{"conversationCode":"643-002","tapeNumber":643,"conversationNumber":2,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-643-002","startDateTime":"1971-12-24T21:20:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-12-25T04:59:00.000Z","startDate":"24-Dec-1971","startTime":"4:20 PM","endDate":"24-Dec-1971","endTime":"11:59 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"estimated","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Atkins, Oliver F. (\"Ollie\"); [Unknown person(s)];","description":"On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Oliver F. (\"Ollie\") Atkins, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:20 pm and 11:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 643-002 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":3,"chronRelease":"Third Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"28-Feb-2002","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 643-2\n\nDate: December 24, 1971\nTime: Unknown between 4:20 pm and 11:59 pm\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President met with Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins and unknown men.\n[The recording began at an unknown time while the conversation was in progress]\n\n     Photograph session\n          -Posing\n               -Atkins's previous conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler\n                     -Ziegler's and Atkins’s views\n                           -Smiling\n               -Smiling\n               -Speed of film\n          -Lighting\n               -Time of day\n               -Daylight Savings Time\n          -Posing\n               -Timing\n               -Smiling\n\f                 -Coco-lobo II\n\n     Helen Thomas\n          -Rumor\n              -Unknown journalists\n              -Atkins\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and\nreleased 05/03/2022.]\n[Unintelligible]\n[643-002-w001]\n[Duration: 27s]\n\n       Helen A. Thomas\n          -Rumor\n                -Denial\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     Season’s greetings\n\n     The President's family\n          -Yellow Room\n\n     Presentation of gifts by the President\n          -Cuff links\n          -Golf balls\n\nThe President left at 4:28 pm.\n\n     Forthcoming photograph session\n          -Edward R. F. and Tricia Nixon Cox\n          -[Dwight] David, II and Julie Nixon Eisenhower\n          -Preparations\n\nAtkins and the unknown men left at an unknown time before 11:59 pm.","filename":["643-002.mp3"],"tapeStart":"00:02:24","tapeEnd":"00:08:53","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Atkins, Oliver F. (\"Ollie\")","[Unknown person(s)]"],"prevCode":"643-001","nextCode":"643-003","transcript":[{"start":0.23,"end":4.59,"text":"I'm Dr. Ron Zegler, and we decided we like a smiling president and a fun-loving president, so we're going to make them both late."},{"start":4.61,"end":8.47,"text":"We'll make them just a little tumble, and then we'll make a couple of smiles, like, you know, like he's here."},{"start":8.55,"end":9.96,"text":"And, Carl, you can click on that trigger now."},{"start":9.97,"end":10.86,"text":"We can try to come up like that."},{"start":10.94,"end":11.16,"text":"That's nice."},{"start":11.18,"end":11.72,"text":"Let it go."},{"start":11.74,"end":12.06,"text":"All right."},{"start":13.26,"end":15.62,"text":"We're going to knock out about ten people like that."},{"start":15.64,"end":19.62,"text":"Now, get away like that."},{"start":19.66,"end":25.48,"text":"We're going to let the president in."},{"start":27.17,"end":31.88,"text":"We're just about ready."},{"start":31.94,"end":34.66,"text":"Give me a little smile."},{"start":34.68,"end":35.66,"text":"Come on."},{"start":36.32,"end":36.84,"text":"Come on."},{"start":36.86,"end":37.38,"text":"That's right."},{"start":40.08,"end":43.81,"text":"Come on, let me see those teeth."},{"start":43.85,"end":45.39,"text":"Good, good."},{"start":45.41,"end":45.59,"text":"All right."},{"start":45.61,"end":46.25,"text":"Right again now."},{"start":46.27,"end":47.57,"text":"That's right, right again."},{"start":47.59,"end":48.15,"text":"Right to here."},{"start":48.17,"end":50.47,"text":"I know it's tough to do, but you're a smart guy."