"My own view is that taping of conversations for historical purposes was a bad decision on the part of all the presidents. I don't think Kennedy should have done it. I don't think Johnson should have done it, and I don't think we should have done it"

This quote by Richard M. Nixon is a reflection on the choice by past presidents to tape-record conversations for historic purposes. Nixon believes that this was a bad decision which none of the presidents need to have done it. He specifically discusses Kennedy and Johnson, but likewise includes himself in the criticism. Nixon's opinion is that recording discussions for historical functions is not a great concept and must not be done. He thinks that it is a violation of personal privacy which it is not required for the conservation of history. Nixon's viewpoint is that discussions should be documented through other means, such as composed records, and that tape-recording discussions must be avoided.