But Come On, He Was Right About Uneducated Whites...
"I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University."
This is a bit late in coming, but I got a lot going on.
It's no secret that I enjoy my fair share of conservative thinkers, pundits, and writers. PJ O'Rourke, Dennis Prager, George Will, and a few others who shall remain nameless.
But my favorite, or maybe second favorite, was William F. Buckley, Jr.
For years, I watched Firing Line on Channel 3 in Tampa after Meet the Press. For years, I watched and learned without realizing that Buckley was on the other side.
Maybe that's because I spent most of the broadcasts just trying to keep up.
Only quite recently did I learn that the Man With the Magic Forehead was wrong about so many things. He'd been against American involvement in World War II. He supported segregation. And apparently Buckley thought McCarthy's witchhunts in the 1950s were a good idea.
Know what? Doesn't matter.
Buckley was brilliant, entertaining, and remains my favorite, or maybe second favorite, conservative. He seemed like a nice guy. And I learned something every time I watched him sit in that swivel chair. Even when I disagreed with him, at the very least, I learned a new word.
In an age when conservative pundits are rude, demoralizing, and ignominiously cretinous - Buckley shined even brighter by comparison.
Plus he recently called Iraq a "failure."
I leave you with a clip made famous because it's one of those rare moments when Buckley actually lost his temper. I never get tired of listening to him or watching his face move every which way. And I can't think of many who could insult Gore Vidal (big fan) in such a charming manner.
What a guy.
posted by kate @ 9:02 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
When I hear him speak, I always think of that woman in the old Old Navy commercials with the giant red glasses, "I'm wild about the fawshions" ...
Just me.
I saw the Bucker speak when I was a kid, not sure I knew what he was talking about, but pretty sure he was droll.
Well, well, well, so there are some "conservatives" you admire. So does your knight in shining armor-BO. He was ready willing and able to confirm Roberts to the Supreme Court. (His Chief-of-Staff talked him out of that vote.)
Yeah. How cool would it be to actually respect an opponent again?
Jeb Bush stopped his car got out and congratulated Lawton Chiles after Chiles defeated him in the race for Florida's gov. His show of respect made headlines all over the state and was instrumental in getting Lil Bush elected later. In hindsight, I wish he'd have flipped him off, perhaps history would have been different (certainly History teachers would have been paid more!)
What a crock of self-congratulatory bullshit!!
As someone who hates conservatives and liberals equally I've noticed that when it comes to hatred and malicious intent towards their opposition (rude, demoralizing, and ignominiously cretinous ), liberals have that prize won hands down. When it comes to intelligent and well-documented comments, conservatives have that won hands down. Funniest part is that liberals view themselves as being intelligent and want others to do the same, while conservatives know they're more intelligent and don't care, they'd rather just get the job done.
Post a Comment
<< Home