William F. Buckley v. Gore Vidal
 

http://kronykronicle.com/1968/BV4.html

I was watching TV Land's 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments, and this was somewhere in the twenties. This is the grandaddy of all the debates on Fox News.

Classic.

Vidal: "the only pro or crypto-Nazi here is yourself."

Buckley: "Now listen, you queer, you stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I'll sock you in the goddamn face and you'll stay plastered."

:lol :lol :lol


I actually think the way it first took a nasty turn was the the best. Just under his breath, ever so subtle, Vidal says "shut up a minute." Great! :lol

This actually makes me feel a little bit better about political discourse today. Here you have two icons of their respective ideologies, and even THEY can't refrain from throwing "queer" and "nazi" out there.

This would be an interesting debate even today, since Buckley represents a brand of conservatism that arguably doesn't exist anymore, and Vidal has completely lost his mind. :(

"Buckley represents a brand of conservatism that arguably doesn't exist anymore"

would you be willing or have the time to elaborate on that point?

Well, it's merely my opinion, but Buckley is often credited as the intellectual godfather of conservatism. Without him and the National Review, perhaps there wouldn't have been GOldwater, thus no Reagan, etc. etc.

Would Buckley recognize the conservatism of today? Big government spending, Christian-Right paternalism, corporate welfare junkies?

I don't think so, and I believe he actually has complained quite recently about the war. He certainly didn't disapprove of war, see the clip above. But this war certainly stretched the conservative perspective on war and security, and now has turned us in to nation builders. Not necesarily in line with his kind of conservatism.

To add to that point, here is an article Buckley wrote, sort of laying out his mixed feelings on the war in Iraq.

thank you