Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 856 › Conversation 856-001

Nixon & Unknown on Environmental policy and Energy crisis

Wednesday, February 14, 1973 · 2:20 PM–2:31 PM ET · Oval Office · 17 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); UnknownConversation856-001 on Tape 856StartWednesday, February 14, 1973 at 2:20 PMEndWednesday, February 14, 1973 at 2:31 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 856-001 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417182405 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with television technicians in the Oval Office to prepare for and record a televised address concerning national environmental policy and energy concerns. During the session, technicians managed lighting, audio, and room arrangements to facilitate the President's formal remarks. Nixon’s address focused on the need for legislative action regarding environmental quality and the development of comprehensive energy initiatives to address growing national fuel shortages.

Audio

Download MP3 · 22.8 MB

NARA Description

On February 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) [television technicians] met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:31 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 856-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 856-001

Date: February 14, 1973
Time: Unknown between 2:20 pm and 2:31 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with unknown network television technicians.

       President’s address on natural resources and environment
              -Preparations for recording
                      -Audio check
                      -Room arrangements
                      -Makeup
                      -Lighting
                      -John D. Ehrlichman’s arrival [?]
                      -Audio check
              -Reading
                      -Special programs on energy
                      -Volume

The President participated in recording a televised address on natural resources and environment
between 2:25 pm and 2:30 pm.

               -Environment
                      -Proposals
                             -92nd Congress
                             -93rd Congress
                      -Environmental quality
                      -1972 trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                             -“America the Beautiful”
                      -Prisoners of war [POWs]

                        -Beauty of US
                        -Energy crisis
                               -Fuel shortages
                               -The President’s messages to Congress on energy
                -Press coverage
                        -Headlines
                -Separate statement on energy

The President, et al., left at 2:31 pm.

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.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

All right.
You got a cable here?
Can you come on the back a little more?
But he's not getting any on the papers.
He didn't want to put some on the papers.
That's it.
Uh-huh.
There you go.
Tell me about it.
Tell me about it.
Tell me about it.
Tell me about it.
Thank you.
How are you doing?
How are you doing?
All right.
Thank you.
I don't get it.
Well, it's not very strong in the jails, you know.
Well, I don't know.
I mean, it's still over.
Well, we've got to do something.
We've got to come in now.
Well, we've got to do something.
We've got to come in now.
Well, we've got to do something.
We've got to come in now.
Well, we've got to do something.
We've got to come in now.
Well, we've got to do something.
We've got to come in now.
Well, we've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've got to do something.
We've
This is like that movie.
So I've got a race in the case.
What's the matter with you?
What's the matter with you?
Are you all right?
You got a shot or something?
No, it's okay.
Go ahead.
You got a shot or something?
You got a shot or something?
You got a shot or something?
You got a shot or something?
You got a shot or something?
You got a shot or something?
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
You don't have good levels.
That's all right, we'll cover it up as well.
It's funny, I can report to you that.
You don't have good levels.
You ready to talk?
Ready, boys?
All the evidence shows that we are well on the way to winning the war against environmental degradation and harm, and well on the way to making our peace with nature.
But while we can be proud of our record in this field, we must remember that a record is not something to stand on.
It's something to build on.
In the coming weeks, I shall send back to the Congress a number of urgently needed environmental proposals, which were not enacted in the last session, so that the unfinished environmental business
of the 92nd Congress can become the first environmental achievements of the 93rd Congress.
Each of us has a personal stake in the success of these proposals and in the work of achieving greater quality in our lives and our surroundings.
One of the most memorable experiences I have had as President
occurred just a year ago during my visit to the People's Republic of China when the Chinese army band played America the Beautiful.
No one will sing America the Beautiful with greater feeling than our prisoners of war as they return home from years of communist captivity in and of China.
America is a beautiful country.
By our commitment to conservation,
restoration, and renewal, let us resolve to make America even more beautiful for the generations ahead.
Our growing energy crisis has been dramatized by fuel shortages this year across the nation.
We must face up to a stark battle.
We are now consuming more energy than we produce.
A year and a half ago, I sent to the Congress the first presidential message ever devoted to the energy question.
I shall soon submit a new and far more comprehensive energy message containing wide-ranging initiatives to ensure necessary supplies of energy at acceptable economic and environmental costs.

— 1 min 7 s with no transcribed speech —

Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Well...
Thank you.
We've got to go.

Also recorded on February 14, 1973

  • 855-024 1:52 PM · 20 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:52 pm and 11:59 pm.
  • 412-001 2:31 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:31 pm and 2:38 pm.
  • 412-002 2:31 PM · 17 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 2:31 pm and 2:38 pm.
  • 043-078 2:38 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:38 pm.
  • 043-079 2:38 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 2:38 pm to 2:39 pm.
  • 412-003 2:38 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:38 pm to 2:39 pm.
  • 043-080 2:39 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:39 pm and 2:59 pm.
  • 412-004 2:39 PM · 11 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 2:39 pm and 2:59 pm.

All 59 conversations from February 14, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 856-001, February 14, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417182405). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/856-001 (accessed November 15, 2026).