STORIES THAT REALLY DID HAPPEN, RE-CALLED BY HARRY HARPER
ELVIS PRESLEY AND PRESIDENT NIXON
The White House, December 20, 1970
As the year 1970 approaches its conclusion, concerns plague Elvis Presley regarding assassinations, protests against the Vietnam War, a growing disrespect for authority, and the widespread use of drugs.
His anxieties about the drug issues facing youth are intensified by the significant amount of substances he personally ingests. To manage his fears about all these issues, he finds shopping to be a somewhat effective distraction.
In a span of three nights, he spends an astonishing $20,000 on firearms; in the following week, he purchases two Mercedes—one for himself and another for a girlfriend; a week later, he acquires a third Mercedes for an aide, along with a new Cadillac as a wedding gift for a Palm Springs police officer he has befriended.
On December 19, his wife Priscilla and his father confront him about his out-of-control spending. Presley reacts negatively to their intervention.
“I’m getting out of here,” he exclaims.
Without informing anyone of his destination, he hops on a flight from Memphis to Washington, then continues to Dallas, Los Angeles, and back to Washington.
During his travels, he drafts a letter to the President, requesting to be appointed as a Federal Agent at Large.
He mentions that he has conducted “an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing techniques… I would love to meet you just to say hello if you’re not too busy.”
Hours after he delivers the letter at the White House, he receives a phone call from Egil ‘Bud’ Krogh, the President’s deputy counsel, inquiring if he could make a visit in 45 minutes. The senior staff at the White House believe that increasing Richard Nixon’s popularity among the youth would be “extremely beneficial;” meeting with Presley could help achieve that.
Elvis enters the Oval Office confidently, fully made up, adorned with a large brass-buttoned Edwardian jacket over a purple velvet tunic and matching trousers held up by a grand gold belt. He accessorizes with a necklace and gold pendant.
He confidently displays his collection of police badges across Nixon’s desk for admiration.
Soon after, he passionately criticizes The Beatles, claiming they came to America, took American money, and returned to England to promote anti-American sentiment.
“Bud Krogh’s official memo of the meeting records: The President nodded in agreement and expressed some surprise.”
Elvis continues, sharing, “I’m just a poor boy from Tennessee. I’ve received so much from my country. I’d like to give something back.”
“That will be very helpful,” Nixon replies, cautiously.
Sensing the right moment, Elvis requests a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs special agent badge. The President looks hesitant and asks, “Bud, can we get him a badge?”
“Well, sir,” Krogh responds, “if you want to give him a badge, I think we can arrange that.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Presley says, “This means a lot to me.”
He embraces Nixon, who typically avoids physical contact, pulling the President into a hug. Nixon quickly pats Presley on the shoulder in response.
After managing to escape Elvis’s embrace, Nixon steps back.
“You do dress kind of strangely, don’t you?” he observes.
“You have your show and I have mine,” Elvis replies.
Elvis returns home, badge in hand, feeling triumphant to such a degree that he purchases four additional Mercedes as Christmas gifts.
His wife later suggests that he was mainly interested in the badge to facilitate the transportation of his prescription drugs and weapons without the worry of arrest.
However, he employs this badge for various other purposes as well: as a bona fide FBI special agent, he occasionally turns on the blue light on his vehicle to pull over speeding drivers or offer help at accident scenes.
by Harry Harper
