The godfather of the conservative movement passed away while working (writing) in his study. KJL of NRO sadly reports:
After year of illness, he died while at work; if he had been given a choice on how to depart this world, I suspect that would have been exactly it. At home, still devoted to the war of ideas.
WFB is the man I credit with introducing me to the intellectual arguments of conservative ideas. Before talk radio, and the internet, there was Mr. Buckley on Firing Line and National Review, helping the silent majority understand the basis of their opinions, and giving them the confidence to express them. He was a giant in the conservative movement.
Mr. Buckley (one would never deign to call him by his first name!) was a devout Catholic, who wrote one of my favorite books, Nearer My God, about his faith journey. I read it during lent, some years ago.
Here is an essay he presented on NPR in 2005: How Is It Possible To Believe In God? You can listen to it at the link.
The great man is now at home with his God. May he rest in peace.
More at:
The New York Times Obit, here.
It originally contained this line:
“He also found time to write 45 books, ranging from sailing odysseys to spy novels to celebrations of his own dashing daily life, and edit five more. Two more books, one a political novel, and the other a history of the magazine called “Cancel Your Own Goddam Subscription” are scheduled to be published in 2007.”
It was published in 2007.
And here’s NRO’s Symposium. (Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby).
Be sure to check out this surprising revelation from Chris Matthews at Newsbusters.
Finally, Ann Coulter has some WFB anecdotes that will make you smile. His great wit will be missed.
UPDATE 2/29:
Peggy Noonan: May We Not Lose His Kind
William McGurn: God and Man and Bill
3/1 :
Christopher Hitchens: A Man Of Incessant Labor
3/2:
Mark Stein: “It’s the epigoni, stupid”
William Kristol: What He Fought For
Nice Deb 
William F. Buckley Jr, Founder and Editor of National Review Magazine and father of modern conservatism died today at 82. Buckley was a giant intellect that articulated the conservative cause like no other possibly could. Back in 1996 I was a member of the Convocations Committee at Weber State University, We invited Mr. Buckley to speak and I had the honor of having lunch with him and listen to him speak. His speaking style required the listener to think about the words spoken because they were delivered at a higher level than most political speakers of today. He spoke in a manner remenisent of some of the great orators of history. He never talked down to his audience, and assumed thier intellengence. All conservatives owe him a debt of graditute. He is in company the giants such Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater, and Rush Limbaugh. Conservatism has lost another one of its great mouth peices but his words and ideas, which are based on eternal principals and natural law, will endure any of us
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The brains behind the whole operation, he was.
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McCain calling himself a conservative may have done him in.
Just kidding.
R.I.P. WFB
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I loved listening to him, even though I didn’t necessarily agree with all his thoughts. He is generally credited with being the father of conservatism, but, of course, he wasn’t.He was, however, the father of the brand of fascism that has resulted in g.w bush.
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Patrick…you don’t know what you’re talking about.
But never mind that…This is like a wake…have some respect.
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