How Presidents Have Used Teleprompters (1963 to present)

 

How Presidents Have Used Teleprompters
Components of a Presidential a Podium and Teleprompter
Type Of Activity	Presidential Speeches
Location
Location	Washington DC and various Locations
Date of Activity	1963 to Present
Coordinates	38°53′52″N 77°02′11″W

The Presidency of any country is aptly described as the most demanding job in the world. Zero in on the United States presidency, and you can easily multiply the difficulty a thousand times. Besides the many issues, state visits, rubbing elbows with influential people, and whatnot, state presidents also deliver speeches every now and then. They may do so in front of the media, in a live audience on a worldwide broadcast, or a combination of both.

It’s a part of a President’s job to present dozens of speeches, but to be honest, it’s the least of his worries. Why? It’s because he has access to the best equipment, such as a teleprompter, specifically a presidential teleprompter operated by the professionals of the White House Communications Agency.

WHCA has long been for responsible all audio and video at Trip sites including the presidential podium and teleprompter.

Brief History of Teleprompter Use by U.S. Presidents

Four years after the invention of the teleprompter in 1948, General Dwight Eisenhower was the first to use it in a campaign speech in September 1952, The 1952 Republican National Convention was the first political convention broadcast live by television. In addition to being the first live telecast, the GOP convention was the debut event for the new device still used by politicians today, the “TelePrompTer”. As the keynote speaker for the convention, former president Hebert Hoover used the TelePrompTer, however, without much success.

The teleprompter quickly became a fixture of political campaigning and speechmaking, being utilized for the first time in 1954 by President Dwight Eisenhower for a State of the Union address.

President Johnson was the first President  to require a teleprompter at all of his speeches, at this point in time WHCA was building and setting up LBJ’s bulletproof Podium at all speech sites, recording all of his speeches, providing the PA system and an audio feed to all of the networks.

General Jack Albright, WHCA CO, recalls his early days with LBJ “As time went on, he wanted more things. He wanted to be able to read his speech while looking at the audience, and so we turned to the philosophy of the teleprompter. We signed a contract with a New York company, and they provided us with a great number of teleprompters.  Now, these were heavy, very heavy things to haul  around.

There were generally three very large boxes that looked like podiums and they sat out in front of him and through a piece of glass it reflected the speech, which was being scrolled on a tape or in fact, teletype paper below that. So, he read this as though he was reading it as a speech from a paper.

At this time, the presidential teleprompter was massive and very obvious to individuals in the audience. The early teleprompters used a VERY LARGE typewriter that would put the text on a half inch gummed tape that was then pasted onto a roll of teletype yellow paper. It was very hard to cut and paste to make edits, and LBJ didn’t like handwritten comments in margins.

"The print was about a half inch high, so, the President had little trouble reading it. He could read it either directly ahead of him or to either side of something like a forty-five-degree angle from that. That's the first innovation WHCA put in.” according to BG Albright. 

A WHCA operator typing a speech

LBJ using an early model teleprompter with a old style WHCA podium

The WHCA carpenter shop built all of LBJ,s  bulletproof podiums. They were huge and  they were heavier than hell. The teleprompter operator would actually sit inside the podium and manually operate the scroll. On more than one occasion the teleprompter and the President would get out of sync During one LBJ rehearsal it got out of sync. LBJ stepped back, looked down and said, 'Son, are you trying to GD Fu$* me up?' Now this was all controlled, speed-wise and everything else, by the teleprompter operator judging the President's rate of speech, and always keeping where the President could see a couple of lines, three lines at the most.

The teleprompter did not use video monitors. The two devices, adjacent to the lectern, were two synchronized tractor drives that were slaved to the master controller that the WHCA AV personnel operated. The text was printed on paper scrolls that had to be “absolutely synchronized” with the master scroll at the operator position.

I believe President Nixon was the last to use the “motorized/slave” prompter. President Ford was introduced to the new video system along with the “new blue lectern”. The previous lectern was black steel, bolted to a wooden frame. 

That issue was somehow lessened in the mid-60s by coming up with the side-by-side teleprompter setup that we know today– reflecting printed text onto angled pieces of thin glass on either side of the podium. It was a game-changer since the President could glance from side to side and still see the script. He may do so while maintaining eye contact with the audience.

President Richard Nixon would not use a teleprompter when speaking in public. He rehearsed his remarks and annotated a hard copy of the speech. He refused to use a teleprompter, no matter how long the speech was. Although he would generally rehearse his speeches using the teleprompter

During one of these rehearsals in the oval office, President  Nixon all of a sudden said 'the prompters off. The WHCA operator replied, 'No sir, its right.' Nixon turned and glared straight at him, 'Son, the GD prompter is off." Dead silence. The operator jumped up, looked at the scroll and said, 'Yes sir, ill fix it.'. WHCA never heard another word about it. Everyone involved was concerned that they would all be shipped to Vietnam that night for questioning the President. Nixon normally used typewritten text with handwritten notes and usually left them on the podium.

