Obit: "Firing Line" host William F. Buckley Jr. at 82

[CrankyYankee]

In December 1999, he closed down "Firing Line" after a 23-year run, when guests ranged from Richard Nixon to Allen Ginsberg. "You've got to end sometime and I'd just as soon not die onstage," he told the audience.

"For people of my generation, Bill Buckley was pretty much the first intelligent, witty, well-educated conservative one saw on television," fellow conservative William Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, said at the time the show ended. "He legitimized conservatism as an intellectual movement and therefore as a political movement."

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p.s. I recall impressionist David Frye doing a great "William Buckley" when he guested on variety shows.

 

[LKellerIII]

"In December 1999, he closed down "Firing Line" after a 23-year run..."

Actually, "Firing Line" was on the air for 33 years - starting in 1966. My mother was a dyed-in-the-wool Eugene McCarthy supporting liberal, but liked William F. Buckley, and watched him regularly in the 60s.

"p.s. I recall impressionist David Frye doing a great "William Buckley" when he guested on variety shows."

Yes - it was a great impression - darting tongue, big overblown vocabulary - and Frye had the voice down perfectly, too. To this day, I laugh when the nation of Azherbijan is mentioned in the news, because that was one of the multi-syllabic words Frye kept repeating in his Buckley impression.

 

[Stanislav]

Robin Williams does a pretty good Buckley as well.

I always enjoyed watching his shows and reading his commentaries, even though I am pretty far across the spectrum from his conservatism. See, Buckley was everything that today's popular conservative pundits are not. He was educated, cultured, and witty. Nothing like the Limbaughs and Coulters of today. Yes, all that came wrapped in a package of tics and affectations (the eye rolling, the tongue poking his cheek, the odd posture) that could be distracting, but if you could get past that, he was a man with whom you could disagree 100% and yet still have a measure of respect for. (Plus he was, as I am, a lover of the music of Bach. In my book, that forgives a multitude of sins.)

My favorite quip of his was when he was running for Mayor of New York, and a reporter asked him what he intended to do if he was elected. "Demand a recount," he dryly replied.

 

[Ultimajock]

...Harlan Ellison wrote that Buckley's National Review is the best possible thing to read while on the toilet -- two minutes into any given article and you automatically throw the thing against the bathroom wall...

 

[radiorob2.0]

I forgot about Robin Williams' version of Buckley. I'll have to dig out "Reality..What a Concept!" for a reminder of Buckley's interpretation of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

In the meantime, Bill Buckley verses Gore Vidal. Here is the highlight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYymnxoQnf8&feature=related The full video is also available.

I didn't always agree but he's classier that what is considered conservative opinion today. If only You Tube had the Bill Buckley/Rush Limbaugh exchange. I've been told Buckley cleaned the floor with El Rushbo.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

If only You Tube had the Bill Buckley/Rush Limbaugh exchange. I've been told Buckley cleaned the floor with El Rushbo.

What a difference in intellect, attitude, and approach. Rush may think he's tied half of his brain behind his back to make it fair, but Rush is a minor leaguer as a thinker and spokesman for conservative ideas. William F. Buckley was a class act. Even the liberal oriented NET later PBS aired his show for years. Somehow, I can't imagine PBS ever offering Limbaugh a spot on their network. It wouldn't surprise me at all that the late Mr. Buckley did mop the floor with El Rushbo in a verbal exchange. I'd have enjoyed watching that video.

 

[dhett]

If only You Tube had the Bill Buckley/Rush Limbaugh exchange. I've been told Buckley cleaned the floor with El Rushbo.

What a difference in intellect, attitude, and approach.

Apples and oranges. Buckley was a political commentator, and a good one, and was described by his son as very serious. Limbaugh is an entertainer. Period. After 20 years, people still don't understand the meaning of his stated mission of "having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have." Limbaugh isn't the thinker Buckley was, but he doesn't have to be - that's not his schtick. His is to provide red meat entertainment to one side of the political debate, which generates controversy, which generates ratings, which generates income. Simple as that. Conservatism has been Limbaugh's guiding principle his entire life, but if he suddenly decided he wanted to change his show and become a liberal entertainer, I wouldn't be surprised if, within 5-10 years, Democrats are eating him up and Republicans are beside themselves with fury at him. That's speculative, to be sure, but it's speculation based on the fact that Limbaugh is an entertainer, not a straight political thinker.

