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Entry: WFB--A Leader Who Lost His Way Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/wfb_a_leader_who_lost_his_way#18919 Post contents: No person did more damage to the conservatism intellectual tradition than WFB. He didn't just superficially harm conservatism, he rendered it wounds so deep that it might not ever recover from them. Through his writings and leadership at National Review and especially through his PBS program Firing Line he managed to so mangle and twist conservative ideology that it ended up resembling almost the exact opposite of that espoused by true traditionalists like Robert Taft. WFB's ideology eventually became so dominant in the Republican Party that attacks against it were considered nothing less than blasphemy. He provided ready and willing access to those we know know as original neoconservatives. Virtually every facet of contemporary neo conservatism first revealed itself WFB's approving presence. This includes the belief that Israel's welfare should always trumps the interests of the USA. Whatever intellectual honesty WFB might have had at one time was forever abandoned when he started to be seen regularly on PBS during his Firing Line Days. PBS had been always politically correct since the early days of its inception and this correctness was demanded of those who chose to work for it. In a way what happened to WFB resembles what has more recently happened to Pat Buchanan. Both were forced to espouse viewpoints they might not have agreed with in order to keep in the good graces of their media overloads. Buchanan startling and bizarre support of Bush's candidacy in 2004 should be seen as a prime example of the control that the mainstream media has over those who are foolhardy enough to thin they they can maintain their independence within in. Both Buckley and Buchanan both failed to appreciate the old adage about how those who supply the paycheck call the tune. PS Watch for Buchanan to suddenly get religion start supporting the candidacy of his arch nemesis John McCain. Poor old Pat has probably already been told that he can't represent the (very lucrative) conservative viewpoint on TV unless he supports the (faux) conservative candidate McCain. Sent at: 2008 11 23