Buzz Patterson
@BuzzPatterson
Replay! Welcome to tonight’s episode of “Buzz’s Bedtime Stories!” Pet your dog, put on your pajamas, and brew some tea. Hell, pour a glass of wine. I just did. Or some Scotch? That’s for later.
Tonight, we talk about Hillary. Don’t let it give you nightmares. I survived (so far), you can too. 😎
Among the military who served in the White House and the professional White House staff, the Clinton administration was infamously known for its lack of professionalism and courtesy, though few ever spoke about it. But when it came to rudeness, it was Hillary Clinton who was the most feared person in the administration. She set the tone. From the very first day in my assignment.
When I first arrived to work in the White House, my predecessor warned me. “You can get away with pissing off Bill but if you make her mad she’ll rip your heart out.” I heeded those words. I did make him mad a few times but I never really pissed her off.
I learned very quickly that the administration’s day-to-day character, whether inside or outside of DC, depended solely on the presence or absence of Hillary. Her reputation preceded her. We used to say that Hillary was gone, it was a frat party. When she was home, it was “Schindler’s List.”
In my first few days on the job, and remember I essentially lived there, I realized there were different rules for Hillary. She instructed the senior staff, including me, that she didn’t want to be forced to encounter us. We were instructed that “whenever Mrs. Clinton is moving through the halls, be as inconspicuous as possible.” She did not want to see “staff” and have to “interact” with anyone. No matter their position in the building. Many a time, I’d see mature, professional adults scurrying into office doorways to escape Hillary’s line of sight. I’d hear whispering, “She’s coming, she’s coming!”
I could be walking down a West Wing hallway, midday, busier than hell, people doing the administration’s work whether in the press office, medical unit, wherever. She’d walk in and they’d scatter. She was the Nazi schoolmarm and the rest of us were expected to hide as though we were kids in trouble.
I wasn’t a kid, I was a professional officer and pilot. I said “fuck that shit.” As a result, I wrote this: