Posted on 11/16/2008 8:51:55 PM PST by reaganaut1
In a span of 252 days, the National Review lost two Buckleys — one to death, another to resignation — and an election.
Now, thanks to the coarsening effect of the Internet on political discourse, the magazine may have lost something else: its reputation as the cradle for conservative intellectuals and home for erudite and well-mannered debate prized by its founder, the late William F. Buckley Jr.
In the general conservative blogosphere and in The Corner, National Review’s popular blog, the tenor of debate — particularly as it related to the fitness of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska to be vice president — devolved into open nastiness during the campaign season, laying bare debates among conservatives that in a pre-Internet age may have been kept behind closed doors.
National Review, as the most pedigreed voice of conservatives, has often been tainted — unfairly and by association, some argue — by the tone of blogs, reader comments and e-mail messages. “Bill was always very concerned about having a high-minded and thoughtful discourse,” Rich Lowry, the magazine’s editor, said. “If you read the magazine, that’s what it was and that’s what it is.”
In October came the resignation of Mr. Buckley’s son, the writer and satirist Christopher Buckley, after he endorsed Barack Obama for president. He did so on Tina Brown’s blog, The Daily Beast, to avoid any backlash on The Corner.
Now David Frum, a prominent conservative writer who enmeshed himself in a minor dustup during the campaign by turning negative on Governor Palin, is leaving, too. In an interview, he said he planned to leave the magazine, where he writes a popular blog, to strike out on his own on the Web.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Sometimes you flush the toilet even if there’s only two little turds in there.
Hey National Review, don’t forget to light a match.
The NY Times is crap. But National Review could go on less cruises— more helping to depose Boehner.
The NYTimes should consider its own reputation before impugning others. How’s that stock doing NYT??
I’ve never turned down a beer in my life, which is the only thing I have in common with Christopher Hitchens.
This article is a crock. Chris Buckley was never a regular writer/editor for NR. He was filling in for Steyn on a temp basis while Steyn was too busy with taking the Canadian Human Rights commission down a peg to write the back page column for short span of time.
Chris Buckley took the opportunity to “resign” in order to create media buzz for the Daily Beast.
Writers have come and gone at NR for 40 plus years. NYT is the one facing extinction.
Well, if this isn’t a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Amazing. The NYTimes is everything they badmouthed the NR about and worse. Only on the leftist, commie side of issues. Amazing gall and hutzpah on the part of the Times to publishing this article, and actually it is an embarrassment to them as their reputation is in the toilet.
Gosh, to read this article one would think that the NYT propagandists really missed all the lively and thoughtful give and take they never had all those years with the “old” National Review.
Frum the Vichy Republican is hitting the road, it’s hard to say he will be missed because other then writing mediocre speeches and attacking Governor Palin, I’m unsure what exactly he contributed.
I agree... and add Kathleen Parker to your list.
Me thinks the Times doth protest too much.
“..particularly as it related to the fitness of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska to be vice president..”
The Left continues to be petrified by the prospect of a Palin run at the Presidency in 2012. They SHOULD be petrified, she’d kick butt and take names and the Left knows it!
You know that Hart lined up on Obama's side, right? (As well as Kerry's in '04)
I kind of liked O'Sullivan. As I recall, he got forced out by the open borders crowd in the mid to late '90's.
I agree with the opinion expressed above that National Review was a creature of the Cold War. Since the Wall came down the mag has gradually lost focus. Maybe that's the tale of post-War conservatism since 1989 as a whole? (With a brief resurgence after '94).
I do have a sentimental spot for the mag though. As I first became self-consciously conservative in the early '90's, NR helped me clarify my views. I bet a lot of us on this forum became conservatives through reading National Review. When I recall how deeply it effected my outlook, it makes me sad to see what it has become.
Kirk and Von Kuehnelt-Leddihn are two of my all-time favorites. Ditto the former Trot, Burnham.
I read NR religiously back in those days. But I gave it up in the early 90's and haven't really missed it...
“I read NR religiously back in those days. But I gave it up in the early 90’s and haven’t really missed it...”
You and me both.
Well, we’ll just have to leave ol’ Jeff Hart to his new eccentricities in choosing whom to vote for. Even Goldwater got squirrelly in his dotage. But Hart was still one of the great ones at NR, unlike the monkeys throwing poo who now inhabit the place.
Ha, feel free to appropriate it, I know that I stole that bit of cleverness myself.
Hysterical Frum is starting his own web effort!
Conservatives won’t read Frum because he’s a moderate.
Moderates won’t read Frum because they don’t care that much.
Liberals won’t read Frum because they worship at the NYT.
Leftists won’t read Frum because they’re too busy astro-turfing DailyKos.
Looks like Frum will be the only one reading Frum...
” which is the only thing I have in common with Christopher Hitchens.”
A fact for which we are both thankful.
“Looks like Frum will be the only one reading Frum...”
Proof that at least one person lacks both sense and good taste. He ought to bury his productions in kitty litter.
Terrific comment. Unless of course you’re really Kathleen Parker. If you are, stick it.
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