I remember an episode of Firing Line. Charlie Peters was the guest — and he was the well-known editor of The Washington Monthly. He praised Reagan for doing something that helped the poor. (Took them off the income-tax rolls.) “I can’t believe it,” Peters said, “but he did.” And WFB broke in, “Yes, and we all know that Reagan hates the poor.”

I can just hear the sarcastic disdain with which he said that. Sometimes, that’s the only response — and Bill usually knew exactly the right response.