The exact origin of this clip is not documented, and it circulates online without a clear source work or speaker credit. Carpetbaggers and scalawags are historical terms from the Reconstruction era, which gives the phrase a mock-serious weight that meme creators enjoy. It is passed around as a short downloadable meme sound, used to label someone as an opportunist in jokes, edits and reaction videos. Its continued use comes from how instantly recognizable and oddly formal the insult sounds.