In April of 1971 the First Marine Division returned from Vietnam and was to be greeted by President Nixon.  The event was scheduled to take place at Camp Pendleton, which was only 10 min from the Western White House. The CCT was told to break out the recording equipment to rehearse the welcome home ceremonies.  So here we were all radio and switchboard guys setting up on the Parade Field (which nobody was allowed to set foot on when they were not in a parade).  Anyway, Gen Redmond, Major Freed, and I do not remember all of the WHCA officers were out there, but we set up the PA and microphones where we thought they needed to be as the Troop Commander shouted commands. The problem was that when he was in front of the division no one could hear him, and we could not put a mike stand there! 

Gen Redmond came over to me and asked if we could run a mike cable out on the parade field and lay the microphone on the ground.  It took two min. and that solved the problem.  After rehearsal we all took shovels and buried the cable thus inventing the “turf” microphone, the Marines could not believe that we were digging up their parade field and not going to the brig for doing it. I returned to Camp Pendleton the day before the event was to take place to meet with the WHCA recording guys to help them set up the site with a podium without the teleprompter. I  then pointed out where the Troop Commander would be positioned and connected the turf mic.. All went well at the speech the next day at the official Welcome Back ceremonies.

President welcomes home the 1^st Marine Div. returning from Vietnam

The most important speech that President Ford gave was a  rare Sunday afternoon speech to announce his pardon of President Nixon. ... No teleprompter, just note cards. It was perfect for the time. President Ford usually wore contact lenses when he used a teleprompter to avoid the use of his glasses while making speeches.

President Ford pardons Richard Nixon 

Subtle advancements in teleprompter technology have been made over the years. Until the early 1980s, the text was typically printed on paper. Courtney M. Goodin, a Hollywood sound mixer and stagehand, invented Compu=Prompt in 1982, a software-based system that displayed text from a modified Atari 800 PC. It was the beginning of the end for printed papers, as computers began supplanting printed scrolls throughout the business. Computerized systems have various advantages, including the ability to alter and load text at the last second.

1980 Democrat Convention in Madison Square Garden     

During the 1980 Democrat National Convention at Madison Square Garden. President Carter spent a lot of time in the Presidential suite rehearsing before the actual event. Then the time came for President Carters Acceptance speech, the dual glass teleprompter was set up, with two WHCA operators under the stage. There was a big pile of sandbags near where the two operators  were  sitting and when they asked the USSS agent near them what the sandbags were for, he responded,  that there was a hockey goal type opening on the stage behind the President and a chute that led to the sandbags so that if someone were to throw a bomb on the stage, they could just kick it down the chute.

Once the speeches were edited up until the last minutes, they were saved on a current state-of-the-art format of a 5 ¼" or ½" Floppy disk that a Senior Staff person would have in the motorcade and delivery backstage by the Site Trip Officer, more than once, the last minute edits were NOT updated properly and in one case a very old speech came up on the Teleprompter.... "Instant Pucker"! How can you blame the teleprompter operator for scrolling what as given to him, but somehow, it was always the operator’s fault! One such incident involved the STOTU address. The Staff was in an uproar, but President Reagan delivered without "notice" to the public and was corrected with a current copy by the end of the speech.

Ronald Reagan regularly used a teleprompter during all of his speeches. President Reagan, often spoken of as "the great communicator," was noticeably at a loss for words when his teleprompter broke down during  a major speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France .  Reagan's teleprompter cut out three times causing the president to lose his place... Nonetheless, after a short period of time he recovered and continued. The President took everything in stride. He used the teleprompter only, to help him keep his place in the speech.

President Reagan uses the dual glass teleprompter setup

WHCA started doing outdoor prompters during the Regan administration. The beam splitters (reflective glass) was darkened on the side facing the audience to allow the president to read it during bright sunny days.

WHCA first went to a computer driven system during George HW Bush’s administration . That system proved to be too slow because every time you made a change to the script, it had to go thru the entire speech and compare it with the original. Last minute changes just took too long. WHCA then decided to go with some off the shelf items that were already in WHCA's inventory. Two Grid computers tied  together for primary and backup.

President Bush using the  presidential teleprompter at a CSPAN convention

Today’s presidential teleprompter is made up of two mirrors constructed of beam-splitter glass installed on two different stands. Each mirror is oriented at a 45-degree angle. Each has a monitor with text that reflects in the mirror. Only the person speaking can see the text due to an anti-reflective coating on the back of the mirror. Even though there is Voice-recognition software available that will scroll text based on the speaker’s speaking speed. the requirement of an appropriate scrolling pace forces White House to rely on manual scrolling, especially for critical political speeches.

