BUCKLEY WAS THE THINKING MAN'S THINKING MAN
If you're under age 35 you probably know the historical legacy and achievements of Bill Buckley, WFB. America's greatest man of letters in the 20th Century, he founded the modern intellectual conservative movement, not just in America but everwhere.
But to see the man in action at his height, when there was only the MSM and he was virtually a one man opposition in the 1960s and 70s-magazine editor, columnist, TV host, political speech writer and party leader, it was a sight to behold. Buckley debated every notable liberal of his day, and just crushed them. At a time when unbelief is the fashionable intellectual garb of the chattering class, here was this man, whose command of the English language and literary skill exceeded an entire Ivy League faculty, arguing for Western civilization,natural law, and traditional Christianity with prayerful devotion and extraordinary good humor. It was absolutely inspiring and glorious for all of us who came of age on the conservative side at that time.
Back then, Buckley was excoriated by the Eastern establishment, way beyond what they dish out to Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and every other big name right wing pundit of today. But of course, they could not beat him at his game, and after a while no liberals would come on Firing Line except some of his friends like the lovable clod JK Galbraith, who he went easy on. That's when the program changed and he would do more shows with Malcolm Muggeridge, or would have the special questioner segment with Jeff Greenfield, Michael Kinsley, and the like as the designated liberal. But these guys were too smart to actually engage Buckley, they would just do their smarmy misdirection act to keep from being clobbered.
(That's not to say he was right on everything all the time. Never a bigot, he toyed with a problematic interpretation of civil rights laws in the 1950s, but became the man who drove out the Birchers and others from mainstream conservatism for anti-semitism and racial prejudice. Notice there is no liberal Buckley driving all the kooks out of respectable Democratic Party circles. And he famously lost one formal debate, to Ronald Reagan in 1978 over the Panama Canal. He also lost patience with our war in Iraq, I think mostly because of the tongue-tied stupidity of the Bush-Rove gang, whose politics and prose are quite far removed from his style.)
By the late 1970s, with the conservative movement sweeping into power with Reagan and the vibrant conservative media that has followed in its wake, Mr. Buckley had created for us an enduring legacy, even beyond the many brilliant books, novels, and lectures. He showed the utter intellectual impotence of modern liberal political thought. 500 years from now people will still read about Mr. Buckley and a few of his friends, like Ronald Reagan, and Milton Friedman and John Paul II. But I doubt many of his opponents will endure through history, at least favorably.
But to see the man in action at his height, when there was only the MSM and he was virtually a one man opposition in the 1960s and 70s-magazine editor, columnist, TV host, political speech writer and party leader, it was a sight to behold. Buckley debated every notable liberal of his day, and just crushed them. At a time when unbelief is the fashionable intellectual garb of the chattering class, here was this man, whose command of the English language and literary skill exceeded an entire Ivy League faculty, arguing for Western civilization,natural law, and traditional Christianity with prayerful devotion and extraordinary good humor. It was absolutely inspiring and glorious for all of us who came of age on the conservative side at that time.
Back then, Buckley was excoriated by the Eastern establishment, way beyond what they dish out to Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and every other big name right wing pundit of today. But of course, they could not beat him at his game, and after a while no liberals would come on Firing Line except some of his friends like the lovable clod JK Galbraith, who he went easy on. That's when the program changed and he would do more shows with Malcolm Muggeridge, or would have the special questioner segment with Jeff Greenfield, Michael Kinsley, and the like as the designated liberal. But these guys were too smart to actually engage Buckley, they would just do their smarmy misdirection act to keep from being clobbered.
(That's not to say he was right on everything all the time. Never a bigot, he toyed with a problematic interpretation of civil rights laws in the 1950s, but became the man who drove out the Birchers and others from mainstream conservatism for anti-semitism and racial prejudice. Notice there is no liberal Buckley driving all the kooks out of respectable Democratic Party circles. And he famously lost one formal debate, to Ronald Reagan in 1978 over the Panama Canal. He also lost patience with our war in Iraq, I think mostly because of the tongue-tied stupidity of the Bush-Rove gang, whose politics and prose are quite far removed from his style.)
By the late 1970s, with the conservative movement sweeping into power with Reagan and the vibrant conservative media that has followed in its wake, Mr. Buckley had created for us an enduring legacy, even beyond the many brilliant books, novels, and lectures. He showed the utter intellectual impotence of modern liberal political thought. 500 years from now people will still read about Mr. Buckley and a few of his friends, like Ronald Reagan, and Milton Friedman and John Paul II. But I doubt many of his opponents will endure through history, at least favorably.
Labels: Conservatism
posted by frank friday at 5:40 PM
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