The Presidential Image

60 Years of the Best in White House Photography

BY SCOTT SIMON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

The president of the United States is the most photo- and memories. We think of Lincoln’s rawboned nobility graphed human being in the world. No Hollywood or and haunted gaze of fate; TR’s chest-swelling optimism Bollywood star, no tabloid pinup, Chicago or Manchester for a muscle-bulging young country; FDR’s buoyancy, athlete, no monarch, magnate, or tyrant comes even raising hopes like the jaunty angle of his cigarette close. The president is isolated by rings holder; Truman’s bantam-swagger; of security, and as exposed as a six the warmth of Ike’s smile in the Cold year old wiping his nose on his sleeve. War; JFK’s princely charm; LBJ’s hang- He or she (and that day is coming) dog longing; Nixon’s anxious Fuller is surrounded by security guards and Brush salesman smile; Ford’s four- sycophants. Yet each president is also wheel drive reliability; Carter’s curd- beset by what sounds like the bite of a www.poyi.org ling sunniness; Reagan’s unceasing hundred angry hornets—a hundred shutters snapping at gleam and grace; Bush I’s patrician politeness; and their slightest twitch. Clinton’s common man outgoingness and uncommon Dictators can pretty much design their own images. shrewdness. U.S. presidents and their people try. But a free press really There is no truly unimportant photo of a president. is like a swarm of hornets. Constant battering tears open Each snap holds a frame of history. Sometimes, it’s a a small hole, and the rest of us in the swarm rush in. president enunciating brave principles or contemplating Besides, the shrewdest image handlers have grave consequences. Sometimes, it’s a president shaking discovered that a picture that’s chiseled into place as hands with the national Thanksgiving Turkey, or receiving carefully as a profile on a coin is of marginal value. People credentials from the new ambassador from Andorra. Each instinctively put such pictures aside. Even a president’s photo, from a moment that’s weighty or flighty, reminds handlers hope for moments in which the photographer’s us that the people to whom we give power in this country thousands of reflexive shots might chance to reveal have faces as familiar as our neighbors. something unexpected, arresting, or revealing. Would we think that Washington, Jefferson, Madison Because of photography, presidents are no longer and Adams were such starched white shirts today if we graven images. Pictures have created collected images could just see how they sweated, gritted, or smiled?

