Posted on 11/30/2023 9:54:45 AM PST by Miami Rebel
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson agreed wholeheartedly with the assertion that National Review founding editor William F. Buckley Jr. was “one of the great villains of the 20th century” during a Wednesday interview with Dave Smith, a comedian and libertarian YouTube host.
Smith launched the initial attack on Buckley, declaring “I’ll tell you this: Whatever this atrophy in like the intelligence of the American people, it’s, I think it’s accelerating. I mean it’s-. Look, and again, just like you said I’ll disclaimer as well: I’m talking about people who I don’t necessarily like. Like I view Bill Buckley as like one of the great villains of the 20th century. I think he ruined-”
At that point, Carlson interrupted to shout “I couldn’t agree more!” and pound his fist on a table with a laugh.
“But, but, but he was a clearly very — also CIA by the way — but he was also a very intelligent guy and witty, and not speaking down to his audience, and like a popular show, his Firing Line show would be Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley arguing with each other,” said Smith.
In addition to founding and overseeing National Review, Buckley was a prolific, widely-read columnist who also hosted the long-running interview show Firing Line. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the modern conservative movement, and helped shape its ideological parameters as well as propel it to political success within the Republican Party.
He also worked for the CIA for two years after graduating from Yale.
Both Carlson’s brother and firstborn son bear the first name Buckley. It is not clear whether his brother was named after the famed conservative commentator and activist, although the Carlson’s father, Dick Carlson was a right-of-center journalist who was appointed the director of the United States Information Agency under President Ronald Reagan and U.S. ambassador to Seychelles under President George H.W. Bush.
“The bottom line here is you’re worth taking seriously.”
I appreciate your generosity, and I certainly agree with the great majority of what you said in your last post.
He wasn’t perfect.
And I wasn’t trying to characterize the entirety of his career.
Without him, there would have been a vast gulf between the conservatism of Welch and the John Birch society, Ayn Rand and others, and the general need of the American populace for an approachable alternative to the socialism of the anti-religious left.
Unfortunately for him, and us, the foibles of a few of his beliefs became de rigeur for the politico-fashionistas of the Establishment Republicans who were more than happy to wear the mantel of Buckley’s conservatism at the same time that they were perverting the primary message.
In my opinion this is how the neocons slowly came to be regarded as both conservative, and torch bearers of legacies of Reagan, Buckley, and Goldwater.
It’s generally the chinks in the armor that expose the weakness of the warrior.
I believe the modern neocon movement exploited those weaknesses in order to control the original conservative movement to which they were so antithetical. And still are.
And, by the way, you and I both share the belief that we fight not against flesh and blood. And that the name of Jesus is like garlic to the secular left.
So, I’m not being ‘stupid”. I’m simply too old to care much for people who believe in human perfection, like some do when thinking about our friend WFB.
If you’re really interested in engaging in an assault on our (mainstream American) preconceptions and beliefs, you might appreciate the book “American Betrayal” written by Diana West.
Hard book, challenging.
Obviously Carlson was joking. Libertarian Dave Smith may also have been joking, but it is true that many libertarians don't like Buckley, who was in his own way a big state guy -- at least he wanted a big enough state to beat the Soviets. The Berlin Wall fell when Smith was in first grade, so he doesn't have the same Cold War spirit that Buckley and others of his elders had.
I grew up in So.Cal.
“Finders, keepers “ as they say in LA.
Did Tucker ever collect sea shells on the sea shore in the Seychelles?
God I miss dry humor... And Buckley was a MASTER of it...
For a time, Bill Buckley was the kingpin of modern American conservatism. Yet the National Review line of thinking eventually developed a reservation Indian mentality, obsessed with drawing and defending the boundaries between good, tame Indians and the troublesome, vulgar, wild ones who lived off the reservation. This weakened conservatism by removing the sense of populist coalition-building and determination to win elections and rule that are required to change a country’s direction. Buckley and NR gradually went from keeping the flame of conservatism alive to wanting to keep it for themselves and an approved set of congenial, well-mannered fellow political losers.
By one of the most evil people of the 20th century, does this mean along with Hitler, Mao, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, and others who murdered millions and even hundreds of million people? Or, is William Buckley in a class by himself, maybe even as bad as the most evil people in world history, such as Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton, the Rothchilds and the Bilderbergers?
Of course the dirt bag who was guilty as hell of the first murder killed again. It took the second murder to bring Buckley to his senses. Buckley's no saint.
https://nypost.com/2022/02/19/how-a-murderer-duped-william-f-buckley-a jr-into-fighting-for-release/
Whittaker Chambers wrote the closing page column in NR for many years after its start.
Buckley was one of the most articulate people writing or speaking. He used language like an epee.
One of the greatest villains of the 20th century? What is with all this unchecked hyperbole?
I remember Robin Williams did a hillarious impersonation of Buckley.
Buckley had been an Infantry Officer in the WWII Army.
I remember one bon mot he had where he was visiting Boston and wanted to have a fish dinner and supposedly asked the cab driver where he could get Scrod (white fish) and the cab driver laughed in response. He asked the driver, why are you laughing, and the driver said that was not the first time he had be asked that question but it was the first time it had been asked in the pluperfect future tense.
Shut up and leave the forum. We have enough shit-stirring, mystery meat noobs.
Buckley founded meoconism and the Nat Review RAG. Painted hims3lf as a fake trad Catholic and was just that - a fake.
Still provimg why women weren’t allowed to vote?
Humor the forum and post something that doesn’t make you look like a moronic shrew.
“Still provimg why women weren’t allowed to vote?”
You’re so funny. I guess you’ve missed my numerous posts where I have categorically stated my desire to see the 19th Amendment repealed.
Yes
The John Birch Society was 100 percent on the nose about marxit infiltration,some of there stuff was koky. But 100 percent on the nose about that.
Smoke show!
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