We never pass up an easy opportunity to show you the Greatest.  Photo.  Ever.  And to ask the Greatest.  Question.  Ever:  Which of these two famous fellows is high on dilaudid?
Today’s excuse comes courtesy of Anne Schroeder Mullins’ sensational “Shenanigans” gossip column in Politico  (by the way, they dropped the “The.”  It’s no longer “The Politico.”  Now, just “Politico.”  Just like it’s no longer “The Shenanigans.” Anyway, here’s the item …):

Last week, the speaker’s office had a staff party celebrating the day Nixon met Elvis, which we hear was immortalized on the Hill by Pelosi’s chief of staff, who, as a tribute, sang “Blue Christmas.”  (Blue as in Democratic, of course.)

Annoyed yet with that stupid new feature in the Sunday Washington Post Magazine where you’re supposed to compare two similar photos and list 14 ways they’re different? They must be running out of ideas because I swear this past Sunday they had us trying to identify differences in two pictures of poop after someone ate corn.
Anyway, an alert and loyal Extreme Mortman reader was rummaging through the National Archives’ dollar bin of remainders and spotted these two bits of classic Americana. We’ve been told the photos have been doctored a bit, but we’re not experts. In the spirit of that stupid new feature in the Sunday Washington Post, can you list the 14 ways the two photos are different? And no fair trying to guess which fellow was full of Dilaudid.

During this 30th anniversary of something Elvis-related, not sure exactly what, it’s worth taking this picture out of its hermetically sealed vault for one last look until we show it to you again.

Marking the birthdays of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon, CNN talked to the guy who took the greatest picture ever:

CNN: I just have to ask you this, because he did — he died of a drug overdose. At any time did you think wow, this is strange, he is meeting with Nixon wanting to help America fight drugs among the youth and here he was possibly on drugs at that time?

EGIL “BUD” KROGH: Well, I didn’t see anything, Kyra. I mean, he was scratching at a rash on his neck but I didn’t see anything that I thought would mean that he was high on drugs at the time.

How will Extreme Mortman celebrate Elvis Presley’s birthday today?

By clicking on the Richard Nixon Library, where we find this…

The historic 1970 White House meeting of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon will be commemorated in a special exhibit opening on Elvis’ birthday, Monday, January 8, highlighted with the sartorial choices of the President and the King.

Which gives us further reason to do this…

Doing this (Gerald Ford meeting Billy Preston and George Harrison) …

… inspires us to do this

He died.

President Bush’s tribute:

“Elvis Presley will forever have a special place in the cultural life of America.  This event is an opportunity for people from around the globe to come together, share their memories and celebrate one of America’s most beloved icons.”

Extreme Mortman tribute:

On August 8, 1968, Richard M. Nixon was nominated for president at the Republican national convention in Miami Beach, Fla.

On Aug. 8, 1974, President Nixon announced he would resign following damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal.

In between, this happened, as immortalized — where else? – on a Nixon Foundation mouse pad.

This (from today’s Post) …

… let’s me do this:

The White House announced that President Bush will accompany Japan’s Prime Minister Junichrio Koizumi on a June 30 visit to Graceland.

I’ll leave to others the easy jokes — like the fact that Japanese advance staff will trade kimonos for white jump suits with huge collars. Or, that the main course at the state dinner will be grilled peanut butter and banana tempura. Or, I can hear it now — is that a sumo wrestler, oh it’s just the ’70s fat Elvis. Thank you very much.

Instead, I’ll just do this: