Before I came to NR, you might say that Bill Rusher was the guy at NR I knew the best. I first met him when I was in college and I was searching for a campaign internship somewhere (no internship materialized, but I got to have lunch with him which was good enough). Later, we worked on a book project together that never came to fruition (due, entirely, to my own shortcomings I’m eager to say). We met a few more times at various National Review and/or conservative events. I hardly knew him as well as many of my colleagues at the magazine, but I was always grateful for the fact I knew him at all. He was about as gentlemanly, proper, old school — and utterly charming — as anybody I’ve ever met.