"text":"Oh, it's a great story."},{"start":10160,"end":10163.23,"text":"One of the funnest things about U-boats is that they're all the same."},{"start":10163.29,"end":10163.89,"text":"You've been back."},{"start":10163.97,"end":10165.35,"text":"You've seen this?"},{"start":10165.37,"end":10165.47,"text":"Yes."},{"start":10165.51,"end":10169.39,"text":"You know, they never really found out the U-boat was this, which is really scary."},{"start":10169.41,"end":10170.07,"text":"They're a good thing."},{"start":10170.09,"end":10170.27,"text":"I know."},{"start":10170.29,"end":10172.45,"text":"The industrial complex is built into all the ideas that I was saying."},{"start":10172.85,"end":10174.2,"text":"It's the most valuable thing."},{"start":10175.6,"end":10178.08,"text":"Well, was you in charge of the show?"},{"start":10178.1,"end":10179.84,"text":"Oh, you got me."},{"start":10179.88,"end":10180.46,"text":"I'm not giving up."},{"start":10180.6,"end":10182.34,"text":"I've been out for three and a half years."},{"start":10182.36,"end":10185.26,"text":"Three and a half years of coming out from behind the bush."},{"start":10185.28,"end":10191.51,"text":"I have suffered from a form of DDT poisoning since coming out of the bush the other day."},{"start":10191.53,"end":10194.07,"text":"We've got an agriculture show up."},{"start":10194.15,"end":10195.93,"text":"I was out there checking your weeds."},{"start":10196.27,"end":10198.8,"text":"The air station, Mr. President, I was behind that weed."},{"start":10200.78,"end":10202.74,"text":"Oh, I see."},{"start":10202.88,"end":10206.39,"text":"Do you live in, where do you live?"},{"start":10206.49,"end":10208.03,"text":"I live in Westwood."},{"start":10208.09,"end":10208.61,"text":"Westwood."},{"start":10208.63,"end":10210.82,"text":"Oh, you're very close to where you go."},{"start":10211.28,"end":10212.1,"text":"Beautiful downtown."},{"start":10212.14,"end":10214.04,"text":"No, beautiful downtown is across there."},{"start":10214.4,"end":10216.26,"text":"I know, you've got to talk to them."},{"start":10216.34,"end":10218.3,"text":"If you chase across the... Not that."},{"start":10218.32,"end":10218.66,"text":"Not that."},{"start":10218.68,"end":10220.38,"text":"Depends on how you shake."},{"start":10220.42,"end":10221.25,"text":"What's the word?"},{"start":10221.28,"end":10223.83,"text":"You don't have much longer to do."},{"start":10223.87,"end":10224.75,"text":"When we get it."},{"start":10224.81,"end":10225.41,"text":"It's now."},{"start":10225.59,"end":10226.49,"text":"I see it."},{"start":10226.55,"end":10227.65,"text":"You're close to the sea now."},{"start":10228.03,"end":10229.79,"text":"Well, we can see it below here."},{"start":10229.81,"end":10230.65,"text":"We can see it right there."},{"start":10230.69,"end":10231.71,"text":"That's where the lights are now."},{"start":10231.85,"end":10233.87,"text":"No, we don't have that."},{"start":10233.91,"end":10234.91,"text":"We only do it this way."},{"start":10234.95,"end":10235.97,"text":"We go to San Diego."},{"start":10235.99,"end":10237.01,"text":"We go to San Diego."},{"start":10237.27,"end":10237.67,"text":"You drive down."},{"start":10237.69,"end":10241.11,"text":"We drive down most of the inches and then you fly down."},{"start":10243.75,"end":10244.76,"text":"What's the matter with you?"},{"start":10244.84,"end":10245.34,"text":"That's her."},{"start":10245.52,"end":10247.59,"text":"What do you do when you get out there?"},{"start":10248.43,"end":10249.29,"text":"To the zoo."},{"start":10249.31,"end":10250.57,"text":"The zoo is probably the dangerous stuff."},{"start":10250.61,"end":10254.09,"text":"But if you go to walk the beach, you're not leaving my own time."},{"start":10254.11,"end":10254.83,"text":"I said that to me."},{"start":10255.01,"end":10256.57,"text":"You go to the zoo, the zoo is everything."},{"start":10256.69,"end":10258.09,"text":"Of course, it's a great zoo."},{"start":10258.15,"end":10262.43,"text":"I'm told it's one of the places where the pines can grow."},{"start":10262.48,"end":10265.58,"text":"I have to correct that."},{"start":10265.64,"end":10269.1,"text":"The time is around the time."},{"start":10269.12,"end":10270.54,"text":"Around the time."},{"start":10270.6,"end":10272.96,"text":"I can't say it in English."},{"start":10273.18,"end":10273.98,"text":"You are right."},{"start":10274.1,"end":10275.78,"text":"And around the time, I knew I was..."},{"start":10275.9,"end":10276.62,"text":"I was there."