CNN/AP: Elvis-crazy PM Koizumi hits high notes at Graceland

[DeepModem Mom]

Elvis-crazy PM hits high notes at Graceland
Bush, Koizumi pay their respects to 'the king'
Friday, June 30, 2006


Priscilla Presley watches Koizumi play air guitar.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) -- President Bush's going-away present to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was some kind of "Good Luck Charm." Amid the ceramic monkeys, floor-and-ceiling green shag carpet and animal-head armrests of Graceland's Jungle Room, the delighted prime minister just couldn't hold back the Elvis lines.

All it took was a simple invitation from Bush.

"You're a pretty good Elvis singer," the president said, in an obvious prompt to his guest. Bush knew what was coming, having previously experienced Koizumi's tendency to burst into song when it comes to the late rock 'n' roll legend who is the Japanese leader's undisputed musical hero.

Koizumi quickly complied. "Love me tender," he sang. "Wise men say, 'Only fools rush in.'"

Enter the special tour guides for the two leaders' private tour of Graceland: Presley's only child and heir, Lisa Marie, and her mother, Priscilla. "I want you, I love you," remarked Koizumi, spouting more Elvis tunes. Draping his arm around Lisa Marie, he went on. "Hold me close, hold me tight," the prime minister crooned....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/30/bush.koizumi.ap/index.html

[Teaser]

1. oh sweet christ...

cnn, you don't deserve half the bandwidth you have.

[Critters2]

19. That's the big news today--

Koizumi at Graceland, and Star and Barbara's catfight.

:eyes:

Did someone say something about American soldiers committing rape and murder?....buzzkill

[rainbow4321]

22. Not to mention that he is pulling Japanese troops out of chimp's war

Keep the guy singing and dancing at Graceland and any Japanese troop withdrawl questions/answers that may have been in the MSM during the guy's visit to the US get forgotten about:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13428227/

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced on Tuesday that Japan will withdraw its troops from Iraq, ending the Japanese military’s riskiest and most ambitious overseas mission since World War II.

<snip>
Japan’s troop dispatch -- a symbol of Tokyo’s willingness to put “boots on the ground” for its close ally, the United States, and to take a bigger global security role -- won praise from Washington. But it was opposed by many at home including critics who said the dispatch violated Japan’s pacifist constitution.

The decision to withdraw comes ahead of Koizumi’s visit to Washington for talks with President Bush in late June and before he steps down as prime minister in September.

<snip>

Koizumi had stressed the need to back the United States in Iraq to ensure Washington comes to Japan’s aid in the event of an attack by its unpredictable neighbor, North Korea.

[marmar]

2. Elvis crazy ....

or just crazy? :crazy:

[oasis]

3. 'Tis true, Koizumi is one dizzy lil' sombitch.

:crazy:

[CottonBear]

4. Priscilla is scary looking. Her 60 year old face is stretched way tight.

She has had an almost lethal dose of Botox. I must say, that she does not look 60. Heck, she doesn't look human anymore. :scared:
Her face does not move. :(

[951-Riverside]

7. She looks great for 60

and shes not as bad off as other botox-ees I've seen.

[CottonBear]

14. The Botox isn't the problem, it's the plastic surgery that's scary.

She really doesn't look lilke herself anymore. She is very attractive now but she used to be beautiful. She looks freakishly young.

[LibDemAlways]

20. She's joined the "I refuse to age gracefully

so I'll take my chances on plastic surgery. Oops, I ended up looking like a wax dummy." club that
includes Mary Tyler Moore, Marlo Thomas, Meg Ryan, and Cher.

[kskiska]

11. Priscilla's made a mess of her face

trying to look like her daughter.

[tblue37]

21. All those women with

collagen plumped lips always look to me like someone has belted them in the mouth.

[acmavm]

5. Oh crap, this is news? Two grown men acting like fools at a

dead man's house? With his kid and ex-wife?

Okay, I hope Koz had a good time but I really don't think we need to know this much.

[tridim]

6. "Wise men say, 'Only fools rush in.'"

Was he singing that line to Bush? If so, bravo!

[w4rma]

8. LOL!

:wow:

[Sam Odom]

9. Just think about this

These 2 clowns represent 1/4 of the G8 countries :wtf:

[chelsea0011]

10. A true Repuke "family value" trip. Wasn't Priscilla "locked up"

by Elvis until she was of age to marry her. She met him when she was 14 and stored away at his house until she became of legal age. A true family values story.

[kskiska]

12. By then he didn't even want to marry her.

Her father, a military guy, forced him to.

[Sequoia]

16. Yes, I remember reading about that.

Creepy indeed. Not only that, before he was married he wouldn't date any woman who had a child. He was a true momma's boy to the extent I thought of Physco. He made Priscilla dye her hair the exact shade of his mom's too. I always liked Ricky Nelson better, more of a real person and not a freak. And yes, Elivs was a freak.

[yorkiemommie1]

18. me too

loved Ricky!

[Rex]

13. As Rome burns, Bush plays at Graceland like a child.

At one time, when this country actually stood for something, people like Bush would have been held responsible and forced to DO THEIR DAM JOB. This is the price we pay for stolen elections!

[Sequoia]

15. Ceramic monkeys? Heh, heh...!

[Buns_of_Fire]

17. So long as he doesn't start singing "Hunka Hunka Burning Love..."

I tell you, wars have been started over less. (Thank you. Thankyouvurramuch.)

[T_i_B]

23. 'Elvis diplomacy' a hit with Japanese leader

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/01/welvis01.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/07/01/ixnews.html

For a moment it was as if the "King" was still alive. Outside the white columned entrance of Graceland, diehard fans in Elvis Presley T-shirts were screaming and waving, and professing undying love.

Inside, hair waving, body crouched over a make-believe guitar, sunglasses perched on his nose, an ageing rocker cavorted around the Jungle Room, belting out the opening bars of Love Me Tender to a hand-picked audience including Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie.

Then the world's most powerful Elvis groupie, Junichoro Koizumi, the prime minister of Japan, broke off his routine to laugh with his host, President George W Bush. "I want you, I love you,'' added Mr Koizumi, belting out the odd imaginary bar from a few more Elvis tunes as he draped his arm around Lisa Marie. "Hold me close, hold me tight.''

Playing the straight man, moments later Mr Bush stood in front of the mansion and hailed the ties between the two nations.

[Vinca]

24. Is it possible?

Has Bush found someone who comes across stupider than he does? (Note to CNN: I'm offering good money if you DO NOT play this every 5 minutes again today.)