Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On December 21, 1970, one of the most famous men in America wrote and hand-delivered a letter to another of the most famous men in America. “Dear Mr. President,” Elvis Presley began. “First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office … Sir, I am staying at the Washington Hotel … 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.”

To access this post, you must purchase 1 Year Membership **Annual $144**, 1 Year Membership **Annual $300**, 1 Month Membership **Monthly $25** or 1 Month Membership **Monthly $15**.

CalMatters is a Sacramento-based nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. It works with more than 130 media partners throughout the state that have long, deep relationships with their local audiences, including Embarcadero Media.