This is the well-known incident between William Buckley and Gore Vidal that occurred during ABC’s coverage of the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago.
Gore Vidal came from a generation of novelists whose fiction gave them a political platform. Norman Mailer ran for mayor of New York City; Kurt Vonnegut became an anti-war spokesman. And Vidal was an all-around critic. His novels sometimes infuriated readers with unflattering portraits of American history.
He also wrote essays and screenplays, and his play The Best Man currently has a revival on Broadway.
Vidal died Tuesday at his home in the Hollywood Hills, from complications of pneumonia. He was 86 years old.
By Madison S. Hughes (04.11.2009)
Chomsky, Vidal, Vonnegut and Zinn
Sages of generations past.
How will their prodigious wits last?With Philistines of today
As far as the eye can see.
Oh sad, how sad, can this truly be?
Always Question Authority 