President Richard M. Nixon responds to enthusiastic crowds as he and the First Lady pass through Savannah, Georgia. Photograph by Rodney Mims • 1970 Franklin Roosevelt Despite cold weather President Franklin D. Roosevelt At an age when most people are long retired, 78-year-old Harry Truman President Harry S. Truman wins the popularity vote of President Harry S. Truman enjoys the proverbial last laugh. speaks before a record crowd in front of the Poughkeepsie former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt remains vigorous and American colony children in Rio de Janeiro during his visit Al Muto • 1948 1933–1945 post office on the last day of his campaign for re-election. active in politics, world affairs and her newspaper work. 1945–1953 to the Foreign Ministers’ Conference. Charles Corte • 1944 Joel Schrank • 1962 G. Bradford Kress • 1947 Harry Truman President Harry S. Truman became the man behind the lens when President Harry S. Truman strikes a pose for photographers during President Harry S. Truman plays piano during a brief visit to the No longer a White House tenant, former President, Harry S. Truman members of the Washington Press Photographers Association gave the Army-Navy football game saying, “I suppose you’d like to see how National Press Club Servicemen’s Center while actress Lauren Bacall takes an early Sunday morning walk by himself in his hometown 1945–1953 him this 16mm movie camera. I look when I cheer.” sits on top of the upright. Independence, Missouri. Frank Cancellare • 1947 Herb White • 1949 Marion Collins • 1944 William Straeter • 1953 Dwight Eisenh0wer General Dwight D. Eisenhower reacts to hearing the news that Dwight D. Eisenhower watches with President Harry S. Truman as a President Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Dwight D. Eisenhower enjoys a round of golf with friends. Former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower diverts her eyes from the flag- President Harry S. Truman has relieved general Douglas MacArthur as battalion of paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division floats to earth Charles C. Corte • 1957 John P. Callahan • 1957 draped coffin during final funeral services for her husband, former 1953–1961 U.N. Commander in the Far East. after a mass jump during exercises at Fort Bragg. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, at the Eisenhower library. Francis Gandy • 1951 Bruce J. Hoertel • 1949 Eddie Adams • 1969 John Kennedy President John F. Kennedy. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline enjoy Nantucket President John F. Kennedy leans over the tabletop behind his Oval Lee Harvey Oswald is shot by local nightclub owner Jack Ruby John F. Kennedy Jr., who turns three today, salutes as the casket of Ray Fisher • 1962 Sound during the summer of 1960. Office desk where stacks of newspaper, magazines and documents while being led from a press conference two days after his arrest in his father, the late President John F. Kennedy, is carried from St. 1961–1963 Jacques Lowe • 1960 are kept. By leaning on the table this way, he often gets relief from his conjunction with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, DC. constant back pain. Bob Jackson • 1963 Stanley Stearns • 1963 Jacques Lowe • 1961 Lyndon Johnson Senator Lyndon B. Johnson takes a moment to rest his eyes during President Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Hubert Humphrey attempt Senator Lyndon B. Johnson. President Lyndon B. Johnson confers with Senator Hubert Humphrey President Lyndon B. Johnson playfully pulls on the ears of his pet a breakfast before the official opening of the Democratic National to “round up” a cow. Bruce Roberts • 1960 in the Oval Office. beagles, Him and Her. Johnson claimed that the ear-pulling and 1963-1969 Convention. Sam Pierson, Jr. • 1964 Gordon N. Converse • 1964 subsequent yelping was harmless, and actually did the dogs good. Gary Haynes • 1960 Maurice Johnson • 1964 Richard Nixon President Richard M. Nixon. President Richard M. Nixon and Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai toast Vice President Richard M. Nixon greets supporters during the 1960 President Richard M. Nixon gives a confident “thumbs up” to a crowd President Richard M. Nixon receives inaugural-day congratulations Frank Johnston • 1968 each other during a banquet hosted by the visiting Americans. presidential campaign. of onlookers in Houston. The President was in Houston to answer from former Vice President Hubert Humphrey on the steps of the 1969–1974 Frank Cancellare • 1972 Frank Cancellare • 1960 questions put forth by the National Association of Broadcasters just White House while Vice President Spiro Agnew looks on. five months prior to his resignation over the Watergate cover-up and Gary Settle • 1969 related charges. David Nance • 1974 Gerald Ford President Gerald Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during President Gerald Ford is hugged by his daughter Susan while on the President Gerald Ford during a quiet moment in 1974. On August 8, President Gerald Ford reacts to Lynette Alice “Squeaky” Fromme’s President Gerald Ford stays in shape despite the rigors of political life. the Helsinki Summit. Other participants included General Secretary telephone. 1974 Ford assumed the country’s highest office after the resignation of assassination attempt. Ford said, “I reached down to shake it [her Ford was a standout football player at the University of Michigan and 1974-1977 Leonid Brezhnev and Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko of the USSR. Fred Ward • 1974 Richard M. Nixon. hand] – and looked into the barrel of a .45 caliber pistol pointed was offered professional football contracts upon graduation. John Duricka • 1975 Fred Ward • 1974 directly at me. I ducked.” Dick Swanson • 1974 Elizabeth Sunflower • 1975 Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter leaps and waves to a crowd of supporters while on the President Jimmy Carter vigorously shakes hands of supporters along First Lady Rosalynn Carter proves to be a tireless campaigner during President Jimmy Carter’s mother, Lillian. President Jimmy Carter applauds Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat campaign trail in Flint, Michigan. a parade route through Bardstown, Kentucky while campaigning for her husband’s bid for reelection. Speaking at a Democratic fundraiser Bob Modersohn • 1977 and Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin as they embrace at the 1977–1981 Lloyd Moebius • 1976 reelection. in Richmond, Virginia, she shows an ability to handle questions and White House following the Camp David Summit. Sadat and Begin had Robert Daugherty • 1979 drive home major points of the campaign. just committed their countries to agreements representing a major Thomas Price • 1980 breakthrough in their 30-year conflict. Max Nash • 1978 Ronald Reagan Republican presidential candidate, Ronald Reagan, ponders a First Lady, Nancy Reagan, looks at her husband, President Ronald Queen Elizabeth’s joke about the rainy California weather catches President Ronald Reagan sticks his thumbs in his ears and wiggles reporter’s question during a news conference in Los Angeles. Early Reagan during ceremonies at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo. Emperor President Ronald Reagan by surprise. He laughed so hard that he his fingers as he says, “I’ve been told this is all off the record and the 1981–1989 returns showed Reagan in a three-way tie with George Bush and John Hirohito is at right. almost fell over backwards, which surprised the Queen. cameras are off, and I’ve been waiting years to do this” during a White Anderson in the Massachusetts Republican primary. Sadayuki Mikami • 1983 Steve Ringman • 1983 House News Photographers Association dinner. Reed Saxon • 1980 Rich Lipsky • 1983 Ronald Reagan In the first of the year’s three assassination attempts, agents tend to President Ronald Reagan meets with cabinet members in the President Ronald Reagan gives an “Okay” sign from the window of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan dance in the President Ronald Reagan’s press secretary, James Brady (on ground at Oval Office. his hospital room at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. White House to a Frank Sinatra version of “Nancy with the Laughing 1981–1989 right) and a policeman (left) who were wounded in the attempt on the Larry Downing • 1986 He was recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous polyp in his Face” before attending a state dinner. President’s life. intestines. Harry Benson • 1985 Don Rypka • 1981 Dennis Cook • 1985 George Bush Vice President George Bush delivers a speech to the Lions George Bush campaigns during the 1980 Republican primaries. President George Bush ponders a question about his job from 42 First Lady Barbara Bush holds a baby during a visit to a Florida President George Bush delivers his acceptance speech as First Lady International Club. Ken Hively • 1980 school children selected by lottery to be his audience. The President nursery that cares for children with AIDS. Barbara Bush covers their yawning granddaughter’s mouth. 1989–1993 Don Stevenson • 1981 responded by saying, “Well, it’s full-time work.” Sean Dougherty • 1990 Richard J. Carson • 1988 Al Podgorski • 1990 Bill Clinton A brutal New Hampshire primary campaign catches up with Bill On the balcony of his Santa Monica beachfront hotel Bill Clinton runs Bill Clinton meets with Jesse Jackson in his Kansas City hotel suite, President Bill Clinton spends time with 7-year-old Aaron Badeau during Relaxing after the Democratic primaries’ Super Tuesday, the Clintons Clinton in a Manchester bathroom. down “Heartbreak Hotel” before his appearance on the Arsenio Hall looking for solutions to the low turnout of southern Democrats in the the signing ceremony for the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. bask in a rare moment alone in their hotel suite in Chicago following a 1993–2001 Dan Habib • 1992 show that night. early primaries. Susan Biddle • 1997 late-night party for the staff. P.F. Bentley • 1992 P.F. Bentley • 1992 P.F. Bentley • 1992 Bill Clinton Bill Clinton ducks into the hotel’s steam room to soothe and Before going to Baton Rouge to campaign for Super Tuesday, Bill President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton share a close President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush confer at the White House moisturize his vocal chords during the afternoon before his Clinton makes one last call from Columbia, South Carolina before moment in the Oval Office during the last week of his presidency. before leaving for the Bush inauguration at the Capitol. 1993–2001 nomination acceptance speech. boarding the plane. P.F. Bentley • 2001 P.F. Bentley • 2001 P.F. Bentley • 1992 P.F. Bentley • 1992 George W. Bush George W. Bush campaigns from a train in Michigan shortly after the With help from his wife Laura, George W. Bush prepares to address Demonstrators argue outside the Palm Beach County Board The Bush family reacts to news that George W. Bush has won another George W. Bush poses for the cover of Time magazine on the ground 2000 Republican convention. the nation. of Elections where disputes in the election count caused daily state during the 2000 presidential election. floor of the Governor’s mansion in Austin, Texas. 2001–present Brooks Kraft • 2000 Brooks Kraft • 2000 demonstrations. Brooks Kraft • 2000 Brooks Kraft • 2000 Jon Naso • 2000 The Presidential Image From the archives of ‘Pictures of the Year International’

