Wed, 02/27/2008 - 3:19pm — lambert
Who famously wrote of the British reactionary Lord Castlereagh:
You can supply the rhymed word in place of the ellipsis, I am sure. The occasion for this lyric outbreak?
Buckley's gone. Charming man. As an architect and ideologue for the Conservative Movement, did the country terrible damage. A few were enriched. Many were killed. And our system of Constitutional government is near death.
NOTE Brad DeLong has a more nuanced and historically grounded reaction.
Thanks, Bill. Well done, all.
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Charlie was teary
Ah! Gone is the devilish reptilian glint...
Charlie Rose was pretty choked you in his Eulogy
and he did an hour of clips on William tonight.
Which was so pleasant to watch.
Remember when we were all civilized?
America!
"You need a mother VERY badly!"
-wendy to captain hook
A Good Start
One of my most precious memories is of watching on live television this exchange between Buckley and Gore Vidal. For those not familiar this took place in August of 1968; Vidal had been poking little verbal jabs at Buckley for some time before getting Buckley to lose his temper, by speaking the truth relentlessly and refusing to let Buckley do what he did best, control the conversation through intimidation.
Vidal had matched him sarcasm for sarcasm and finally Buckley could take no more and let go the mask to reveal his true venomous, evil core. Vidal could not have been more pleased with himself, and the group of us watching just howled with glee.
John McCain has a similar public persona of false reasonableness and a similar hidden weakness of a terrible temper. The Democratic nominee would do well to study the tactics used by Vidal and apply them to McCain in the debates. America should see McCain with mask off, in full, uncontrollable fury.
The only thing more I could have wished for Buckley was that he should have lived somewhat longer, to be able to watch the complete and utter disgrace into which his precious modern conservative movement will inevitably descend. Before too much longer the word “conservative” will become the vilest of epithets, of the sort usually reserved for products of elimination. As the one most responsible for its rise, it would have only been fitting for him to have been forced to fully experience the odorous rotting of the fruit of his labors.
Since I will not get my wish I am left with reflecting on his departure, this epitome of the conservative movement, which on due consideration resulted in the title of this comment.
Yet another grave to dance upon
I'm making up quite a list.