Editing William F. Buckley (section)

==Early Career and Rise to Prominence== 
Buckley’s intellectual career launched with his first book, **God and Man at Yale** (1951), a scathing critique of Yale’s secular liberalism and perceived collectivist bias. Published at age 25, the book argued that universities should uphold Christian and capitalist values, sparking national controversy and establishing Buckley as a conservative prodigy. In 1952, he briefly joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), serving in Mexico City under [[E. Howard Hunt]], a Skull and Bones classmate, as a deep-cover agent tasked with monitoring leftist groups. Disillusioned by bureaucracy, Buckley resigned after nine months, later reflecting in his 1976 novel *Saving the Queen* that espionage lacked intellectual rigor.

Returning to journalism, Buckley worked as an associate editor at **The American Mercury** in 1953, but his ambition led him to found **National Review** in 1955, a magazine that became the cornerstone of modern American conservatism. With $100,000 from his father and contributions from supporters like Willmoore Kendall, Buckley assembled a team including James Burnham, Frank Meyer, and Russell Kirk, uniting traditionalists, libertarians, and anti-communists. **National Review** championed free markets, limited government, and fierce anti-communism, shaping the conservative movement that propelled figures like Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.

Public Intellectual and Media Presence== 
Buckley’s charisma and erudition made him a media sensation. In 1966, he launched **Firing Line**, a televised debate show on PBS, hosting 1,504 episodes until 1999. With his distinctive patrician accent, clipped diction, and sharp wit, Buckley debated luminaries like **Norman Mailer**, **Noam Chomsky**, and **Gore Vidal**, famously clashing with Vidal in 1968 during ABC’s Democratic National Convention coverage, where Vidal called Buckley a “crypto-Nazi,” prompting Buckley’s retort, “Now listen, you queer, stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I’ll sock you in the goddamn face.” The exchange, widely publicized, underscored Buckley’s combative style and cultural impact.

Buckley authored over 50 books, including political treatises (**Up from Liberalism**, 1959), spy novels (**Marco Polo, If You Can**, 1982), and memoirs (**Cruising Speed**, 1971). His syndicated column, **On the Right**, appeared in over 300 newspapers, reaching millions. He lectured extensively, often at colleges, engaging liberal audiences with humor and logic, and founded the **Young Americans for Freedom (YAF)** in 1960, mobilizing conservative youth.