The major stock indexes came to mixed close on Wednesday (Feb. 27).
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Which individual has exerted the greatest influence on American political thought over the past half-century? I can think of very few people who deserve serious mention, but on my short list, one particular person's influence plainly trumps all others.
If you followed today's news, you may know my answer already. Otherwise, here are some hints regarding the man who:
- Wrote some 55 books, including novels, biographies, memoirs, political tomes, and first-person stories of his sailing adventures
- Hosted a weekly television show for 34 years, making it the longest-running program ever with a single host
- Traveled to deliver some 70 speeches per year across four decades
- Served for 50 years as publisher and editor-in-chief of a highly influential, biweekly political magazine
- Wrote 5,600 newspaper columns, usually two per week.
That's a painfully brief and incomplete list of the accomplishments of William F. Buckley Jr., who died today at age 82. His prodigious writing and public advocacy of ideas begins to explain why I believe his was the greatest influence on American political thought over the past 50 years.
Yes, other individuals do come to mind. Some conservatives would point to Milton Friedman, while liberals might argue for Noam Chomsky or even Gore Vidal. I don't wish to detract from these estimable thinkers, yet I don't see their influence being in the same league. If you know the history of the conservative political movement from the mid-1950s (when there was no such movement), and after Goldwater's defeat in 1964 (when conservatism appeared to die in its infancy), then you know the difference Buckley made. Conservatism ascended on the strength of its ideas, and no one held a candle to Buckley in spreading and successfully arguing for those ideas.
His "Firing Line" television program invariably produced heat and light on the relevant political issues of the day. Even so, Buckley ensured that the exchanges were civil. The program had more than 1,500 hour-long, moderated debates over the years -- if you tuned in and listened, you came away more informed. Compare that to how you feel after listening to the vulgar 30-minute shout fests on today's cable "talk" shows.
Perhaps the key to Buckley's appeal was that he could be arrogant and self-deprecating in the same breath. In 1965, he ran for mayor of New York. He campaigned aggressively even though he knew the effort was doomed. Asked what he'd do if he won, Buckley replied: "I'd demand a recount."
For all his talent as a writer and debater, I believe William F. Buckley Jr. would be the first to agree that two other preceding skills are just as important -- namely, the ability to listen and to think independently. Today the world is smaller without his example of all these abilities, and the greatness it produced.
Thanks for reading Market Watch.