Harken Back to the Days When Debate was a Gentlemanly Sport
By Skip Sheffield
Remember when it was possible to have a civilized,
gentlemanly difference of opinion?
If you do, “Best of Enemies” will have you feeling
nostalgic. William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal were at opposite ends of the
political spectrum. Buckley was on the far right. Vidal was proudly left-wing.
Both men were from New York, attended posh private schools and affected plummy
British accents. In the summer of 1968 they became a national cause celebre
when they debated on-camera about the merits and demerits of the Republican and
Democratic National Conventions. ABC-TV was in dead last in ratings. Thanks to
the debates, ABC vaulted to first place.
Of special interest to locals is the fact the Republican
Convention was held in Miami Beach. It’s fun watching a young Sam Donaldson
reporting from the beach in a rather tongue-in-cheek style. Other era talking
heads are Shana Alexander, Dick Cavett, Howard K. Smith, Kirk Kirkpatrick and
of course Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, who emerged victor as the Republican
presidential candidate.
I was off at college during the 1968 convention, but I was
living in Delray Beach and attending FAU as a graduate student in 1972. One of
my favorite cousins, John Huyler, showed up at our big old Delray house. He
told me he was going to the Republican Convention, again held in Miami Beach,
and he was determined to protest the reelection of Richard Nixon. I admired
John’s fortitude, and I lent him my motorcycle so he could get around. Sure
enough, John Huyler was arrested in a massive over-reaction by Miami Beach
Police. John was jailed and my motorcycle was impounded. Eventually someone
paid John’s bail, and my motorcycle was returned to him. I was proud to play a part,
however small, in the legitimate protest against Nixon, who would finally
resign in disgrace in 1974 after the Watergate Scandal broke. The system works,
I thought at the time. Now I feel we live in much unkinder, not-nearly gentler
times. Perhaps “Best of Enemies” can provide insights to how we got here from
there.
No comments:
Post a Comment