William F. Buckley, Jr.: Public Pisser

The late conservative icon William F. (F...-You) Buckley, Jr. is a subject of his son Christopher's interesting book, "Losing Mum and Pup." Some intriguing details from the book, according to reviewer James Rosen in the WaPo:

"...the famous cosmopolitan and yachtsman, who had his limousine custom fitted so he could spend midtown traffic jams typing out his syndicated column, haggled over luggage fees at the Swissair check-in counter and refused to pay more than nine bucks for a bottle of wine. He was also prone to urinating in public spaces."

Which comports entirely with the conservative view of public property: piss on it.

(photo: WFB, Jr. relaxes, after downing a $9 bottle of wine and relieving himself in Central Park)

Buckley Dead at 82

William F. Buckley, Jr., one of the major figures in the resurgence of conservatism in the U.S. has died at 82. Buckley, "born to the manor" to a wealthy New York family, was a Yale-educated, often condescending, and aristocratic spokesman and publisher for right wing causes for some 50 years, but he was at the same time entertaining and interesting on his long-running "Firing Line" program (ironically, on commercial-free public television). He counted some progressive luminaries, such as John Kenneth Galbraith and Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. among his friends. To his credit, he lacked the crude, thuggish instincts of today's Limbaugh/Coulter/Hannity/Savage crew of reactionary bloviators.