This thread obviously takes a cue from the Coleman Young thread. But it's a serious question. Patterson has been an actor on the regional stage for about 40 years, going back to his support for the anti-busing movement in Pontiac.
While he has moderated his tone slightly in recent years after Oakland County residents began voting Democratic in state and national elections, he continues to be a mostly divisive force for any kind of metro-wide unity. His legacy: A jolly, wise-cracking, semi-successful politician who was suburbia's leader in fomenting distrust of Detroit, its leaders and residents.