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Shawn, most people like to write off Pat Buchanan, but he's a fascinating intellect. (Given the political gliterati so dominant in the news these days, I count anyone who reads books as impressive.) His conservative record is mixed, but something was amiss when Jay Leno, during the late '90s, would joke about Buchanan guarding the gates of concentration camps.

That said, there's another issue. I respect Pat Buchanan's insights, but I never quite understood why the mainstream television turns to him as a premiere conservative pundit. He's not irrelevant, but he has a turbulent history with the conservative movement. Despite that fact, he's The Guy That Liberals Think Best Characterizes Conservatism In Their Eyes. His role as right-winger on Crossfire seemed more the product of his tenacity than his constituency.

It is, perhaps, a testament to his breadth and longevity that he has lasted this long, but due mainly to the ignorance of liberals about the fissures of conservatism.

topics:
Television, Books, Conservatism