Scott Johnson of Powerline blog relates a William F. Buckley story that pretty much sums up why he’s, well, William F. Buckley. Buckley was speaking at Dartmouth in 1972 when a student, apparently a little into his cups, came to the microphone to ask a question:
“Mr. Buckley, Mr. Buckley, Mr. Buckley,” he said as he warmed to his theme. “Do you really think the American involvement in Vietnam is right, or do you recognize that it’s an imperialistic war where we’re pursuing our own interests at the expense of the Vietnam people with no justification except the higher interests of American business and its friends in the Nixon administration…” and so on, at slightly greater length.
“The former,” Buckley responded.