Pictures of the Year International (POYi) began as a photographic contest in 1944 in Columbia, Missouri, when the University of Missouri School of Journalism sponsored its “First Annual Fifty-Print Exhibition” contest. Its stated purpose was “to pay tribute to those press photographers which…are doing a splendid job; to provide an opportunity for photographers of the nation to meet in open competition; and to compile and preserve…a collection of the best in current…press pictures. In 1948, following a decision to invite magazine photographers to participate, the Fifty-Print Exhibition Contest became the New Pictures of the Year Contest. Then in 1957, the University of Missouri and the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) merged their respective contests. Through this partnership, “Pictures of the Year” was developed and continued until 2001 when NPPA and Missouri parted ways. In 2001 Pictures of the Year became Pictures of the Year International. In 2001 the Pictures of the Year International Endowment fund was established so as to provide a firm financial footing as POYi increasingly becomes a center for research, discussion and education. In association with the School of Communication at the University of Miami, POYi has provided the photographs for this exhibit. The University of Miami’s nationally- recognized journalism and visual communication programs provide an ideal partnership with POYi. In conjunction with the 2004 presidential debates that are taking place on three U.S. college campuses (including the University of Miami), these photographs from the POYi archives were selected to chronicle memorable moments in the history of the American presidency and to increase interest, especially among college and university students, in the American political and civic process.

Jimmy Carter displays a headline that declares he has been upset during the Democratic presidential primaries. J.D. Patrick • 1976

Donna E. Shalala Dean Mills Director POYi: David Rees, University of Missouri President Dean, Missouri School of Journalism Exhibit editor: Loup Langton, University of Miami Edward J. Pfister Randy Olson Dean, School of Communication POYi archive creator Exhibit designer: David Griffin, U.S.News & World Report Lelen Bourgoignie-Robert Matt Milios Research archivist: Keith Greenwood, University of Missouri Director, Visual Communication Program POYi electronic database creator Digital imaging: Patrick Sweigart and Steve Jenkins, National Geographic Digital Imaging Services Angel Anderson POYi administrative assistant Special thanks to Brian Storm, Corbis