Comments on: William F. Buckley and George Wallace http://williamhogeland.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/william-f-buckley-and-george-wallace/ Hogeland's commentaries on populism, liberalism, and conservatism in American history, politics, and poetics Sat, 04 May 2013 20:24:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: William Hogeland http://williamhogeland.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/william-f-buckley-and-george-wallace/#comment-787 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:31:18 +0000 http://williamhogeland.wordpress.com/?p=2102#comment-787 [I wanted red meat for the Republican haters living in the South. And maybe that Rick Perlsteinland feeling of learning the method of the enemy to use against them.]

It’s true you’ll never get that from me. But I did let focus waver — especially in the Vidal-parody moment. I have mixed feelings about using a blog to poke at stuff — public note-taking and first-draft sketching and laying out the ground — instead of nail it, which I’d at least make my best effort to do in an edited, magazine-like context (like here: http://bostonreview.net/BR33.3/hogeland.php) or a book. In a blog post I feel freer to wander and gesture, with the idea that I might *really* work this material up someday. And that can be a problem. I know I don’t have this bog/essay distinction, which may not really exist anyway, figured out; with mixed feelings intact, I carry on blogging. I do appreciate the point, though, and it connects with other issues I’ve been poking at, so thanks.

]]> By: tsb http://williamhogeland.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/william-f-buckley-and-george-wallace/#comment-786 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:23:53 +0000 http://williamhogeland.wordpress.com/?p=2102#comment-786 A very interesting examination of a critical moment. But also exasperating for reasons I am moved to reflect on–Buckley put a hit on Wallace; the motive, the method, and the audience are made clear in this piece. Thank you for the explication. But somehow the focus wavers. Perhaps it’s a matter of affiliation: the author is amused at his personal connection with the event discussed (and let me tell you, the last line of this obit is very moving: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/30/nyregion/c-dickerman-williams-97-free-speech-lawyer-is-dead.html), and the South something an afterthought to the nuances of the Connecticut-based right wing circus.

What the fuck am I talking about?

I wanted red meat for the Republican haters living in the South. And maybe that Rick Perlsteinland feeling of learning the method of the enemy to use against them.

But, thanks anyway.

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