The strange case of the missing biscuit…who lost the nuclear codes?

The most serious responsibility any American president has is the decision to launch a nuclear attack.

Since the end of World War II every US commander in chief has been followed everywhere he goes by an infamous black briefcase. The briefcase is known as the “football” and what’s inside would allow the president to start a nuclear war.

In order to launch a nuke the President has to feed into the computer a series of unique codes, known only to him. Those codes are written on a special card known as the “biscuit”.

It is obviously vital the president has access to them at all times. But now there are claims that President Bill Clinton lost his biscuit.

In a book published this week, a former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Hugh Shelton claims that President Clinton didn’t just briefly misplace his biscuit. He claims it was lost for months – yet no one told the Pentagon.

Shelton writes: “At one point during the Clinton administration the codes were actually missing…That’s a big deal, a gargantuan deal.”

One man who used to carry the football for Clinton backs up the allegations.

Retired air force Lt Col Robert Patterson says he remembers searching the White House and the residence for the all important codes until Clinton finally admitted he had misplaced them and couldn’t remember when he had last seen them.

Clinton himself has refused to comment on these stories. Just as President Carter has never confirmed or denied the rumour that he once left the biscuit in the pocket of suit that was sent out to the drycleaners.