Politics is as susceptible to fashions as are music, movies, literature, marriages, or haute couture. Without forgetting the kitchen, of course. But if one of the main characteristics of fashions is precisely their short duration, there are also amazing durability. Take, for example, jeans, tattoos, hamburgers, or rock music.
Being on the left has been a sign of identity for most artists for many years, as can still be seen every year at the Goya Awards gala. During the transition, not a day passed without the publication of a manifesto of a leftist nature, subscribed to by almost all of the country's intelligentsia, starting with the singers Víctor Manuel and Ana Belén whose names were never missing. Declaring right-wing was frowned upon.
Berlusconi won at the polls over and over again without practically anyone admitting to having voted for him. More of the same happened - and continues to happen - with Trump. Lately, however, right-wing populist leaders such as Bolsonaro or Meloni have received more uncomplicated support, even among the intelligentsia and, increasingly, among artists, athletes, and influencers.
Elvis Presley's fame in life not only had no borders, but was liked by young people of any political persuasion. They didn't call him the king for nothing. He was a controversial figure, a rebel who at least initially seemed with his electrifying performances to oppose McCarthyism's attempts to strangle the nation. And this perception of his political ambiguity could have persisted over time if it weren't for the declassification in 2007 of a five-page letter that the Tupelo singer delivered to President Nixon on December 21, 1970.
At 9:30 in the morning of that day, a bizarre individual wearing a robust jet-black toupee, a white silk shirt with an enormous V-neck open to the sternum, and tight purple velvet pants went to the front door of the White House. fastened by a belt with a huge golden buckle more typical of a boxing champion.
The security guards have no problem knowing who it is and they agree without further ado to deal with the letter that he gives them to the president, with whom, if it's not a bother, he would like to meet. When the adviser to the Presidency is notified of the King of Rock's request, he tells the bouncer to tell him to return to his hotel and that they will notify him.
Two hours were enough for the agents to read and evaluate Elvis's well-intentioned handwritten missive. The fact that it was full of spelling and grammatical errors, as well as deletions and crooked lines, did not prevent them from telling the singer that he would be received by President Nixon.
At 12:30 p.m., Elvis was freaking out as he walked through the door of the Oval Office. All the details of the reception have been known since his amazing letter was disqualified while the details of its delivery and the no less amazing interview with the president were made public. Until then, there was only the well-known photo of Nixon shaking hands with the King of Rock in the presidential office.
Elvis's letter, written on an American Airlines flight, is priceless. After declaring himself an admirer of the president, he offers to help in the fight against drugs -he who was stuffed with pills!- and the hippie plague, as well as against the communists and the movements in favor of black rights. In order for his patriotic contribution to be as effective as possible, he asks the president to give him a Federal Agent badge; request, on the other hand, worthy of a Yankee Torrent. Nixon agreed to grant it, but only halfway. A few hours after the historic meeting, Elvis is given a fake badge at his hotel that is more like a toy than anything else.
It would be interesting to know how many intellectuals and artists are, right now, writing letters -or tweets- like the one from Elvis to Trump, Meloni or Orban, as it seems that it is about to become fashionable to do so. Although this time we may not have to wait as long to find out as it happened with the King of Rock.
P.S. Along with the letter, Elvis gave White House securitymen a Colt .45 loaded with silver bullets, which he intended to give to Nixon. Its existence was not known until the weapon reappeared in 2007 with the famous letter.
