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I asked my wife about what she thought Buckley might say about Trump in light of his famous quote about supporting the most conservative but electable candidate. She said: Trump is neither electable nor conservative. What's the question?

I recognize that speaking on Bill Buckley's behalf when he has been dead since 2/27/08, is an inexact science. Tempus fugit. He has been gone now for 7 1/2 years. I have every confidence that Bill's response to Trump would have been both incisive and humorous. He was 84 when he died and had every marble he was born with. He was a gentleman.

Now, political correctness had nothing to do with Bill and vice versa. Famously, in 1968 or 1972, he and Gore Vidal were hired by ABC News as commentators at the GOP convention. Vidal called Bill a fascist or a Nazi or some such and Bill got out of his chair on camera and headed in Vidal's direction saying; Take that back you GD little faggot or I'll break your jaw (or something similar). Bill was called on the carpet by PBS which broadcast his Firing Line program and demanded that Bill apologize. So Bill addressed the subject at his next show by saying: I apologize to the GD little faggot for calling him a GD little faggot. So much for PC and for apologies.

While my wife worked for Bill Buckley, his annual Christmas party at his town house in Manhattan was a cherished experience.

I understand full well that Trump's populism is killing the media and the RINOs. However, I am skeptical as to his conservatism and hope that he won't wind up killing us.

God bless you and yours!

Excellent post. WFB is still worth perusing. I have picked up a few books of his over the years, ‘A Hymnal, The Governor Listeth’, and they are excellent reminders of fairly recent history as well as forgotten cultural detritus and all told with that subtle wit that ought to be the hallmark of conservatism. There are some that may be more or less conservative than he on the right but for wit and style, is there even a contender these days?