Richard Nixon's Recording System In The White Office

Richard Nixon’s paranoia led him to re-install a recording system in the White House after removing the recorder that was already in place. Mistrust led to his downfall as President of the United States. Nixon feared that his people would turn on him during his presidency, so he installed the voice-activated recorder as a means of security for himself. Nixon viewed the tapes as his personal property and never expected anyone else to listen to them unless the tapes would benefit him; his plan backfired. The recordings intended for insurance cost him his job. Nixon caused his own downfall. Richard Nixon’s personality was puzzling. Not considered a people-person, Nixon had few friends and spent much of his time alone brooding. Henry Kissinger, Nixon’s Secretary of State, described Nixon as “an unpleasant man” who was uncomfortable in crowds. Television appearances made him uneasy, but leading a nation did not bother him. He used foul language and made anti-Semitic remarks, yet he wanted to be regarded as compassionate, and fair with opponents. He demanded his subordinates to use whatever means necessary to accomplish his goals. His suspicious nature led to the formation of a White House security group called “the Plumbers” to stop “leaks” of …show more content…
President Franklin Roosevelt used a secret recording device in 1940. John F. Kennedy also used a recording system. President Lyndon Johnson personally demonstrated his secret recording system to Nixon prior to Nixon taking office. Johnson touted the system as a way to “keep on top of events” and claimed it would be “vital for writing memoirs”. Nixon was unimpressed with the system and knew surveillance systems were hard to justify, so Nixon removed the system. For unknown reasons, Nixon later installed a new system. Other presidents could pick and choose which conversations to record. Nixon’s voice-activated system recorded them