Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Buckley
William F. Buckley was a silver tongued leader of the American conservatives who founded The National Review and had no chance of winning an election in the very liberal city of New York where he lived. However, in 1965 he did run for Mayor of NY on the new Conservative party ticket in order to attract votes away from liberal Republican John Lindsay. He responded immediately when he was asked what he would do first if he won: “Demand a recount.”
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Silver tongued may be an inadequate characterization of Mr. Buckley’s debating ability. He stammered, he stuttered, he endlessly used ummms and ahhhs, he changed thoughts in mid sentence, his eye contact and posture were atrocious, and he violated ever debating rule I am aware of. And it was magic. When his thoughts had finally and excruciatingly been articulated those on the other side of an argument usually found themselves not only rebuked, but logically surrounded with no avenue of escape.
ReplyDeleteHis ability to do this over and over again was astounding, certainly to his supporters, and I would think to his detractor as well.