I was once in the same room with him when he spoke at my college when I was an undergraduate, but I didn't speak to him one-on-one and it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask him about his 1964 comment.
Now I do not read it, because it isn't the same as it was under Bill Buckley Jr. who I bean listening to in the late 70s, most likely in the tun up to the Reagan election, which was about the time that I started paying any attention to politics. Bill was at least entertaining as he was selling the conservative viewpoint.
The clowns running it now believe themselves to be smarter than their readership, which is just not the reality at all.
But it you doubt he was being serious with his statement, then that makes sense. 🙂👍
BTW, I supported Goldwater because my parents did, even though I had no clue about him whatsoever. 🙂👍