William F. Buckley, R.I.P.

One of the major influences on my political and ideological life was William F. Buckley Jr., the late founder of National Review magazine, host of the 33-year TV talk show Firing Line, and founder of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), among other of his major life achievements.

As a student in the late 1960s at the University of Colorado, I was privileged to have Dr. Edward Rozek as a teacher, and more important, as a mentor and friend. He was personally acquainted with Buckley. Rozek headed the W.F. Dyde Forum at the University, which was endowed to bring conservative speakers to the ultra-liberal campus. On two occasions while I was a student Rozek brought Buckley, and I was privileged to go to dinner with him before his remarks.

Up close, Buckley was fascinating. His arching eyebrows, his sense of humor and great erudition--you knew you were in the presence of the great. People say I talk and write in big words. I learned it from Buckley, as I would have to go home after every speech and look up several words. He was absolutely brilliant.

What was most amazing about William F. Buckley was his tremendous civility. He was a gifted debater, and yet could disagree without being disagreeable. At the University of Colorado, where extreme liberalism was a badge of honor, Buckley was the only one of the speakers brought through the Dyde Forum that actually had liberal friends at the University and sought to conduct conversations with them. I was always amazed.

For one who never held political office, never had a powerful business career, Buckley was one of the most influential men of his age. He provided the intellectual firepower behind Barry Goldwater seizing the Republican Party in 1964, where many of us cut our teeth, and saw his effort come to fruition with the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan as President. He never accepted ambassadorships or other prizes, although I'm sure they were offered.

Just to see Buckley's ideas brought to the seat of power was enough for him. We lost one-of-a-kind with the death of William F.Buckley, and I'm certainly richer for my brief acquaintenceship with him.