Attorney General Bob McDonnell on the passing of William F. Buckley Jr.

Today we mourn the passing of William F. Buckley, Jr.

For those who view conservatism as the animating philosophy in their lives, William F. Buckley was their tireless advocate and champion.

For those who suffered under communism and fascism, William F. Buckley was the consistent and uncompromising voice of freedom.

William F. Buckley was the intellectual father of the modern conservative movement. His founding of National Review magazine in 1955 was one of conservatism's seminal events. As the host of Firing Line for 33 years, William F. Buckley provided a haven for vigorous debate and discussion in a media that locked out conservative thought. As the author of more than forty books and regular columns in three-hundred newspapers, William B. Buckley pointedly and precisely limned the framework of freedom in the lives of men and operations of government.

The results of his nearly sixty-years of work dominate America's political and cultural landscape.

- the Republican party is the conservative instrument in American politics;
- the Soviet Union and its satellites consigned to historic infamy;
- the crusade of Barry Goldwater that led to the presidency of Ronald Reagan;
- the proliferation of c onservative magazines, talk-shows, and think tanks.

All this was done by William F. Buckley with a wit and a love for the English language that preserved a degree of civility and grace in public discourse. We will greatly miss our Champion of Conservatism.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

Rush Limbaugh: "Bill Buckley was my greatest inspiration"

I was running errands today when I heard on Rush Limbaugh's radio show that Bill Buckley had died. Somehow the gray overcast winter day seemed just right for such sad news. And Rush seemed to be the proper source for me to hear it from ... I believe Bill Buckley was his hero.

He told of not liking school -- finding it boring and a burden -- and telling his father he wanted to be like Bill Buckley by writing, talking, thinking conservative thoughts. His dad blasted him because everyone in his family had attended college and he reminded Rush that Mr. Buckley had not gotten where he was without going to school.

Rush never did finish college ... but he did become much like his hero and very often met and talked with Mr. Buckley.

Bill Buckley passed away last night in his study while working on his latest book. Somehow ... it seemed fitting.

Rush talked at length throughout his show today about the great leader of the conservative movement. NewsMax.com reported:

Rush told listeners on Wednesday that his “desire to learn” came not from school, but from his father, his grandfather — and conservative icon Buckley.

Rush said he began reading Buckley’s newspaper column around age 12 and remembers being “mesmerized” by Buckley’s observations, which he said “literally created my desire to learn…

“The single greatest motivation I had to learn to read, write, and speak the English language as best I could, to expand my vocabulary, came from Bill Buckley.

“He is irreplaceable. There will not be another like him. His intellect and good humor were inspiring to me.

“Buckley was one of the formulative forces in my world view, my politically conservative view of all things.”
...
Rush recalled that when he told his father he was quitting college after one year, he said he was setting off “to be like Bill Buckley,” to be able “to sit around and write and speak.”

Limbaugh also remembered that when he first called the offices of Buckley’s National Review magazine to request a subscription, “I felt as if I was calling God.”

And years later, after he established himself as a leading conservative talk radio personality, Rush was invited to a National Review editors’ meeting at Buckley’s New York apartment. Rush said he felt as if he was being “summoned by as close to God on earth as you can get.”

Bill Buckley, you will be missed. Thank you for your wisdom and guidance. We will continue to carry the torch and pass it on to our children....