[shoesfullofdust]

Nixon's bold stance(?!) predates P.S. Lang's invention of a synthetic replacement by a number of years.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=3731

Of course, he could never use the term "sperm whale". But this is what led to the Endangered Species Act that granted the whales a reprieve. Lang's invention was only a reaction to this. It's still a good read.