Chris Buckley: Now Auditioning for a McCain Speechwriter Job

A while ago I noted Mark Helprin's rather snotty attempt to shut down conservative complaints about the McCain nomination, noting that it sounded like he wanted a new speechwriting gig. (So did Michelle.) Lo and behold, here comes Wm. F. Buckley's son, Chris, with another job application--one which, like Helprin's, showcases his unique capacity to, er, energize the base.

In response, let me offer a thoughtful, considered, carefully worded comment: Would you all please just...shut...up? (I'd insert an intensifier, but this is a family newspaper.)

Hey, Chris, let me offer a thoughtful, considered, carefully worded comment: Would you kindly drop your tailored J. Press houndstooth worsted trousers, bend ninety degrees at the waist, and insert your intensifier?

One of the bigshot AOL bloggers, David Knowles, is likewise unimpressed.

So his final point is that McCain is seeking only the mollification of conservatives, and that's supposed to be a supportive statement for his assertion that conservatives should just shut up?

Yeah, that's not going to be a persuasive argument. But if Chris's real goal was to spark a civil war between the moderates and the conservatives, this is a great opening shot.

New sticker time:

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Hugh Hewitt, whom I've given a hard time in the past, knows this is a minefield and treads carefully:

I am not impatient, and it isn't for me to tell any of my colleagues how to run their shows or whether their opinions are wrong. The nature of talk radio is that the hosts who succeed are the hosts who combine excellent on-air skills and entertainment values with honest, deeply-held, closely argued opinions. You can't pretend to be for McCain if you aren't --because the audience will hear it in a nanosecond.

What is going on within the center-right now is a legitmate, idea-driven argument that involves sorting through a great number of issues. If the most important issue in your life was the confirmation of one of the judges who did not get confirmed in the course of the judicial nomination wars of 2001 through 2006, you might never get around to supporting McCain, or it might take you longer.

He goes on to talk to disgusted GOPers about the importance of backing McCain if you want to win the war. Reasonable tone, logical arguments. I remain uncommitted and I strongly disagree that the time to fall behind McCain is now, before the running mate gets picked, but I appreciate a McCain supporter not telling me to shut up.

Of course, HH prints an e-mail from one of his guest hosts that questions talk show hosts' patriotism for opposing McCain and makes Buckley's column look like a chapter from "How to Win Friends and Influence People". So a there's a flag on an otherwise great play.

The guy has a point about not declaring too strongly against McCain--as I've said a dozen times on here, play it coy and try to score some condiments. Complain as loud as you like, but make him think he has a chance with you. Just declaring you'll never vote for him is already working against us.

P.S. Good job on brokering that truce, NRO!