},{"start":10276.94,"end":10277.96,"text":"You go by the... You go by the..."},{"start":10278.3,"end":10279.72,"text":"You go by our place and send one."},{"start":10279.74,"end":10280.68,"text":"Oh, we'd like to get you an answer."},{"start":10280.72,"end":10282.28,"text":"That's what I hear from some of the days."},{"start":10282.32,"end":10284.46,"text":"Next time you ever get it, I know you can drive it."},{"start":10284.52,"end":10286.13,"text":"I love the chance to be on the beach."},{"start":10286.15,"end":10287.03,"text":"There's a beautiful beach."},{"start":10287.07,"end":10289.41,"text":"Last time I had the beach, it was lovely because it's not as big."},{"start":10289.43,"end":10290.31,"text":"That's six miles from it."},{"start":10290.33,"end":10291.99,"text":"It's big and it's trampled into some time."},{"start":10292.01,"end":10292.69,"text":"Walk on the beach."},{"start":10292.71,"end":10295.13,"text":"It's super nice to be on the beach."},{"start":10295.61,"end":10296.82,"text":"Thank you for speaking so much."},{"start":10296.83,"end":10298.26,"text":"We were very thrilled when the net opened up."},{"start":10304.73,"end":10310.27,"text":"This is the seal that the president's in the floor."},{"start":10310.39,"end":10313.45,"text":"That's the mark of this room."},{"start":10313.55,"end":10314.77,"text":"You get one of these bows."},{"start":10314.81,"end":10318.13,"text":"But you don't have to wear shirts."},{"start":10318.51,"end":10320.63,"text":"You don't have to wear shirts."},{"start":10320.77,"end":10325.53,"text":"They look very expensive, but you don't have to report them."},{"start":10332.73,"end":10336.4,"text":"But that's not probably what makes you human."},{"start":10336.42,"end":10337.38,"text":"Did you have a parent?"},{"start":10337.54,"end":10340.08,"text":"Yeah, you were supposed to have a parent."},{"start":10340.2,"end":10343.64,"text":"Anybody that gets in here gets a gift."},{"start":10343.7,"end":10346.5,"text":"It's good that you make so many people happy."},{"start":10346.52,"end":10353.14,"text":"I mean, I always say that to my old people, friends of the older generation."},{"start":10353.16,"end":10360.61,"text":"I mean, you make a lot of people who you care about the most happy."},{"start":10362.05,"end":10363.35,"text":"Do you like it?"},{"start":10363.69,"end":10364.77,"text":"Do you like it?"},{"start":10364.79,"end":10367.93,"text":"I enjoy the sound of it."},{"start":10368.01,"end":10372.54,"text":"I enjoy seeing people smile and everything."},{"start":10372.64,"end":10374.36,"text":"Do you like the light?"},{"start":10374.42,"end":10376.14,"text":"I like the light."},{"start":10376.26,"end":10377.66,"text":"I like the light."},{"start":10377.78,"end":10381.16,"text":"I like the light."}],"transcriptBoundary":{"start":9829.5,"end":10382.125,"startMethod":"silence","endMethod":"silence"},"transcriptConfidence":"medium","transcriptSource":"bigtape","aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon hosted actor and comedian Arte Johnson and his wife for a brief, informal meeting in the Oval Office, which included an initial photo session with a White House photographer. The conversation focused on lighthearted pleasantries, including discussions about Southern California geography, the San Diego Zoo, and the President’s home in San Clemente. Nixon also presented the Johnsons with official presidential gifts and engaged in casual banter regarding their respective backgrounds and professional work.","topics":["Arte Johnson","Oval Office meeting","White House photography","Southern California","Presidential gifts"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T22:07:25.062Z"},"topicSlugs":["arte-johnson","oval-office-meeting","white-house-photography","southern-california","presidential-gifts"],"audioDurationSec":432,"audioFiles":[{"file":"493a.mp3","bytes":175702725,"durationSec":7320.89,"bitrate":192001,"missing":false},{"file":"493b.mp3","bytes":167948119,"durationSec":6997.76,"bitrate":192002,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":true,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:48.990Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/493a.mp3","https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/493b.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/493-012","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/493/conversation-493-012","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). 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