YORBA LINDA : Homage Being Paid to President, King

They hang on the walls of his library and birthplace as testaments to a globe-trotting President: paintings and photos of Richard M. Nixon meeting with assorted international figures during his years in the White House.

In some, he poses with Communist dictators.

Others show him with royalty.

There’s even one of a smiling Nixon shaking hands with the King.

Yes! Elvis Presley, who paid an Oval Office call on Nixon in 1970 wearing his trademark jewelry and ornate clothing.

Their get-together is celebrated this week at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace with a variety of special events.

The celebration coincides with Nixon’s 80th birthday on Saturday and the release Friday of the commemorative 29-cent Elvis stamp on what would be the late musician’s 58th birthday.

Admission will be free Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Though Nixon and Presley met only once, the black-and-white photo chronicling their meeting has become a pop-culture masterpiece. Shirts and postcards bearing the image are among the most popular items at the library gift shop, and numerous visitors have asked where the photo is located, officials said.

“The photograph of the President and the King is part of American folklore,” library spokesman Kevin Cartwright said.

The highlight of the weekend will come Saturday at 11 a.m. when library visitors will sing “Happy Birthday” to Nixon in a group phone call to his New Jersey home.

On Friday, the gift shop will begin selling Elvis stamps with a special, pictorial “Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace” cancellation mark on them. The stamps are attached to postcards bearing the image of Presley and Nixon.

Visitors also can have their pictures taken next to life-size cutouts of Nixon and Presley.

During their Dec. 21, 1970, meeting, Presley presented Nixon with a chrome World War II Colt .45 pistol and seven bullets. The weapon is now on display at the library along with a an interactive-tape display in which Nixon discusses their meeting.

The former President describes Presley as a “very shy man. Flamboyancy was covering up his shyness.”

“My daughters knew (of) him and heard him. I didn’t know that much about him except what I read,” Nixon said. “ . . . He was also a very sincere man.”

Presley told Nixon during the meeting that he wanted to be “an example to young people,” Nixon said. “And people say that because later on it was found that he had used drugs, that, therefore, he could not be a good example. They overlooked the fact that he never used illegal drugs. It was always drugs prescribed by his physician. But I think he was a very decent man.”