Christopher Buckley has either been fired from National Review, or he quit, it’s not quite clear to me which. Allahpundit seems not to think too much of the idea, although, as usual (God bless him) he tries to have it ever which way. I’m rather closer to Ace’s view: “And frankly, I just don't believe that any sort of conservative would actually endorse a radical and socialist. So it seems to me a rather important qualification for an NR gig -- actually being a conservative -- is unmet here.” [Note: I disagree with Ace’s opinion that Buckley’s novel, Wet Work, is a “lame thriller”; I think it’s very good].
I’ve read Buckley’s endorsement of Obama, and the whole thing seems to boil down to this: I don’t agree with Obama’s politics, but he’s lying anyway, so why worry, and besides, he’s wearing the old school tie. Oh, and the memoirs; Buckley was fetched by Obama’s memoirs. Well, Chris, you know a President who wrote some highly regarded memoirs? Ulysses S. Grant, whose two terms in office pretty much set the standard with respect to corruption for decades.
If for no other reason than sloppy logic, I think NR’s certainly within its rights. Incidentally, an update to the Hot Air link above offers NR’s official position on the subject, and indicates that Buckley was just filling in for Mark Steyn, anyway.
The only thing that makes this at all newsworthy is the fact that Christopher’s father was the founder of NR; however, William F. Buckley, Jr., took principled stands on several occasions when it came to reading people out of the conservative movement – the John Birchers, Ayne Rand – and he expunged several writers and editors from the masthead of his magazine over the years for ideological reasons – Max Eastman and Joseph Sobran come immediately to mind. Also, as Ace points out, Ann Coulter was fired from NR after her first essay.
I think it was Bill Buckley, himself, who once said that, in a free society, voluntary organizations have the right to create their own mission and define the terms of membership. Words of wisdom. Besides, maybe Christopher can get a job with The Atlantic; God knows, political apostasy notwithstanding, he’d be an improvement over anybody they’ve got.
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As an outsider, can I ask if there is a big unspoken 'white guilt' factor in this election which underpins the feelings of people like Chris Buckley?
ReplyDeleteI sense he felt pangs of guilt from reading Obama's memoir, and is now in need of forgiveness.
(I'm persuaded that Ayers probably ghosted Obama's memoir btw).
Bruce: I think there is a fair amount of that, indeed. I also find the assertion that Ayers ghost wrote Obama's memoirs to be increasingly plausible.
ReplyDeleteTwo years in the Senate and two memoirs?
ReplyDeleteWhat's suspicious about that? It's not like he was busy...
SB: vuvvadim
Nah. Too cutesy.
Your comment about the old school tie is excellent. As always.
ReplyDeleteDamn you.
But it's obvious that young Master Buckley has elevated class above principle. Obama knows the secret Ivy League handshake, McCain and Palin do not.
As to the Ayers speculation, i would be surprised is Obama didn't have a ghostwriter. The possibility that it might have been Ayers is intriguing, but I think largely irrelevant - save to demolish the "he's just a guy in the neighborhood" crap.