The idea of U.S. president Richard Nixon and rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Elvis Presley, decked out in all of his tacky Vegas Elvis glory, hanging out together at the Whitehouse sounds like a concept that would be pitched at a story meeting for Saturday Night Live. At noon on December 20, 1970, Elvis Presley arrived at the Whitehouse for the unlikely meet-and-greet after dropping a hand-written letter off at the gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue at 6:30am that morning.
In it, he informed President Nixon he wanted a federal agent’s badge, adding, “I would love to meet you.” Elvis and Nixon were introduced to one another in the Oval Office with a request from Presley that it be kept private from the press. In exchange for a mounted Colt .45 pistol and after some pleasantries between the two men, Elvis left the building with arrangements made for him to get his badge.
Story by Jay Moon
