When Elvis Met Nixon

The largely publicized meeting between Elvis Preseley and President Nixon in 1970—one of recent history's most famous handshakes—has maintained a sort of historical resonance that has been scarcely replicated since.

It is interesting that a man who talked to portraits and a man who had a penchant for shooting television sets and both of whom would share utterly ignominious falls from glory, would meet in such a strange fashion.

I had once made the false assumption it was Nixon who probably was chomping at the bit to meet Presley (Nixon also had an infatuation with sports; meeting sports stars and calling them on the phone), but it was The King who wanted to meet the President.

In what was, no doubt, a half-drunken stupor, Elvis wrote a five-page letter to Richard Nixon on American Airline stationary and subsequently delievered it—in person—to the northwest gate of the White House. The letter requested a meeting with the president, among other schmoozing and brown-nosing. Elvis, perhaps fed up with attempting to sidestep and meander around all the other little frivolties of the legal system, decided to go to the ultimate source to secure his drug addiction. After all, there wasn't an easier way to get his hands on vast amounts of confiscated narcotics than to become a federal drug marshal.

I've yet to find similar conjecture to support my theory.




Dear Mr. President.
First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office. I talked to Vice President Agnew in Palm Springs three weeks ago and expressed my concern for our country. The drug culture, the hippie elements, the SDS, Black Panthers, etc. do NOT consider me as their enemy or as they call it The Establishment. I call it America


-
and I love it. Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help The Country out. I have no concern or Motives other than helping the country out.
So I wish not to be given a title or an appointed position. I can and will do more good if I were made a Federal Agent at Large and I will help out by doing it my way through my communications with people of all ages. First and foremost, I am an entertainer, but all I need is the Federal credentials. I am on this plane with


-
Senator George Murphy and we have been discussing the problems that our country is faced with. Sir, I am staying at the Washington Hotel, Room 505-506-507. I have two men who work with me by the name of Jerry Schilling and Sonny West. I am registered under the name of Jon Burrows. I will be here for as long as it takes to get the credentials of a Federal Agent. I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing

-

techniques and I am right in the middle of the whole thing where I can and will do the most good.
I am Glad to help just so long as it is kept very Private. You can have your staff or whomever call me anytime today, tonight, or tomorrow. I was nominated this coming year one of America's Ten Most Outstanding Young Men. That will be in January 18 in my home town of Memphis, Tennessee. I am sending you the short autobiography about myself so you can better understand this

-


approach. I would love to meet you just to say hello if you're not too busy.
Respectfully,

Elvis Presley

P. S. I believe that you, Sir, were one of the Top Ten Outstanding Men of America also.
I have a personal gift for you which I would like to present to you and you can accept it or I will keep it for you until you can take it.