Tell us it ain’t so! Elvis has been attacked!

His blue suede shoes have been soiled, his hair has been mussedand his lips quivered … and, in of all places — the floor of theMississippi Senate … and for all things — chickens!

It all started Friday. The King, who also is a part-time Senatorimpersonator, got decked by a member of the House ofRepresentatives over a misunderstanding of Elvis’ ‘hankerings’ forour feathered friends.

It seems that while impersonating Sen. Tim Johnson, a disputearose with Rep. Bennett Malone, who was visiting the Senatechambers to listen to a debate about chicken farming. It appearsthe chicken issue is ruffling a few feathers amongst statelawmakers, and Malone became a bit testy.

Malone was sitting at a table in the Senate chamber with Sen.Bunky Huggins, who had just finished a speech on the floorsupporting the chicken legislation, when Johnson came up to thankHuggins for his comments.

From reports, Malone was worked up over the chicken issue,misunderstood the the King’s, err Senator’s, comments and thoughtJohnson was “crooning” both sides of the fence.

The ensuing discussion became heated, a struggle began and thedecorum of the Senate was tarnished as the House member fromCarthage took a swing at the King, catching him on the side of thehead.

The chicken debate was stopped, decorum was restored andapologies handed out.

Interestingly enough, the bill being debated at the time of theElvis attack is an effort to establish an arbitration board betweenchicken growers and chicken processors to settle disputes.

Elvis has been violated, the Senate chambers have been tarnishedand the state’s chickens have been embarrassed — no telling whatMonday will bring. But, you can be assured, Jay Leno will not beable to help himself on this one.

Maybe Senators should begin Monday morning with a few bars of”Love me tender, love me true… chickens I love you”!