WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR.

Bill Buckley yesterday. He is a man that I admired for many years.

He hosted a PBS television program for thirty some years called Firing Line. It was broadcast from 1966 thru 1999. In it, he challenged all who dared to debate - usually of a political nature. He was a master debater.

Buckley was a conservative's conservative and a libertarian's libertarian. He melded the two philosophies. In 1955, he founded the political magazine National Review. Since then, he has also been a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. For many years, his twice weekly column was carried by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Bill was a master of the English language and never spared a long or obscure word when a short or common word would have sufficed. His verbal delivery was unique, deliberate and uneven in pace with a hint of accent relating to his education in England. I was always mesmerized by it.

Buckley was an Irish Roman Catholic whose father was an oil baron and mother a Swiss-German Southerner. He served as an officer in the Army during World War II. After the war, he attended Yale University and became a member of the "Skull and Bones" society.

In his spare time from writing for his magazine and writing his syndicated newspaper column, he wrote spy novels and book length commentary on modern politics. He appeared many times on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and played harpsichord on Conan O'Brian's show.

This is a guy, I would like to emulate.