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Pat BuchananAmerican politician, paleoconservative political commentator, columnist and host
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Patrick Buchanan: A Conservative Commentator's Journey
- Political Beginnings
- Nixon Administration and Watergate
- Post-Nixon Career
- Reagan Administration and Independent Stance
- Later Political Views
- Controversies
- Personal Life
Patrick Buchanan: A Conservative Commentator's Journey
Early Life and EducationPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan, born on November 2, 1938, in Washington, D.C., was the son of William, an accounting firm partner, and Catherine, a nurse turned homemaker. With six brothers and two sisters, Buchanan grew up in a devout Catholic family.
He earned a Bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and was briefly enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. However, his training was cut short due to reactive arthritis. In 1962, he obtained a Master's degree in journalism, focusing on the expansion of trade between Canada and Cuba.
Political Beginnings
In 1964, Buchanan was appointed Assistant Editorial Page Editor of the influential St. Louis Globe-Democrat and supported Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign. However, the newspaper's owners held a different view, leading Buchanan to speculate about a secret agreement between the publication and President Lyndon B. Johnson.
According to Goldwater's book "Conscience of a Conservative," Buchanan was also a member of the Young Americans for Freedom, penning press releases for the organization.
Nixon Administration and Watergate
Buchanan became the first speechwriter hired by Richard Nixon's presidential campaign, primarily researching the opposition. He accompanied the president on his 1972 trip to China and the 1974 summit in Moscow, Yalta, and Minsk.
Buchanan remained Special Assistant to Nixon during the final days of the Watergate scandal, although he was not directly implicated. However, he was falsely suspected by some of being "Deep Throat," the anonymous source of information to the press. In 2005, when it was revealed that Mark Felt, the FBI Deputy Director, was the Watergate informant, Buchanan denounced him as "so mean" and "so unprincipled" and "so criminal."
Post-Nixon Career
Following Nixon's resignation in 1974, Buchanan briefly served as an advisor to Gerald Ford. He then co-hosted the three-hour radio show "The Buchanan-Braden Program" and made regular appearances on NBC Radio from 1978 to 1984.
His television career began on "The McLaughlin Group," a panel show discussing current political affairs. Buchanan gained national recognition through his participation in "Crossfire" and "The Capital Gang."
Reagan Administration and Independent Stance
From February 1985 to March 1987, Buchanan served as the White House Director of Communications. In a 1986 speech, he spoke about the "Reagan Revolution," questioning its long-term impact.
While Buchanan worked for Reagan, his sister Bay organized the "Buchanan for President" movement in June 1986. She argued that conservatives needed a leader, although Patrick initially opposed the idea. He later ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1992 and 1996.
Leaving the White House after the 2000 primaries, Buchanan returned to "Crossfire," resumed his writing and commentary, and continued to publish books. In the years that followed, he maintained his political independence. Before the 2004 election, he re-registered as a Republican but stated he would never again seek the presidency.
Later Political Views
Buchanan tepidly supported the re-election of George W. Bush in 2004, saying, "On taxes, on judges, on sovereignty, on the hierarchy of values – Bush is a 10. [John] Kerry is a zero."
"Crossfire" was reformatted as "Buchanan and Press" on MSNBC beginning July 15, 2002, with Buchanan representing conservatives and host Bill Press representing liberals. The show closed in 2003, with both hosts opposing the Iraq War. Buchanan remained with MSNBC as a political analyst.
In September 2009, MSNBC removed a Buchanan op-ed piece that defended Adolf Hitler after the National Jewish Democratic Council issued a public statement strongly urging its removal.
Controversies
The article, on the 70th anniversary of the German invasion of Poland, argued that Britain should not have declared war on Germany. His comments sparked renewed accusations of anti-Semitism and contributed to the criminalization of Holocaust denial.
In 2010, Buchanan expressed disapproval of Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court. Noting that Democrats had not nominated a black candidate in the previous 43 years, Buchanan stated, "If Kagan is confirmed, Jews, who make up less than 2 percent of the American population, will hold 33 percent of the Supreme Court seats. Is this the Democrats' idea of diversity?"
Personal Life
Patrick Buchanan has been married to former White House staffer Shelley Ann Scarney since 1971. The couple named their tabby cat "Hipper," inspired by Reagan's nickname from his role as football player George Gipp in the film "Santa Fe Trail."
