There was a magazine called the Commentator that emerged defiant of FDR in 1937. It's editors and publishers were later investigated and harassed on orders of FDR because they were a consistent voice against the power grab and used famous names who knew a bit about world affairs to make their points across. They rallied against the entry of the US into Europe's war, pointed out Japan was the only nation who paid their debts on time, highlighted English propaganda in the various major media outlets and were royally shafted after Pearl Harbor, when hysteria was carefully manipulated to create a blank check for FDR.

Buckley and National Review remind me of this old magazine. Buckley has had his epiphany. If he hasn't it is only because there are so many who don't want to be persona non-grata with the White House and the new administration. They live for the perks, the invitations and all the rest. The media and politicians in DC all perceive themselves to be higher beings working for, Obama, their new god. The "smug" is so thick in DC and it makes it hard to see anything else. His father had his own smug so thick that he was uninfluenced by the others smug. I don't think this Buckley has enough of his own smug to resist being overcome by the rest.

;-)