Jerry "15 Minutes of Fame" Patterson CNN transcript.

[trof]

I agree, Jon will have a ball with this one. It's almost too easy. Note that it's transcribed as "Bob Kerrey", not Bob Perry who Patterson is obviously referring to. At this point in the news cycle CNN doesn't know the difference between a former Democratic senator and the repug swift boat backer? Yeah, sure.

Miles O'Brien: This is Jerry Patterson. He's a veteran who is a supporter of President Bush. Had attempted to deliver a letter to Max Cleland, was unable. Let's listen to him as he talks to reporters there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who called you today to begin to put this letter together?

JERRY PATTERSON, TEXAS LAND COMMISSIONER: I was driving to Dallas for another function, and I was called by -- I forgot who it was -- a guy in the Bush campaign in Waco, that said. "You're a veteran. You are a Vietnam veteran." And I said, "Yes."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)?

PATTERSON: I don't know who -- I got a -- you know, when those phones ring and you've got the funny noise and you don't have the rear -- you don't have the number on it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did he give you his name?

PATTERSON: He did. I think it might have -- he works for Ken Mehlman. You know? So, you figure -- OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what time was this?

PATTERSON: I don't know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was this morning.

PATTERSON: It was this morning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And sir, can you describe what he said to you?

PATTERSON: He said that Mr. -- Senator Cleland, an honorable -- clearly an honorable -- an American hero, a guy who gave far more than I gave -- and I was only there six months and the war ended. I left the day of cease-fire.

But was going to come and deliver a letter. And -- that they had a letter signed by veterans and if I would be also a signatory. And I said, "Yes." And he read me the letter. And I've got it right here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who wrote...

PATTERSON: And that basically -- that basically says what we're talking about.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I thought you spoke to the president.

PATTERSON: And I spoke to the president after this was all, you know, done deal, letter drafted. And he said, "Thank you for your service." And I know the president because he was governor when I was a state senator here in Texas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who wrote the letter?

PATTERSON: We all -- the letter was drafted by Bush-Cheney '04, and we, all of us signatories, which are myself, Duke Cunningham, Duncan Hunter, Sam Johnson, General Palmer, Robert O'Malley (ph), a Marine medal of honor recipient, James Fleming (ph), another medal of honor recipient, and Colonel Richard Castle (ph) agreed to have our names on it. And we're saying basically in the letter that you can't have it both ways. I could read it to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Before -- were you working on veteran strategy with the Bush campaign before today?

PATTERSON: I've never worked on anything for the Bush campaign. I'm a volunteer and will probably do more volunteering.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it the first time you talked to the president since...

PATTERSON: The first time I talked to the president since the -- in over -- maybe since the last campaign. He knew I had twins six months ago, though. He knew that I'm a 58-year-old father of six- month-old twins, and he made comment about that. How did you know that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)?

PATTERSON: Yes, they are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know Bob Kerrey?

PATTERSON: Yes, I do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What -- how do you know Bob Kerrey (ph)?

PATTERSON: He's been a major contributor to my campaigns. I was a state senator, as I said, for six years. And he was a major contributor to my campaign. The interesting thing about Bob Kerrey (ph), he never called and asked me for anything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Commissioner, what do you think of the Swift Boat group?

PATTERSON: You know, I think, you know, there's a fact-checking under way. But the point is, the Swift Boat folks have a right to their piece, just as anybody that wants to attack George W. Bush have a right.

You can't selectively say bring down those 527s. I heard Rassmann say that. He said our 527s are OK and theirs are not. That was words out of his mouth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)?

PATTERSON: Well, any -- it is fact checking. There's fact checking by the press, fact checking for a lot of (INAUDIBLE). Now, you know, we talk...

O'BRIEN: All right. We are listening to Jerry Patterson. He is the Texas land commissioner. And I might have confused matters a while ago, because I didn't understand it.

In Texas, the land commissioner is actually responsible for veterans affairs. He's going on talking about this letter which he attempted to deliver on behalf of veterans who support President Bush to Max Cleland. He still has the letter in hand.

And the plot continues to thicken on this Swift Boat controversy. The political theater is still under way. We're monitoring it all for you, of course

[Memekiller]

1. Bob Perry!

It's the guy who funded the Swift Boats, not Bob Kerry! Is this an official CNN transcript? That's a VERY important distinction - this guy Bush sent is funded by the backer of the SBV!

[blondeatlast]

2. Holy SCHIST!

Un-farking-believable.

Edit: sounds like they are slipping badly.

[Pirate Smile]

3. Frankly, the guy was too honest for the * campaign and they hadn't prepped

him to lie.

He admitted the SBV ad needs to be fact checked or is or whatever.

He admitted the campaign wrote the letter and how they called him this morning.

[trof]

4. I know.

This was a panicked hurry-up job.
No time to brief him.