The Day Elvis Met Nixon


By: Elvis Australia
Source: www.elvis.com.au
August 3, 2005

On December 21, 1970, Elvis Presley paid a visit to President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in Washington, D.C. The meeting was initiated by Presley, who wrote Nixon a six-page letter requesting a visit with the President and suggesting that he be made a "Federal Agent-at-Large" in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The events leading up to and after the meeting are detailed in the documentation and photographs included here, which include Presley's handwritten letter, memoranda from Nixon staff and aides, and the thank-you note from Nixon for the gifts (including a Colt 45 pistol and family photos) that Presley brought with him to the Oval Office.

Note: The following documents are in PDF format.

You will need to download and install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them.

Document 1: Handwritten Letter from Presley to Nixon

Document 2: Transcription of Presley letter

Document 3: Memorandum for H.R. Haldeman from Dwight L. Chapin

Document 4: Memorandum for the President, Re: Meeting with Elvis Presley

Document 5: Memorandum for the President's File from Egil 'Bud' Krogh, Re: Meeting with Elvis Presley, 21 December 1970

Document 6: Message from (Bev) to (Lucy), Re: Presley's Gifts to the President

Document 7: Letter from Richard M. Nixon to Elvis Presley, 31 December 1970

Document 8: Memorandum from Egil 'Bud' Krogh to Neal Ball, Re: Guidance on Jack Anderson Column-Elvis Presley, 27 January 1972

These materials chronicling the Presley-Nixon meeting were obtained from the Nixon Presidential Materials Project at the National Archives at College Park (College Park, Maryland).

Complete Text of Elvis' Letter to President Nixon

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.


Elvis Presley and President Nixon at the White House - December 21, 1970

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 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

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.

The Day Elvis Met Nixon Book

This book details the day of the meeting between elvis and nixon. It is detailed but an easy reader. It is anything except boring! In the back you will find a RARE 8 by 10 color photo of the two that is worth the price in gold. Krough's amazing eyewitness account of the day Elvis met Nixon is well worth reading.

- Egil 'Bud' Krog - Tell me about Elvis' visit to the White House
-
Photos - Elvis Meets Nixon December 21, 1970
- Video
Jerry Schilling - Elvis' meeting with President Richard Nixon

Buy The Day Elvis Met Nixon Book

© Copyright 2024 by www.elvis.com.au & www.elvispresley.com.au

This page. https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/tcb/hold/the-day-elvis-met-nixon.shtml

No part of any article on this site may be re-printed for public display without permission.


-
Elvis Presley Video Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD

Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.

This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.

The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.

Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.