Buckley

Though not a fan of his political viewpoints, I always had a fondness for Bill Buckley. His superior tone, his extraordinary waspiness (despite his catholicism), and his cheesy manner of speech were all entertaining to me. He also represented a time when political discourse was somewhat more civil (except for that whole Vidal thing). Firing Line, may have come from the right, but it showed off a Republican Party that was far less concerned with social restrictions and more interested in championing the individual. It also demanded rigorous intellectualism, which is all too rare from either end of the spectrum these days. The right could use more Buckleys and far fewer Roves. Rest in Peace.