},{"start":50.57,"end":51.19,"text":"I'm not smart."},{"start":51.69,"end":52.31,"text":"I'm not serious."},{"start":52.35,"end":55.67,"text":"My president, the way I see it, is a happy president."},{"start":55.89,"end":56.91,"text":"Here we go, Carl."},{"start":56.95,"end":60.49,"text":"There you go."},{"start":60.51,"end":60.88,"text":"Here we go."},{"start":60.98,"end":61.53,"text":"Right there, yes."},{"start":64.07,"end":64.75,"text":"Now, don't worry."},{"start":64.89,"end":66.85,"text":"Give him more of a campaign look this time."},{"start":66.87,"end":68.43,"text":"We're going to go out and give him a visit."},{"start":68.47,"end":70.21,"text":"We're in a pretty good position to give it to him now."},{"start":70.23,"end":72.15,"text":"Yeah, he's right behind you."},{"start":72.17,"end":73.58,"text":"Take him out."},{"start":74.11,"end":74.23,"text":"Good."},{"start":74.25,"end":77.92,"text":"He's at high speed, so move him, John."},{"start":77.94,"end":79.32,"text":"Now, here we go again."},{"start":79.36,"end":81,"text":"Give me a nice wide-open grin this time."},{"start":81.54,"end":81.94,"text":"That's it."},{"start":82.1,"end":82.32,"text":"Come on."},{"start":84.3,"end":84.82,"text":"Hard to cancel."},{"start":85.5,"end":89.06,"text":"All right, one more time."},{"start":89.22,"end":94.55,"text":"All right, once again, right here."},{"start":94.62,"end":96.56,"text":"Good smile now."},{"start":96.67,"end":100.65,"text":"Here we go."},{"start":100.71,"end":102.71,"text":"Come on, open it up."},{"start":102.75,"end":104.15,"text":"There we go."},{"start":112.86,"end":113.64,"text":"All right."},{"start":113.69,"end":114.86,"text":"Change the microphone."},{"start":114.88,"end":115.52,"text":"Rest a minute, sir."},{"start":117.34,"end":117.56,"text":"All right."},{"start":117.58,"end":118.5,"text":"4-12-8-9."},{"start":118.6,"end":127.68,"text":"See if you got it, Mr. Schroeder."},{"start":127.74,"end":128.3,"text":"Here you go."},{"start":128.32,"end":129.34,"text":"That's a daylight station."},{"start":129.6,"end":131.18,"text":"I don't have any other time."},{"start":131.3,"end":136.24,"text":"I think it would be over by 4 o'clock."},{"start":136.3,"end":141.18,"text":"We'll get on, and I'll be driving around the floor at about 3 o'clock."},{"start":155.97,"end":157.66,"text":"All right."},{"start":157.84,"end":167.56,"text":"Now we just lose one of your legs."},{"start":170.67,"end":171.09,"text":"Here, that's fine."},{"start":171.11,"end":173.69,"text":"All right, all right, all right."},{"start":173.71,"end":175.91,"text":"Now, I'm going to be on this side."},{"start":175.93,"end":177.12,"text":"All right, fine."},{"start":177.13,"end":178.78,"text":"Let me just check this coat here."},{"start":178.88,"end":186.08,"text":"Now, the eyes on the left."},{"start":186.34,"end":191.82,"text":"We'll try about four or five soft shots, but not too soft."},{"start":191.84,"end":194.52,"text":"Just a little twinkly, I see."},{"start":194.54,"end":198.07,"text":"Raise the eyes and tackle my head where it's spinning out there."},{"start":198.13,"end":198.69,"text":"All right."},{"start":209.94,"end":211.64,"text":"When you're ready, I'll stand by."},{"start":211.76,"end":212.57,"text":"When you're ready, tell me."},{"start":212.61,"end":213.39,"text":"You're ready?"},{"start":213.41,"end":213.65,"text":"All right."},{"start":213.67,"end":213.95,"text":"All right."},{"start":213.97,"end":215.53,"text":"Tell me when you're ready."},{"start":215.55,"end":219.16,"text":"I'm ready."},{"start":219.75,"end":221.34,"text":"All right, tell me."},{"start":221.36,"end":221.5,"text":"Good."},{"start":221.8,"end":223.66,"text":"All right."},{"start":225.03,"end":225.77,"text":"The same thing, Carl."},{"start":225.87,"end":228.23,"text":"And watch the top, the peak of the smile."},{"start":228.27,"end":231.57,"text":"I'm going to try three to four smile shots when you're through, Mr. President."},{"start":231.65,"end":232.39,"text":"Just think of that."},{"start":232.43,"end":233.71,"text":"All right, then."},{"start":233.77,"end":235.74,"text":"I'll give you that nice, good, present-fixing smile."},{"start":235.78,"end":237.22,"text":"We'd love to see that."},{"start":237.24,"end":238.62,"text":"Write it all back in there."},{"start":238.64,"end":240.16,"text":"I'm going to write on it both immediately."},{"start":240.18,"end":241.6,"text":"Mr. President, I can't watch it anymore."},{"start":247.15,"end":248.13,"text":"I gave him a smile."},{"start":248.15,"end":253.69,"text":"Now this time, Mr. President, I'm going to have you look out toward my hand."},{"start":254.35,"end":255.43,"text":"I'm going to hold the chin."},{"start":255.73,"end":257.73,"text":"I want those eyes up."},{"start":257.75,"end":259.93,"text":"Those eyes up to here."},{"start":260.01,"end":260.71,"text":"And a smile."},{"start":261.21,"end":263.68,"text":"I want to raise your eyes a little up like that."},{"start":263.69,"end":264.75,"text":"Now here, give me a nice smile now."},{"start":264.83,"end":265.16,"text":"Right there."},{"start":265.26,"end":265.54,"text":"All right."},{"start":265.58,"end":267.1,"text":"We're going to get you out on the old call."},{"start":267.12,"end":267.38,"text":"All right."},{"start":269.64,"end":271.06,"text":"There we go."},{"start":271.08,"end":275,"text":"So, we're going to have to do that."},{"start":275.02,"end":276.06,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":276.1,"end":278.32,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":278.34,"end":280.36,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":281.12,"end":285.05,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":285.09,"end":288.93,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":288.97,"end":290.69,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":290.71,"end":291.97,"text":"We've got to get on board."},{"start":298.18,"end":302.1,"text":"And then she had to deny it, so."},{"start":302.14,"end":308.46,"text":"But of course, by the way, they denied the parole."},{"start":309.14,"end":312.39,"text":"Jerry Warren died, so it was a child, a child's death."},{"start":312.55,"end":314.73,"text":"That gives me the experience."},{"start":316.88,"end":319.44,"text":"Thank you very much, sir."},{"start":344.42,"end":347.38,"text":"Do you want to put it off?"},{"start":347.48,"end":347.9,"text":"Keep it off."},{"start":348.04,"end":351.12,"text":"I don't want to get on the side of my car, sir."},{"start":351.48,"end":351.96,"text":"All right."},{"start":352.04,"end":353.26,"text":"That's all you have."},{"start":353.52,"end":353.79,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":353.81,"end":354.14,"text":"Good luck."},{"start":354.19,"end":355.44,"text":"Thanks for your trouble."},{"start":355.46,"end":355.81,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":365.32,"end":369.32,"text":"All right, so we're doing both Ed and Trisha, and David and Julie."},{"start":369.38,"end":371.71,"text":"All right, let me go down and see how that goes."},{"start":371.83,"end":372.77,"text":"I'll be down here."},{"start":372.79,"end":373.23,"text":"Let's go."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Richard M. Nixon met with White House photographer Oliver F. Atkins and others to conduct a formal portrait session in the Oval Office. The participants focused on technical aspects of the shoot, including lighting, film speed, and posing techniques designed to project a relaxed and positive presidential image. The discussion centered on coaching Nixon to provide specific expressions, such as a \"campaign look\" and a wide-open grin, for the photography team.","topics":["Richard M. Nixon","Oliver F. Atkins","Photography","White House Oval Office","Public Relations","Presidential Image"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-07T01:44:21.672Z"},"topicSlugs":["richard-m-nixon","oliver-f-atkins","photography","white-house-oval-office","public-relations","presidential-image"],"audioDurationSec":378,"audioFiles":[{"file":"643-002.mp3","bytes":3786178,"durationSec":378.19,"bitrate":80090,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:54.663Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:44:12.188Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/643-002.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/643-002","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/643/conversation-643-002","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}