Banter Before the End

Richard Nixon, whose silently whirling recorders had taped unsuspecting visitors to the Oval Office, was unaware that a television camera and microphone were recording his own words and movements as he prepared for a momentous act: his Aug. 8, 1974, broadcast in which he announced that he would resign next day from the presidency. A CBS-TV technician, during the technical check, made the videotape and later gave it to a friend, TV Actor Tom Hallick, who made it available to TIME. It shows that Nixon was in an astonishingly light mood as he fought the tension of the grim event. Excerpts:

NIXON TO TECHNICIAN: Hey, you're better looking than I am. Why don't you stay here? Blonds, they say, photograph better than brunettes. That true or--you're blond, aren't you? Redhead?

TECHNICIAN: No, sir.

NIXON: We're the same.

TECHNICIAN: Mr. President, this is Bill from CBS, and he will cue you.

NIXON: Oh, hi Bill. How are you?

BILL: Hi.

NIXON: Have you got an extra camera in case the lights go out? Uh, who'd you get that from? Is that from NBC?

BILL: This is the camera we are supposed to be acquiring now. This is what I have got.

NIXON: And that's an NBC camera, I presume?

BILL: No, they're both NBC cameras. NIXON: Standard joke . . . My friend Ollie [White House Photographer Ollie Atkins] always wants to take a lot of pictures of me.

OLLIE: Yes, sir.

NIXON: I'm afraid he'll catch me picking my nose. You wouldn't print that would you, though, Ollie?

OLLIE: No, sir.

NIXON: Oh, you want the [sound] level, don't you? Yes. [turns very somber] Good evening, this is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shape the history of our nation . . . Need any more? Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matter that I believe affected the nation al interest.

TECHNICIAN: That's fine.

NIXON: O.K. [relaxes] Ollie?

OLLIE: Yes, sir.

NIXON: Only the CBS crew now is to be in this room. During this . . . only the crew.

OLLIE: Press?

NIXON: No. No. No. There will be no pictures, no. After the broadcast. You've taken your picture. Didn't you take one just now?

OLLIE: Yes.

NIXON: That's it. Uh, because you know, we don't want to be, we didn't let the, the press isn't going to take one. So you've taken it. Just take it right now. This is right after the broadcast. You got it? Come on.

OLLIE: Look down. Down.

NIXON: O.K., fine. Fine.

NIXON: I'm just gonna make the other photographers mad by giving you too many. Now, that's enough. O.K.? Now all Secret Service--is there any Secret Service in the room?

VOICE: Just [inaudible], Mr. President.

NIXON: Out. You don't have to stay, do you?

VOICE: Yes.

NIXON: You're required to? [smiles broadly] I'm just kidding you. [Nixon stands up and moves off-camera.]

TECHNICIAN: One minute and a half.

NIXON: I'd better get in position.

TECHNICIAN: I'd like to move the pages away from the light if possible.

NIXON: Well, if I can. I mean, it just depends whether I can see it. I'll try to. You mean move 'em like this?

TECHNICIAN: Yes, sir.

NIXON: Am I, uh, straight in the back? Would you mind checking my collar? Is it, I mean, uh, it's not ruffled up? [turns very somber] Good evening. This is the 37th time that I have spoken from this office where so many . . .

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