On the other hand, Buckley's record speaks for itself. After 1/3 of a century on the air, he was still as relevant in 1999 as he was in 1966, and even though he's been off the air for 8 - 9 years now, he is still revered in Conservative circles. Agree or disagree with him, he was still a man of consequence.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

dhett, you make a good point.

It would be interesting though to find out how many liberals had at least considered what Bill Buckley was saying vs Rush. Better yet how many former liberals had become conservatives after watching Buckley's show during that 30 year airing on NET/PBS vs Rush's time on the "EIB" (Premere Network). There's no way to know, but as Buckley didn't make sport of or throw insults at the other side of the isle, I'm surprised that Limbaugh hasn't been sued for defimation of character by some of the things he says about various people across the isle in the opposition. Rush probably has better ratings and makes more money for himself and his network than Buckley probably did, but if their true purpose was to convert liberals to consevatives my guess is Buckley's brand of preaching would win more converts. Bill Buckley makes me think of Bishop Fulton Sheen or Billy Graham all class acts. Rush makes me think of the dollar an hour screamer preachers. They make lots of money too.

 

[Stanislav]

Limbaugh is just a fat, obnoxious character actor. He's not a conservative at heart; he just plays one on the radio. Guys who knew him in college and in his young adult years will tell you that he was quite liberal at that time. But when he was struggling to make it in broadcasting, looking for a "niche" or "gimmick," he found one in the resurgent conservatism of the 80's, and jumped on the bandwagon. He probably doesn't believe 90% of the outrageous crap he spews out any more than any other actor playing a role. It's just a very well-paying job to him. By contrast, conservatism was almost a second religion (after his strong Catholicism) for Buckley. He believed in what he preached because he had considered the issues intellectually. Rush just spews out scripted lines that hit the right nerves among the cro-magnons that listen to him. Comparing him to Buckley is like comparing Britney Spears to Beethoven.

 

[LKellerIII]

"Limbaugh is just a fat, obnoxious character actor. He's not a conservative at heart; he just plays one on the radio."

True - Rush is an entertainer - and I don't want to defend him, because I'm certainly not a fan. But I think we can assume that he's sincere in his beliefs. I've heard that his social circle of friends is very diverse, and includes gays, among others - but I don't think that's proof he's not conservative. I've had conservatives in my social circle over the years, and they get along with the lefties, liberals, and gays in the group as well as I do.

Nobody doubted Arianna Huffington's sincerity when she converted from right-wing conservatism to left-leaning liberalism. We California liberals remember hating her guts in the early 90s when she was considered the conservative puppet-master pulling the strings of her supposedly empty-suit husband. Now we like her. Remember that - like Rush - she's certainly benefited from her political conversion - if not financially (she doesn't need the money, anyway), but certainly she now has a higher profile and a lot of respect she did NOT have previously.

So I'm willing to cut Rush some slack. Back to the subject of Buckley - I certainly agree that Bill and Rush are not in the same league -Buckley was an intellectual and a thinker, not a radio talk host.

 

[RadioMan203]

Just to throw in my 2 cents ...

Bill Buckley was one of the nicest people I ever had the opportunity to meet.

Back in the 1980's I worked at a computer store in Stamford, Connecticut and he happened to be a customer of ours. Even with his staus he seemed more like a regular guy when he came into the store to have his computer serviced.

 

[Stanislav]

Bill Buckley was one of the nicest people I ever had the opportunity to meet.

That's because Buckley was not a hater, like so many of today's right-wingers. He was the sort who could vigorously and sternly oppose and dismantle your argument point by point, then invite you over for drinks. He counted many prominent liberals among his personal friends.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that he was quite an accomplished fiction writer as well, including the pretty decent Blackford Oakes series of spy novels.