Trivia

Was friends with journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

Served in both the Nixon and Reagan Presidential administrations, and has been a pundit on such shows as Crossfire (1982) (which he created with fellow journalist/commentator Thomas Braden), The McLaughlin Group (1982) and The Capital Gang (1988).

Though widely criticized by the Left for his use of the term "culture war" to describe the widening gap between social liberals and social conservatives at the 1992 Republican National Convention, that term is now in common usage by commentators on both the Left and the Right.

Former communications director for President Ronald Reagan.

Editor of The American Conservative.

Has left MSNBC [February 17, 2012].

Attended Gonzaga High School.

Author of several books, including 'A Republic, not an Empire' (1999), and 'The Death of the West' (2001). Had two failed bids for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1992 and 1996, then quit the Republican Party to run for the Reform Party Presidential nomination, which he won in 2000. He received less than 1% of the total vote in the 2000 Presidential election.

Lives in Langley, Virginia with his wife. Is one of nine children from a conservative Irish-Catholic family.

Signed on with MSNBC to do a two-hour talk/debate show with liberal counterpart Bill Press (like Buchanan, an alumnus of CNN's Crossfire (1982)). The show, Buchanan & Press (2002), premiered on July 15th of this year. (June 2002)

While giving a speech at West Michigan University in March 2005, he was attacked by a left-wing activist, who hurled salad dressing on him during a question-and-answer session and screamed, "Stop the bigotry!" Buchanan cut his appearance short, stating, "Thank you all for coming, but I'm going to have to get my hair washed". He declined to press assault charges against the attacker, who disapproved of Buchanan's appearance falling on the birthday of the late labor leader Cesar Chavez.

His father had Scottish, English, and Irish ancestry, and his mother was of German descent. Through his mother, he is a fourth cousin, twice removed, of singer Marilyn Manson. Pat's great-great-great-grandparents, Johannes Schoeppner and Katharine Heil, were also Marilyn's paternal great-great-great-great-great-grandparents.

Older brother of Bay Buchanan.