Has anyone seen "Best of Enemies" on Netflix?
 

A rather timely movie about Buckley and Vidal.
"Smart, fascinating, and funny, Best of Enemies takes a penetrating -- and wildly entertaining -- look back at the dawn of pundit politics."
I'm watching it now and will watch it again before the end of the day.

Based on your recommendation, I watched "Best of Enemies" last night on Netflix. Thanks for bringing it up.

Like most of us, I remember the 1968 presidential campaign very well. I wasn't able to vote yet but there were three Minnesotans in the running for a presidential nomination: Democrats Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy and Republican Harold Stassen, although neither McCarthy nor Stassen had much of a chance of being nominated. It was still interesting for a small town Minnesota kid.

I only vaguely remember the Buckley/Vidal debates as we lived pretty far from the ABC transmission tower and consequently could not always get a clear picture from them. I do remember Buckley as being a very articulate and intellectual conservative and I remember Vidal as being someone who seemed to get a kick out of shocking his readers and listeners.

I was surprised to see the reaction of both men following the conventions. For some reason, my recollection was that they went their separate ways peacefully. I don't remember the lawsuits.

1968 was a pivotal year in American history and it is useful for us to go back and examine those times since we seem to be almost as divided now as we were then.

Lots of jokes about Harold Stassen came my way when I was at the U of MN Law School mainly from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs people who I knew from dorm life in Middlebrook Hall.

I remember the jokes too, but Stassen was the Governor of Minnesota for four years and the President of the University of Pennsylvania for four years. Hardly a joking matter. I just don't think he ever received the respect to which he was entitled.

He was a true patriot who left the Navy as a Captain and he always placed the state/country above himself. He was smart too. He graduated from high school when he was 14 and was a champion debater.

While he was off serving our country in the Pacific, other folks took over the Republican Party and he was pretty much left out once the war was over. I think he was a little too liberal for the new Republicans.

He campaigned for President 10 times without ever receiving many delegate votes. I would call him the champion of lost causes.

thank-you
I agree with you. It's amazing how many original sources you can find on youtube. It would be interesting to me if we could share what we find.

Here's what I found that's easy to find.
You can listen to the Howard Stern show on 9/11. He doesn't hold back, and doesn't think because he doesn't know any better.
You can also find old Bill Mahr "Politically Correct" shows.