on Feb 27th, 2008Buckley
William F. Buckley, Jr. has died. He was 82, and while the cause of death is not known yet, his son Christopher (Thank You for Smoking) says Buckley suffered from emphysema and diabetes.
Buckley was an eloquent voice among conservatives, possibly the most eloquent. He never had to be encouraged, as toddlers of soccer moms are, to use his words. He had a breathtaking vocabulary and used it proudly and precisely. He was a joy to read and to watch and hear, even for those of us who disagreed with him.
He was of an era when intellectualism was still a virtue in America; he had the erudition of his contemporary, Charles Van Doren, but without the intellectual dishonesty before millions. All of us interested in politics — left, right or center — will miss his contributions.
For more about Buckley, do read his compelling obituary at The New York Times.
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Buckley was such a profound influence on me, this was such a personal loss.
As a teen, I remember watching “Firing Line” on PBS every Saturday, without fail.
I didn’t understand all of the debates, but Mr. Buckley compelled me to learn beyond any role model I had at hand.
His contributions go well beyond the conservative fray.
Who would have thought that the bastion of conservative values would inspire a young woman from more than modest circumstances to higher education, a love of language, and a passion for intelligent politics.
I remember his many wonderful lively debates with Professor Galbraith, how civil, challenging, sparring, and engaging they were. Two decades later, when I ran into Professor Galbraith walking down the streets of the People’s Republic, I was catapulted back into those days of sitting in front of the television on Saturday afternoons, wondering if I would ever see those green, fertile fields of higher education, erudition, and enlightenment. I sent my thanks to G-d and Mr. Buckley, with a smile.
Mr. Buckley, your influence was that of a good man, one dedicated to the most noble of professions–intellectual integrity and service to the common good, no matter how it framed itself.
Thank you.
Blue Smoke of Paradise’s last blog post..To Hillary or not to Hillary, redux
What wonderful memories - thank you for taking the time to share them.
I watched him forever too. How ironic he was on supposedly-left wing PBS for nearly 30 years. Quality, not the message, was the obvious selling point. I doubt I ever agreed with him but what a top-notch messenger.
Thanks again.
What a splendid tribute. I didn’t always understand what he had to say, but he reflected an intellect and passion which has since been absent from the conservative camp. The theme music from his “Firing Line” was one of Bach’s Brandenburg concerti—I had to love him for that alone. Was it Gore Vidal who called him “One of the greatest minds of the 17th century.” ?
MusEditions’s last blog post..Weather Quiz for the Weekend
Thank you, Muse. He was simply unique. I think that quote is in the Times obit. I’ll have to check. It does sound like Vidal’s wit — or Dorothy Parker’s!
After Blue Smoke of Paradise left her comment, she wrote a long, fabulous tribute on her blog — Bach and all. You might enjoy it.(Now I know Comment Love doesn’t update.)
His death a marker, of sorts for me. Firing Line was something the whole family watched, even though we were a “liberal” household. (With the exception that my mother believed that if this country ran itself like the Mafia, we’d all be better off!) I recall my brother and I striving to understand what my mother and aunt so clearly relished. And one more thing, he gave us a real example of the glory and power of language.
NPR is talking about him right now, and telling the story of Buckley running for Mayor of New York:
“What will you do if elected?”
“Demand a recount,” he replied.
pbsweeney’s last blog post..Indeed
Memorable quote! I think Firing Line was popular in so many homes not because of his ideology or despite it but because of him.
I don’t think the likes of O’Reilly et al will ever be in that enviable position.