PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, JAPANESE LEADER, TOUR “JUNGLE ROOM”

There’s a headline I’ll bet you thought you’d never
see.

Highlights of the famous Graceland Tour from news
accounts:

###

"It turns out he's an Elvis fan, so he and I are then
going to go to Graceland," Bush said, to laughter,
according to the transcript. "Think about the American
president traveling to Graceland with the prime
minister of Japan. Let me ask you something -- 60
years ago, would you have thought that would be
possible?"

Elvis didn't buy the house until 1957, so probably
not.”

###

“It turns out this will be the first time Bush has
visited the shrine. The only other American president
to have visited is Jimmy Carter, according to
Graceland publicist Kevin Kern, although a reader
helpfully pointed out that another president, Oscar
Arias of Costa Rica, toured the Jungle Room in 2001.”

###

“The Japanese leader, who humorously serenaded a 2005
birthday party for President Bush with Presley’s song,
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You, shares the King’s
January 8 birthday and personally selected 25 Elvis
songs for a 2002 limited-edition charity CD that was
released in Japan, and quickly sold out.”

###

“In the green-carpeted "Jungle Room" where Elvis
recorded some of his songs, Koizumi put his arm around
Lisa Marie Presley and said, "Hold me close, hold me
tight". He also put on sunglasses and struck a classic
Elvis pose.

###

“Bush gave an old-fashioned jukebox replete with Elvis
tunes as a parting gift to Koizumi who is stepping
down in September. Koizumi has been one of Bush's most
loyal supporters in the war on terrorism.”

“Bush and Koizumi, who both love baseball, became
friends five years ago after playing catch at Camp
David.”

“A few months later, Koizumi pledged strong support
for the United States after the September 11 attacks.
He also took a political risk in sending troops to
Iraq, though they are now being drawn down.”

###

“Attracting more media attention were four Elvis
look-a-likes who donned white jumpsuits to protest the
hunting of whales by the Japanese for scientific
research.”


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