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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com. This summer I am joined by Keir Wilmut and Omar Soliman.
Friday, March 21, 2008
One last Buckley post
Charlie Rose put on an excellent tribute show on the life of William F. Buckley (first linked to in comments of a previous post) with guests Gary Wills, Mona Charen, Richard Brookhiser, Rich Lowry and Jeff Greenfield -- all of whom were discovered or mentored by Buckley.
Tony Dolan, a legendary conservative speechwriter and Buckley pal, published one of the last of the many wonderful commemorations. He opens with this:
Stories told over the last week by writers who knew Bill Buckley have had their effect on those who didn’t. Among the affected is a young and exceedingly bright conservative who raised with me the question of whether some of the pieces wouldn’t have been better off with more on the great man himself and a little less on the authors and what they said, discussed, or did with the great man.
The response I mustered was: “Hard to do.” Meaning that, in writing about Bill, in appreciating him, it is just hard to leave yourself out. Or what he did for you.
Buckley loved to help and promote those who shared his interests, beliefs and passions. I know some people like that, and they are among my favourite people, too.
In my tribute, I did not make mention of personal encounters with Buckley because I knew that the people who knew him well would have better tales to share. I did meet Buckley twice, but both meetings were very brief. The first time was at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, where National Review was hosting a party in honour of Rep. Henry Hyde. The second was at a dinner for the American Spectator in Washington in 2004. He spoke at both events. I once wrote him a note asking if I could send him a copy of his book Let Us Talk of Many Things for him to autograph; he responded by sending me a signed free copy! He also wrote me a lovely note after I wrote about his retirement from NR in 2004, which I've kept in my scrapbook.
If anyone wants a collection of Buckley tributes for posterity, the magazine is selling copies of their special commemorative issue for $5 online.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 11:54 AM
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