[Darkwolf377]

I presume you mean the same Buckley who said he'd rather be governed by the first 1000 people taken from the Boston phone book than by the Harvard faculty?

Yes. That was called 'a joke'.

Other than that, excellent post!

[sphinx]

It was a joke with a very serious point. Buckley was expressing a preference for the common sense, moral and religious grounding, and simple patriotism of ordinary Americans vs. the arrogance, elitism, and transnationalist affectations of the intellectual elites. IOW, for the same mix of sentiments to which the tea party appeals today.

Were WFB still here, I imagine he would be highly sympathetic to the tea party, and concerned in a constructive way to move energetic newcomers up the learning curve.