The WFB Legacy — Firing Line

Starting in April 1966, Buckley’s long-running show of public affairs and debate, Firing Line, spent 33 years on air until its end in December 1999. Buckley was first offered the chance to host such a show starting a year earlier, but he put off the launch of Firing Line when he decided in June 1965 to run for Mayor of New York City on the Conservative Party ticket. Buckley had not just impressed the public with his charisma, humor, and intelligence during the debates for the mayoral race, but in his appearances on shows like David Susskind’s Open End. By 1966, Buckley was already a household name for his appearances on the radio and national television, but Firing Line would make him a cultural icon.

The title “Firing Line” was purposeful—Buckley intended to treat his guests with respect and candor and to listen carefully to their arguments, but he also aimed to forcefully rebuke the ideas of his liberal opponents in debate. Buckley, a talented debater all the way back to his days at Yale, captivated American audiences with the drama of robust intellectual exchange with some of the most notable liberal writers, thinkers, and celebrities of the period—including Muhammad Ali, Norman Mailer, Noam Chomsky, Betty Friedan, and Hugh Hefner. It was initially a success in New York, where Buckley’s celebrity had already risen through the mayoral race, before gaining enough acclaim to be syndicated on public television by 1971.

About the Author

National Review Institute

National Review Institute was founded by William F. Buckley Jr. as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 1991.

Starting in April 1966, Buckley’s long-running show of public affairs and debate, Firing Line, spent 33 years on air until its end in December 1999. Buckley was first offered the chance to host such a show starting a year earlier, but he put off the launch of Firing Line when he decided in June 1965 to run for Mayor of New York City on the Conservative Party ticket. Buckley had not just impressed the public with his charisma, humor, and intelligence during the debates for the mayoral race, but in his appearances on shows like David Susskind’s Open End. By 1966, Buckley was already a household name for his appearances on the radio and national television, but Firing Line would make him a cultural icon.

The title “Firing Line” was purposeful—Buckley intended to treat his guests with respect and candor and to listen carefully to their arguments, but he also aimed to forcefully rebuke the ideas of his liberal opponents in debate. Buckley, a talented debater all the way back to his days at Yale, captivated American audiences with the drama of robust intellectual exchange with some of the most notable liberal writers, thinkers, and celebrities of the period—including Muhammad Ali, Norman Mailer, Noam Chomsky, Betty Friedan, and Hugh Hefner. It was initially a success in New York, where Buckley’s celebrity had already risen through the mayoral race, before gaining enough acclaim to be syndicated on public television by 1971.