Opinion - Gore Vidal, 82 and Cantankerous as Hell

by Mikasi | June 19, 2008 at 04:57 pm

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Unlike many of you here, I am not a reader. Simply put, unless it's a news story on the web or in the occasional magazine, it doesn't appeal to me. I'm much too manic-y to sit still for much more.

But this Time Magazine interview with Gore Vidal [by Deborah Solomon] may change that -

How did you feel when you heard that Buckley died this year? I thought hell is bound to be a livelier place, as he joins forever those whom he served in life, applauding their prejudices and fanning their hatred.

Based on this quote, I will not abandon my image of Buckley as a wise and intelligent right winger. I will not now believe him to be morally bankrupt. However, I will likely want to read more out of the collections of Vidal essays being published. People who speak their minds so brashly are just too good to ignore.

Some of us Democrats joked during the 96 election cycle that Bob Dole's campaign slogan was likely "Hey you punks, get off my lawn." After reading this short interview I am now convinced this was not Dole's slogan but octogenarian Gore Vidal's partisan personal credo.

Are you a supporter of gay marriage? I know nothing about it. I don’t follow that.

Why doesn’t it interest you? The same reason heterosexual marriage doesn’t seem to interest me.