Editing Firing Line (TV program) (section)

===Buckley's persona===
Buckley's distinctive mannerisms were prominently displayed by the program and were part of the public images of both the show and Buckley. Buckley was frequently seen leaning far back in his chair, a pen near his mouth and a clipboard in hand. His flicking tongue, widening eyes, and flashing smile also characterized his style, as did his multi-syllabic vocabulary.<ref>{{cite magazine | url =https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/02/why-did-william-f-buckley-jr-talk-like-that.html | title =Why Did William F. Buckley Jr. Talk Like That? | last =Tsai | first =Michelle | date =February 28, 2008 | magazine =[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote = The conservative thinker may have shared an accent with some other men of the same age and social class, but his mannerisms and gestures made him entirely unique—and occasionally prone to caricature. He tended to pause for long stretches, wag his tongue, and open his mouth in an exaggerated way. To emphasize a point, he would make a tent with his fingers or grin as he spoke a key word. Toss in his wit, his blue-blooded accent, and his affinity for fancy words, and Buckley had created his own personal language, or idiolect.}}</ref> Buckley's voice was widely satirized, for instance by [[Robin Williams]] on ''[[Saturday Night Live (season 9)|Saturday Night Live]]'' and in the animated movie ''[[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|Aladdin]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine | url =https://www.bustle.com/articles/100968-pop-culture-references-in-aladdin-that-are-sooooooo-outdated-now | title =Pop Culture References In 'Aladdin' That Are Sooooooo Outdated Now | last =Matlow | first =Orli | date =July 30, 2015 | magazine=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]] | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote =The Genie is drawn to be like Buckley twice in the movie. William F. Buckley hosted the TV show Firing Line from 1966-1999. Genie turns into him when he needs to get serious with Aladdin. I'm sure that joke killed with the parents in 1992, but today it takes some Googling to get.}}</ref>

At the same time that guests were treated politely, Buckley might also gently mock them, particularly if he was friendly with them, as with [[John Kenneth Galbraith]] or examiner [[Mark Green (New York politician)|Mark Green]]. "You've been on the show close to 100 times over the years", Buckley once asked Green. "Tell me, Mark, have you learned anything yet?"<ref>{{cite news | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/business/worldbusiness/28iht-27cndbuckley.10511692.html | title =William Buckley Jr. is dead at 82 | last =Martin | first =Douglas | date =December 8, 2008 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote =To New York City politician Mark Green, he purred, 'You've been on the show close to 100 times over the years. Tell me, Mark, have you learned anything yet.'}}</ref> When [[Allen Ginsberg]] asked if he could sing a song in praise of [[Krishna]], Buckley acceded and the poet chanted "[[Hare Krishna (mantra)|Hare Krishna]]" repeatedly as he played dolefully on a [[pump organ|harmonium]]. According to [[Richard Brookhiser]], an associate of Buckley's, the host commented that it was "the most unharried Krishna I've ever heard".<ref>{{cite news | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/nyregion/29buckley.html | title =On TV, Buckley Led Urbane Debating Club | last =Koningsberg | first =Erik | date =February 29, 2008 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote = Mr. Ginsberg proceeded to play a long and doleful number on a harmonium, chanting along slowly and passionately, Mr. Brookhiser said. 'And when he was finished, Bill said, "Well, that's the most unharried Krishna I've ever heard.{{"'}}}}</ref>

Buckley's celebrated politeness sometimes wore thin: In a 1969 debate with linguist and political activist [[Noam Chomsky]], Buckley said, "I rejoice in your disposition to argue the [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]] question, especially when I recognize what an act of self-control this must involve." Chomsky acknowledged, "Sometimes I lose my temper. Maybe not tonight." "Maybe not tonight", Buckley said, "because if you would I'd smash you in the goddamn face."<ref>{{cite web | url =https://digitalcollections.hoover.org/objects/6077/vietnam-and-the-intellectuals?ctx=f02e38b4-4abd-4950-b132-22572acf33b0&idx=1 | title =Vietnam and the Intellectuals | date =April 3, 1969 | publisher =Hoover Institution Library and Archives: Firing Line broadcast records | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote =Mr. Chomsky says nothing to belie his reputation: 'I said that there are certain issues-for example-Auschwitz, such that by consenting to discuss them one degrades oneself and to some degree loses one's humanity&nbsp;... Nevertheless, I can easily imagine circumstances in which I would have been glad to debate Auschwitz-for example, if there were some chance that by debating Auschwitz it might have been possible to eliminate or to at least mitigate the horror that was going on. And, I think, I feel the same way about Vietnam.'}}</ref> (This comment was a joking throwback to Buckley's famous response to [[Gore Vidal]], when, during another Vietnam debate, Vidal called Buckley a "crypto-Nazi".)<ref>{{cite magazine | url =https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/buckley-vs-vidal-the-real-story-121673 | title =Buckley vs. Vidal: The Real Story | last =Lind | first =Michael | date =August 24, 2015 | magazine =Politico | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote =But what these philosophies meant for these two, beyond opposing perspectives on pornography and the Vietnam War, is never explored. Instead, the film-makers have compiled clips of the two trading insults, culminating in the infamous exchange in which Vidal called Buckley a 'crypto-Nazi' and Buckley called Vidal a 'queer.' At first the spectacle is funny. But it soon becomes depressing and squalid. Anyone unfamiliar with the history of the time would see only two pompous men with old-fashioned accents insulting each other.}}</ref>

Buckley addressed his guests as "Mr." or "Mrs." He once called [[Margaret Thatcher]] "Margaret" because he thought she had addressed him as "Bill". He was embarrassed later when he saw the transcript and realized she had been referring to a legislative bill. He immediately wrote a personal letter of apology to the Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite magazine | url =https://www.nationalreview.com/2005/11/just-call-me-bill-william-f-buckley-jr/ | title =Just Call Me Bill | last =Buckley Jr. | first =William F. | date =October 28, 1975 | magazine =National Review | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote =Mrs. Margaret Thatcher was my guest on Firing Line. Rather to my surprise, the English being more naturally formal than we are, halfway through the program she suddenly referred to me, once, as 'Bill.' I declined to break my Firing Line rule, and so persisted with 'Mrs. Thatcher.' However, the next day when we met again at a semi-social function, I braced myself on leaving and said, 'Good-bye, Margaret.' And a week later, writing her a note congratulating her on her performance, I addressed it: 'Dear Margaret.'}}</ref>

For the show's 15th anniversary in 1981, Senator [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan]], [[Vernon Jordan]], [[Henry Kissinger]], and [[Louis Auchincloss]] presided over a party for Buckley at the [[New York Yacht Club]].<ref>{{cite news | url =http://movies2.nytimes.com/books/00/07/16/specials/buckley-firing15.html | title =Buckley's 'Firing Line' Celebrates 15 Years | last =Kakutani | first =Michiko | date =February 25, 1981 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date =December 23, 2018 | quote =Many of those guests made a return appearance last evening at the party given by Anne Armstrong, Louis S. Auchincloss, Alistair Cooke, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., Henry A. Kissinger, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and William E. Simon - themselves all alumni of 'Firing Line' too.}}</ref>