William F. Buckley vs. Gore Vidal (1 of 5)

[blessedfrog]

These two men put our entire spate of politicians in 2011 to shame.

Hyperbole perhaps - but quite true in my view.

P.S. not enough cops in Dallas? The cops let Ruby in

[MarinaHill]

Buckley spoke French and Spanish fluently as a child. It affected his speech. So, it's NOT the way "American" or "English" "should be spoken." And the more you learn about Buckley and his secret CIA ties, the more you're convinced that it's not French or Spanish fuzzing up his tongue....but lies, lies, and more lies.

[Koolaidfree247]

@MarinaHill I see, so CIA= Lies? Oh, and you're an English major as well? Well I'm sure you can also read my mind then...

[MetrazolElectricity]

Bill Buckley is clearly straining himself to produce his best debating efforts because he knows Gore will give him no quarter. Sadly, Bill overshoots his energies. It is still a pleasure to watch these seasoned debaters duel eachother with such crispness. But it is displeasing to note that Bill's diction makes one believe that he has shown up right after swimming in johnnie walker.

[jtizz711]

This is the way the english language was spoken along time ago. It is the way it should be spoken

[chopin65]

Buckley would kiss the ass of anyone currently in charge. What a disgusting person he was.

[600percentjesus]

@chopin65 so true

[joblow696]

Buckley used so many uhs and ums it was preposterous. That was his debating style, to put his opponent to sleep. What a lagubrious bore.

[joblow696]

@dcorton What a fool you are. The bitch who whelped you taught you no manners? Trash.

[dcorton]

@joblow696 Why am I a fool?

Can you read what you typed in reply and then apply it to yourself.

I just find it sad that you try to sound so very smart, and in the end it shows your lack of intellect.

What a sad sack.

[joblow696]

@dcorton You are a fool because you take a single typing error to judge the intellect of someone you don't even know. This reflects a rather vulgar and petty mind. Such a very sad and bitter soul you must be. I pity anyone who must deal with you on a daily basis. Try to elevate your mind. Life can be good if you would only try to cultivate love in your heart instead of bitterness. Grow up little one.

[dcorton]

@joblow696 It is more than the typing error. It's that you can't seem to judge others with the same set of rules as you judge yourself. You are way too hard on someone as brilliant as Buckley (I'm not sure why). You use "big" words to try to tear him down without even knowing what you are saying. Then you feed my argument by using personal insults back at me and telling me that I am rude because I did what you just did to me.

[joblow696]

@dcorton Simpleton, I knew it was all about you're being a Buckleyite. The reason I am so hard on your hero is due to the fact that he was a scoundrel of the worst sort. During the height of the AIDS crisis in the 80s, for instance, the "brilliant" Billy boy was running around this country trying to get the government to tattoo the buttocks of AIDS patients with a mark signifying their HIV status. Is that the kind of naziish thing you admire in him?

[dcorton]

@joblow696 I didn't say that I was a Buckley follower. I'm not a follower of Vidal either, but I believe him to be brilliant as well. I think both of their ideologies to be extremely flawed. They do have a way with speech, though, that is quite impressive, like gwatson678 said below. I just think that it is great to hear them speak. I still am mad about Buckley's ridiculous homophobia. It was pathetic, but when it didn't get it the way, he could really talk. . . .

[joblow696]

@dcorton You spelled a word wrong yourself my anal friend. lol

[dcorton]

@joblow696 . . . when you're trying to sound so smart.

[joblow696]

@dcorton You really should do more investigating before you go around hero-worshipping someone who obviously was no more than a common sadist of the crypto-fascist type. I have also always suspected Billy of being a closet case. I guess that explains the life-long homophobia. Too bad he didn't have the courage to be honest with himself and live openly like Vidal.

[dcorton]

@joblow696 Vidal was in better control over his emotions which was Buckley's weakness ("closet case" or not).

Oops, you judged me wrong, again. That seems to be how you work. Prejudge this prejudge that. That seems sad to me.

[dcorton]

@joblow696 It is lugubrious, you moron.

[gwatson678]

Both Williams F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal had such a command of the English language... it is amazing. It seems that the left and right no longer have such erudite speakers. This may be part of the reason that many Americans have decided to "tune-out" of the political process. Just a thought...

[70greenedi]

@gwatson678 I agree whole heartedly with you, but dont restrict your criticism just the US. In Australia some of our politicial comentators and politicians are flat out just formulating a coherent sentence.

[AnarchistConviction]

McGovern 2012! :)

[DermochelysCoriacea]

Wow, is that where the phrase "reckless abandon" came from?

[j8cup]

This debate embodies the intellectual conflict of our nation. Five thousands views testify too our ignorance of it.

ringawing I too admire both Buckley's and Vidal's positions but obviously not in totality, they represent a false dichotomy.

[NoRegretsForOurYouth]

Gore Vidal, what a badass name.

[sissyfist]

Just think...WFB is who Rush Limbaugh would like to be. At least Buckley was smart enough to somewhat mask his good old boy elitism/fascism.

[RJY4356]

This was at the DEMOCRATIC convention in Chicago- August 26-29, 1968.!!

The REPUBLICAN convention was in Miami 3 weeks earlier- August 5-8, 1968

[KatherineHelen69]

How can someone make such a huge error as to say this was at the Republican Convention? I have to believe it was close to malice. HHH was the candidate nominated in Democrat mayor Daley's town... The confrontations on the floor of the convention were amazing. This was when conventions still had a lot to do with nominating the candidates. LBJ was expected by many to swoop in and take it back. This was the beginning of the Left take-over of the Party. Now, Leftists in Iowa and NH select.

[RJY4356]

The date proves it was at the DNC...the RNC was August 5-8, 3 weeks before this.

[erikiscool9]

Honest mistake. But did you stop to think why the Republican convention was in Miami? Remember anti-war sentiment was running pretty high.

[ruddyclap]

Buckley's dead-on. American ideologues had a leg to stand on then.

[svengeino]

wow

this is recorded by a video camera.

How much was a personal video camera at that time? probably a small fortune

interesting

[AntonBatey]

lol.

[tmgore64]

This is one debate from the 1968 Chicago Democratic conventation. Get the facts right.

[l337fox]

William F. Buckley is one of my Heros

[ruddyclap]

"Heroes"?

"Potatoes"?

[robtul12]

Gore Vidal is one of my hereos.

[TheHonourableJLD]

I like them both.

[ruddyclap]

It's silly to say that you like both these men at once, as though weeds and grass were of equal merit. Please find a discussion group keen to decide the superiority of Coke over Pepsi, and remain apart from this discussion: You cannot choose equally between the substance of both of these men with any sort of ambivalence. Disdain is required if you are to be considered credible. It suffers beyond pitch and pentameter. You must think things and stop feeling them.

[ciejoh]

Effectively put and point taken.

[ringawing]

you must distinguish between admiring their personalities and admiring their positions. it's entirely possible to like both men, but impossible to like both positions. that would be contradictory. for instance, I admire Buckley's calm, sophisticated method, but I don't agree with his politics.

[ruddyclap]

"Heroes"?