Watching PBS special last night about Watergate and was wondering..........Why would there be a taping system in the oval office in the first place? For what purpose? and does it still exist today? Just curious.........
Watergate Question............
- Thread starter maverick2112
- Start date
I heard that Nixon was a Paranoid jerk and had the systems installed. And they were removed back then after he resigned.
It seems to me that if I were having private conversations with high level people the last thing I would want is a tape of it made.
nixon used recording in the oval office, believe he was the only president to do so. his stated justification was for historical purposes and for use by his presidential library after retirement.
I'm stunned at these questions.
Anyone in a position of authority understands the benefits of recording (i.e. taping) conversations. You tape and transcibe commitments, promiises, thoughts, ideas, and so forth for the purpose of carrying out plans at a late time.
FDR, Truma, Eisenhower, Knnedy, Johnson, Ford, Careter, etc, -- ALL had taping devices. No, it had NOTHING to do with Richard Nixon;s "paranoia." It was standard operational procedure under six adminstrations -- both Democrat and Republican. It very likely exists, to this day.
Finally, most if not all Presidents are concerned wth their place in history. Transcripts and recording help Presidents to write memoirs and record thoughts and ideas. They are a part of the historical record. LBJ tapes are extremely daming personally, So are Nixons. So are any Presidents -- when it comes to dicussing proprietory information.
Amazing that Nixon is characterized so negatively by historians, while Kennedy and his clan had the same quasi-unethical operation in office and took just as many liberties and yet goes down as an icon. Disgusting.
Nolan Dalla
Anyone in a position of authority understands the benefits of recording (i.e. taping) conversations. You tape and transcibe commitments, promiises, thoughts, ideas, and so forth for the purpose of carrying out plans at a late time.
FDR, Truma, Eisenhower, Knnedy, Johnson, Ford, Careter, etc, -- ALL had taping devices. No, it had NOTHING to do with Richard Nixon;s "paranoia." It was standard operational procedure under six adminstrations -- both Democrat and Republican. It very likely exists, to this day.
Finally, most if not all Presidents are concerned wth their place in history. Transcripts and recording help Presidents to write memoirs and record thoughts and ideas. They are a part of the historical record. LBJ tapes are extremely daming personally, So are Nixons. So are any Presidents -- when it comes to dicussing proprietory information.
Amazing that Nixon is characterized so negatively by historians, while Kennedy and his clan had the same quasi-unethical operation in office and took just as many liberties and yet goes down as an icon. Disgusting.
Nolan Dalla
Dead on Nolan. And I give high odds there is some form today. And I say all our Presidents better have some crook in them. To get elected to start with. And dealing with the other crooks in the world. Just some are bigger and better at it then others.
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- Feb 12, 2000
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From what I remember from high school history class (not saying that this is fact by any means), Nixon had those installed for his planned use for an auto-biographical account of his presidency. We were also told that when asked about them, he could have simply denied their existence and saved himself a lot of heartache.
Is all of this simply not true?:shrug:
Is all of this simply not true?:shrug:
re: Nolans surprise
re: Nolans surprise
From what i read, The recording systems for The Nixon administration were installed in The White House and other offices by The Secret Service in 1971 and disconnected in 1974 after Nixon left office.
This is merely an observation of the devices/utilization during his administation. Apparently Nixon had them in many locations.
No doubt the other administrations had mechanisms too. I don't know if it was on a level that Nixon had...maybe they were.
Maybe someone here can produce some data / articles on this subject. It is interesting .
re: Nolans surprise
From what i read, The recording systems for The Nixon administration were installed in The White House and other offices by The Secret Service in 1971 and disconnected in 1974 after Nixon left office.
This is merely an observation of the devices/utilization during his administation. Apparently Nixon had them in many locations.
No doubt the other administrations had mechanisms too. I don't know if it was on a level that Nixon had...maybe they were.
Maybe someone here can produce some data / articles on this subject. It is interesting .
Seems to me you can put anything like this on paper..........commitments,promises,thoughts etc. Its done everyday........I mean look at a contract for the purchase of anything, the written contract is the document but you dont necessary have a tape recording of what is agreed to.
