RIP William F.

This doesn't have much to do with Mississippi, but the early wire services are reporting that conservative commentator William F. Buckley died overnight at his home in Connecticut.

From National Review:

I’m devastated to report that our dear friend, mentor, leader, and founder William F. Buckley Jr., died overnight in his study in Stamford, Connecticut.

After year of illness, he died while at work; if he had been given a choice on how to depart this world, I suspect that would have been exactly it. At home, still devoted to the war of ideas.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "If you can't say anything nice about somebody, come sit next to me."

I can't say I ever much cared for Mr. Buckley's politics, but I can attest to his fierce intellect. He was kind enough to tape a couple of episodes of his PBS show Firing Line while I was at Ole Miss, and he was as much of a gentleman as he was a furious orator and debater. Political dialog in America has lost an elder statesman.

God Speed, sir. I'm now going to sit next to Eleanor.

Update: I incorrectly identified Mr. Buckley's show as Crossfire in my original post and have changed it to the correct title. Apparently my canceled TV show trivia skills don't work before lunch.