Tucker Carlson Agrees that William F. Buckley Jr. Was ‘One of the Great Villains of the 20th Century’
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson agreed wholeheartedly with the assertion that National Review founding editor William F. Buckley Jr. was “one of the great villains of the 20th century” during a Wednesday interview with Dave Smith, a comedian and libertarian YouTube host.
Smith launched the initial attack on Buckley, declaring “I’ll tell you this: Whatever this atrophy in like the intelligence of the American people, it’s, I think it’s accelerating. I mean it’s-. Look, and again, just like you said I’ll disclaimer as well: I’m talking about people who I don’t necessarily like. Like I view Bill Buckley as like one of the great villains of the 20th century. I think he ruined-”
At that point, Carlson interrupted to shout “I couldn’t agree more!” and pound his fist on a table with a laugh.
“But, but, but he was a clearly very — also CIA by the way — but he was also a very intelligent guy and witty, and not speaking down to his audience, and like a popular show, his Firing Line show would be Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley arguing with each other,” said Smith.
In addition to founding and overseeing National Review, Buckley was a prolific, widely-read columnist who also hosted the long-running interview show Firing Line. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the modern conservative movement, and helped shape its ideological parameters as well as propel it to political success within the Republican Party.
He also worked for the CIA for two years after graduating from Yale.
Both Carlson’s brother and firstborn son bear the first name Buckley. It is not clear whether his brother was named after the famed conservative commentator and activist, although the Carlson’s father, Dick Carlson was a right-of-center journalist who was appointed the director of the United States Information Agency under President Ronald Reagan and U.S. ambassador to Seychelles under President George H.W. Bush.
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