Teleprompters are always available even if the President doesn’t use it

Today, you rarely see a President, or any country leader speak to a live audience without a teleprompter. From the printed scrolls to LCD monitors, automatic scrolling on an Atari PC to voice recognition, the teleprompter truly changed the landscape of political speeches, often for the better. 

As a result, this teleprompter is more commonly used for giving speeches, as it lets the speaker see the audience through the glass. Another advantage of this teleprompter is that multiple monitors may be positioned throughout the arena, allowing the speaker to stare at the entire crowd during their speech, making it appear even more natural.

Just because a teleprompter makes the Presidents life easier, it doesn’t mean he would be good at it without practice or some tricks he could use. In fact, not every United States president presents a speech using a prompter. Some, like George W. Bush, disliked teleprompters and preferred large index cards while President Trump prefers the presidential teleprompter for all of his speeches.

President Trump uses the Teleprompter for every speech

Today’s Presidential teleprompter setup for all speeches

Another difference between camera-mounted and presidential teleprompters is that the latter may be used without a camera. A presidential prompter is a much better setup when presenting to a live audience and where he can scan from side to side and not fix his gaze on a spot. The cameraman can then film the speaker from various angles, preferably when he is not looking at the mirror.

The flawless delivery of a speech begins long before the President steps onto the stage. It starts with meticulous preparation and the setup of the presidential teleprompter and podium. Here's a glimpse of some of what the WHCA A/V teleprompter operator does behind the scenes before a crucial event:

1. Review: WHCA A/V operator typically starts with a thorough review of the President’s speech. The speech is loaded onto the teleprompter's software, where the operator can format it for optimal readability, adjusting font size and scroll speed according to the  speaker's preference.

2. Equipment Check: Ensuring that all equipment is in perfect working order is paramount. This includes not only the presidential teleprompter and its screen but also the control devices and any backup systems in case of technical glitches.

3. Operator Briefing: The teleprompter operator, a crucial part of the team, receives instructions and must become familiar with the  Presidents delivery style and pace. They must be in sync with the President to ensure seamless scrolling of the script.

4. Rehearsals: Depending on the importance of the event, the President might run through the speech using the teleprompter several times to ensure comfort and familiarity with the setup. This rehearsal helps eliminate last-minute surprises or hiccups.

5. Backup Plans: While the teleprompters are always backed up the White House Staff often has printed copies of the speech, just in case of technical difficulties.

B. Positioning and Testing the Teleprompter

The physical placement and calibration of the teleprompter is critical for a successful presentation. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how it's done:

1. Stage Placement: The teleprompter is positioned directly in front of the podium, at eye level, to ensure that the text is easily readable without the need for the President to look down or significantly off axis. This positioning allows for the appearance of uninterrupted eye contact with the audience.

2. Glass Angling: The glass or reflective surface of the teleprompter is angled to reflect the text from a screen placed below the stage. This positioning, sometimes using a one-way mirror, ensures that the text is not visible to the audience while remaining clear to the speaker.

3. Adjusting Font Size: The teleprompter operator adjusts the font size and scroll speed to match the Presidents preference. The text should scroll at a pace that feels natural to the speaker, allowing them to maintain a smooth and coherent delivery.

4. Testing Visibility: Before the event begins, a final test ensures that the text is perfectly visible to the President without any glare or distortion. This may involve adjusting the angle or lighting around the teleprompter to optimize readability.

5. Technical Checks: The teleprompter operator performs one last technical check to ensure that the software, controls, and connections are functioning flawlessly. The President can also have a final run-through to make any last-minute adjustments or clarifications.

The behind-the-scenes world of the presidential teleprompter operator is a fascinating and essential part of modern-day public speaking. The teleprompter has evolved from its mechanical origins to become a sophisticated digital aid for all presidential speeches. It helps maintain eye contact, enhance public speaking skills, and reduce the likelihood of mistakes, playing a crucial role in delivering speeches with confidence and precision. The setup involves meticulous preparation, equipment checks, and operator briefings, resulting in a seamless and invisible presence on the stage, offering the audience a flawless presentation. The presidential teleprompter remains vital for effective communication for world leaders and political speakers.

The White House Communications Agency (WHCA) Audio Visual (AV) team provides all necessary equipment and personnel, primarily sourced from WHCA’s Anacostia facility, for presidential and vice-presidential speeches. While approved subcontractors may sometimes be utilized, WHCA AV retains full responsibility for all services. These typically include teleprompter operations, broadcast audio and public address systems, video recording, and livestreaming. Additionally, WHCA AV supplies unique White House equipment such as presidential podiums, seals, and flags. For indoor events, lighting and sound support are essential. The venue, staging, and backdrops are also prepared by White House staff, ensuring the President is ready to deliver the speech.