National Review has always had a liberal problem. It will surprise many to learn that at least three effective spokesmen for liberalism emerged from N.R. back in the '60s, when it was firmly under William F. Buckley's leadership. Garry Wills, dominant liberal spokesman for decades; John Leonard, later editor of no less than the New York Times Book Review; and Joan Didion, a great writer of fiction whether working on novels or journalism, all had their start at N.R. I don't know how this could possibly have happened – perhaps Daddy was a friend, or they went to the right...