Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 273 › Conversation 273-049

Nixon & Safire on Economic Policy and Speechwriting

Sunday, August 15, 1971 · 7:34 PM–7:36 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Safire, William L.Conversation273-049 on Tape 273 (tape position 04:42:21–04:43:37)StartSunday, August 15, 1971 at 7:34 PMEndSunday, August 15, 1971 at 7:36 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 273-049 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon met with speechwriter William Safire to finalize the content and tone of his forthcoming address concerning major economic policy shifts. The discussion focused on refining the rhetoric surrounding new tax plans, currency convertibility, and long-term economic strategies. Key advisors, including John Connally, Herbert Stein, and Paul Volcker, were consulted to ensure the messaging effectively communicated the administration's plan to stabilize the economy.

Audio

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Position in tape: 04:42:21 – 04:43:37

part C, 27:45

273a.mp3

273b.mp3

273c.mp3

NARA Description

On August 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:34 pm to 7:36 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 273-049 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 273-49

Date: August 15, 1971
Time: 7:34 pm - 7:36 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with William L. Safire.

     President's forthcoming speech on economy
          -Content and phraseology
                 -Possible changes
                       -Convertibility
                            -John B. Connally
                            -Effect on listeners
                            -Herbert Stein
                            -Paul A. Volcker

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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The tax reductions I'm recommending, taken together with the brought up turn of the economy, which has taken place in the first half of this year, will move us strongly toward a goal this nation has not reached since 1956, prosperity with full employment and peacetime.

Looking to the future?

In the future, I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury to recommend to the Congress in January new tax proposals for stimulating research and development of new industries and new technologies to help provide 20 million new jobs that America needs for the young people who will be coming to the job market in the next decade.

To offset the loss of revenues from these tax cuts, which directly stimulate new jobs, I have ordered a $4.7 billion cut in federal spending.

Tax cuts to stimulate the flood must be matched by spending cuts to reduce inflation, to restrain inflation.

To check the rise in the cost of government, I have ordered postponement of pay raises and a 5% cut to government flood.

I have ordered a 10% cut in the Florida economy.

In addition, since the Congress has already delayed action on two of the great initiatives of this administration, I will ask Congress to amend my proposals to postpone the implementation of revenue sharing for three months and welfare reform for a year.

Also recorded on August 15, 1971

273-046 7:14 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:14 pm to 7:24 pm.
273-047 7:24 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:24 pm and 7:34 pm.
273-048 7:24 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:24 pm and 7:34 pm.
273-050 7:36 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:36 pm and 8:55 pm.
273-051 7:36 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:36 pm and 8:55 pm.
273-052 7:36 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:36 pm and 8:55 pm.
273-053 7:36 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:36 pm and 8:55 pm.
273-054 7:36 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:36 pm and 8:55 pm.

All 70 conversations from August 15, 1971 →

Safire & Connally on Economic policy and Price Commission October 7, 1971 · 1 min
Nixon, Price & Ehrlichman on Economic Policy and Speechwriting September 8, 1971 · 44 min
Nixon, Price & Ehrlichman on Economic policy and Speechwriting September 7, 1971 · 44 min
Nixon, McCracken & Connally on Economic policy and Unemployment July 22, 1971 · 45 min
Nixon phone call with Woods on Wage-price freeze and Public opinion August 16, 1971 · 3 min
Nixon & Safire on Inflation and Speechwriting October 7, 1971 · 1 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 273-049, August 15, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/273-049 (accessed November 2, 2026).