Retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel Robert “Buzz” Patterson was the Senior Military Aide to President Bill Clinton from 1996-1998. During that time Patterson was responsible for the President’s Emergency Satchel, a.k.a. the “Nuclear Football,” the black bag containing controls for the country’s nuclear capability.
Patterson retired in 2001 to pursue a career as a conservative speaker (via Young America’s Foundation) and writer of books criticizing Democratic leaders including Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How Bill Clinton Compromised America’s National Security.
After watching yesterday’s House Oversight Committee hearing, which included U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) questioning Republicans’ witness Tony Bobulinski in their ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, Patterson shared a clip of Crockett from the hearing and captioned it: “When we elect bartenders and Waffle House waitresses, we get what we deserve.”
Jasmine Crockett is a lawyer you dumb racist bastard pic.twitter.com/9PXZv4igPf
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) March 21, 2024
The comment has sparked outrage and accusations of racism including: “Jasmine Crockett is a lawyer you dumb racist bastard.”
[Note: The most prominent American politician actually claiming Waffle House pedigree is Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, whose X profile reads: “From Waffle House > The Citadel > US House” — it’s not known whether Patterson intended to denigrate Mace with his comment. As for pouring drinks, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) prominently features her experience as a bartender as one of her credentials.]
Don’t try to disguise your racism Cletus! We see you!!
— CorwinMelvin (@CorwinMelvin) March 22, 2024
Air Force veteran Corwin Melvin on X also replied: “Don’t try to disguise your racism Cletus! We see you!!”
Note: Patterson ran for election in 2020 to represent California’s 7th Congressional District and lost in the general election to Democrat Ami Bera.
Congresswoman Crockett is a lawyer who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhodes College and her Juris Doctor from the University of Houston. She is running for re-election and earlier this month won the Democratic primary in her district.
