A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY

We all knew he was getting old, not in good health and cutting back his workload, but that didn't make it any easier for us when we heard the news of his passing.

There's not much I could add to what others have said about William F. Buckley's life or what he did for the conservative movement, except that you could live ten lifetimes and not bump into another like him.

I found Buckley many years ago on PBS' Firing Line. Two things stood out immediately: his mannerisms and vocabulary. You definitely needed a dictionary close at hand to follow what he was saying, and if you paid attention you always learned something, especially about history. Buckley hosted Firing Line from '66 to '99. The Hoover Institution has archived his shows.

To say Buckley was a great debater would be an understatement. If you watched his show long enough, you'd surely be treated to a memorable line, followed by that smile. A couple of my favorites:

"I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said."

"I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University."

For a listing of more Buckley quotes, go here.

Finally, there are many videos of Buckley to choose from, but I think this one's perfect because he's talking about Ronald Reagan. It doesn't get any better. RIP, William F. Buckley: