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Elvis meets Nixon
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President Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley.
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Oliver F. Atkins, National Archives collection
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Jerry Schilling.
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Kitty Felde/KPCC
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It was the unlikeliest of meetings: the King discussing drugs and rock and roll with the President of the United States.
Richard Nixon’s birthday is today. Yesterday was Elvis Presley’s. Here's the story of their chat in the Oval Office.
At Christmastime, 1970, Elvis Presley was hanging out with a boyhood friend from Memphis, music producer Jerry Schilling.
Schilling says toward the end of the evening Elvis said, "you know, I want to go to Washington."
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And what Elvis wants… well, you know how it goes. They flew all night and just before daybreak, Elvis Presley hand-delivered a letter to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Schilling says Elvis was wearing a cape and carrying a cane. "And I see the security and they had no idea who it was, so I jump out of the car and I say gentlemen, this is Mr. Elvis Presley and he wants to leave a letter for the President."
Perhaps what’s more amazing, the White House issued an invitation.
Schilling described the meeting as "the personification of the American dream. A couple of poor boys and we’re meeting with the President of the United States."
Tomorrow, why Elvis wanted to meet with President Nixon.
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