I don't have too many stories of the role that the late great William F. Buckley, Jr. played in my life, but I figure I'll add what I can.
Buckley was actually one of the first thinkers I knew -- far before I had any interest in what, exactly, made this thing called "conservatism" so great. I was seven, and my dad, impressed but not overwhelmed with my progress in reading, explained that I'd only know I was really getting smart when I could understand a George Will or Bill Buckley column without a dictionary.
Sad to say, The Hartford Courant didn't syndicate Buckley.
Fast forward. Much has been said in recent days about Buckley's penchant for long, elaborate words -- a penchant that the man who taught me to write, the esteemed Prof. Jack Pitney, most certainly didn't share.
Anyway, the Monday before the 2004 elections, Pitney strides into my "American Presidency" class and writes his prediction on the board:
Kerry wins. 50-49%; 291-247.
That didn't happen, though it seemed entirely possible at the time. (Pitney, incidentally, is also the author of the 1994 tome, "Congress' Permanent Minority? Republicans in the US House." Go figure.)
The day after the election, I'm perusing Buckley's column, which is fittingly enough about mistaken election predictions. He tells of two communiques he received in the leadup to election night:
"The first originated with a professor of government in California who, it was bruited, had always succeeded in predicting the outcome of presidential-year elections. The news was given in telegraphic idiom, no curlicues, embellishments, appoggiaturas: 'President: Kerry wins the popular vote 50-49. Kerry wins electoral vote 291-247. Senate: GOP has net gain of two, for a 53-47 majority. House: GOP has net gain of one, for a 230-205 majority.' That bulletin I disclosed to a few of my closest associates."
In telegraphic idiom, no curlicues, embellishments, appoggiaturas...
Buckley would say that about Pitney. And I smiled, as if the great man had made a joke just for me.
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3 comments:
funny I was in class that day never knew that end of the story, thanks John!
i remember that prediction too. and i was skeptical at the time as pitney had Kerry winning Florida I believe, and I did not. But Bill Buckley said it better than I ever could.
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