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. . they're tagging their figurehead, Buckley, as a "conservative libertarian."

I'm sorry but that's absurd. I don't care who you are.

But, but, but . .

WFB himself admitted to being a "libertarian journalist" on the cover of one of his many books.

He also wrote about toking up in the middle of the Atlantic (where he was out of reach of the DEA--at that time) which we all know is the only thing Libertarians care about, legalizing pot. Proof positive.

</sarc>

In retrospect, having been a subscriber for many years to National Review and often enjoying Buckley's "Notes and Asides" a bit more than the rest of his occasionally dull magazine, it would be quite a challenge to peg WFB on either the libertarian or conservative map, as his political compass wandered considerably over the years.

Most recently, just a year before his death, Buckley wrote a column that expressed his disillusionment with both the way the war in Iraq was being conducted and, to a degree, the Bush/Cheney rationale for the 2003 invasion. In the same article, he forecast a Republican defeat if things were not turned around. That was in 2007, and of course we know 0bama could not have known WFB's campaign advice since he doesn't read National Review

Like other members of wealthy east coast families, his elitism often distinguished his views from Middle America. Though a devout Catholic and fiercely anti-abortion, it was not beneath him to support a pro-choice Democrat (Lieberman) over a RINO (Weicker). That would not play in Peoria, or Pascagoula for that matter.

The final chapter hasn't been written on the Buckleys, and won't be until probably son Christopher begins drawing Social Security payments. I'd like to know, but won't live long enough.

Compared to Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., Joe Lieberman, who votes as a pro-abort although he is a devout and verrry observant Orthodox Jew, looks like a pro-lifer. When Weicker was governor of Connecticut (1991-1995) he repeatedly threw fundraisers for Planned Barrenhood and the National Abortion Rights Action League at the Governor's Mansion. In 1988, most of the babykillers voted for Weicker and a remarkable number of pro-lifers voted Lieberman to get rid of Weicker. Both favored a state income tax on wages and salaries but the US Senate does not decide that issue for Connecticut. We forced the repeal of Lieberman's 1971 income tax law (Connecticut's very first tax on wages and salaries) before a nickel could be collected and Lieberman respectfully backed off for the rest of his state legislative career. Weicker (reportedly a former Bircher until about 1970) had gone over to the anti-American side, was enraged by Reagan attacking Qaddaffi and actually went scuba diving with Fidel Castro and had the news footage on Connecticut news channels. Lieberman turned that footage into a commercial, had his in-laws show their tattoos as Auschwitz survivors and pledged never to support totalitarians abroad. He has kept his pledge. Weicker returned as an "independent" governor and punished the state by taxing wages and salaries. He does not spend time in Connecticut any more since 1995 and thereby keeps his skin and his scalp.

I cannot imagine Peoria or Pascagoula being governed by an evil and slimy SOB like Weicker but either community would gladly vote for Lieberman if they knew both of them.

There was a Buckley fundraiser for Lieberman in 1988 by a PAC called Buckleys for Lieberman. B-1 Bob Dornan was the main speaker. As you may recall, he was certainly a strong pro-lifer and no liberal on anything else. Then State Senator Tom Scott of Milford hosted the fundraiser and he was the most solidly conservative state senator of the last 40 years in Connecticut.