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CNN Live Today
Talk With Man Who Met Elvis at Nixon White House
Aired August 16, 2002 - 11:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back to Graceland to CNN's Gary Tuchman, who is talking with fans, soaking up the atmosphere, and maybe has a surprise or two.
Hello again, Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Marty.
We want to tell you the sun has come out here in Graceland, which is a pretty amazing fact, considering the fact we thought the mansion might float away because of all of the rain we had here over the past few days.
Nevertheless, we had about 30,000 people come out here last night and early this morning for a candlelight vigil. And one of the people here at the mansion today, very interesting man we have with us, Jeff Donfeld.
Jeff is a former White House aid during the administration of President Richard Nixon, and this is the man who facilitated the visit between President Nixon and Elvis Presley. First of all, how did that come about?
JEFF DONFELD: Elvis showed up to the front gate of the White House and said he wanted to see the president. I was working directly for Bud Crog (ph), and Bud called me...
TUCHMAN: Bud did what?
DONFELD: Bud worked directly for John Ehrlichman. We were both on the Domestic Council, working for John Ehrlichman. And we were both officed in the executive office building, next door to the West Wing.
Bud called and said, the King is at the gate. I said, what are you talking about? He said, the King is at the gate.
TUCHMAN: King Hussein, King Tut.
DONFELD: I didn't have a clue. He said, Elvis Presley. I said, you've got to be kidding me. He said come on over to the office, we've got to put together talking points for the president; let's arrange for Elvis to come meet the president. So we did.
TUCHMAN: Did you talk to Elvis?
DONFELD: Very briefly. I was with his aides, his two guards, who while Bud brought Elvis over to the Oval Office, the guard said, we want go over to the Oval Office to meet the president. And I said, you can't do that, and they said, well, Elvis will be certain to have us brought over. I said, well, when that occurs, I'll bring him over. Sure enough, the phone rang, Jeff said bring him to the Oval Office, which I did. The president and Elvis were chatting.
The president had a drawer full of cufflinks and tie clasps and things of that nature, and started stumbling around and tried to find something to give to Elvis. Elvis brought two silver plated 45 automatics he wanted to give as a gift to the president. The Secret Service of course took those away.
TUCHMAN: Is it true Elvis wanted to be deputized by the president, didn't he?
DONFELD: Elvis wanted a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Badge, and I had been working with the bureau. I had been asked to get him one of the badges. I called over to the director of the NDD, and I explained that I needed a badge, and the director said what for? And I said for Elvis Presley, and he said, well, you can't have one. I said, why can't I have one, and his response was, Elvis didn't go through the BNDD training program. I said, I don't think you understand.
TUCHMAN: We are going to finish this conversation. We have some breaking news on the air, but a fascinating story that you had to tell us.
DONFELD: Thank you, Jeff, for talking to us today. We appreciate it. So lots of people here at Graceland, including the man who met him at the Nixon White House.
Back to you, Marty.
TUCHMAN: Thank you both, Gary.
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