tions, where I had to promise themnDickens, Chesterton, Wodehouse, andneven a little Shakespeare just to inducenthem to consider going back tonwork, an agreement was finallynreached, and I am happy to report theynPATRICK J. BUCHANAN had notneven formally announced his candidacynfor the White House last Novembernthan a platoon of the Beltway rightnsuddenly fell out of ranks to denouncenhim and his challenge to George Bush.nDivisive, polarizing, protectionist, nativist,nxenophobic, anti-Zionist, anti-nSemitic, ultra-nationalist, racist werenthe predictable sobriquets that buzzednfrom their muzzles.nAbe Rosenthal immediately comparednMr. Buchanan to David Dukenand urged the organisation of the samenkind of national boycott against himnand his supporters that had beennlaunched so effectively against Louisiana.nNeoconservative Charles Krauthammernjoined the chorus soon afternin a column shuddering with fear overnwhat he called Mr. Buchanan’s “ravings”nof the last couple of years.nWhy was this so? Why, with GeorgenBush sinking in the polls and perhapsnunlikely to keep the White House nextnyear, were the Beltway right and itsnfriends on the left so frightened of anchallenge to the mollescent ooze seepingnfrom the executive mansion thatnmay wash the White House out ofnRepublican hands for the first time inn12 years? Not only has Mr. Buchanannnever worn an arm band or a bednsheet, but he happens to be perhapsnthe most popular political columnist innthe United States, the publisher of onenof the country’s fastest growing newsletters,nand a ubiquitous star on nationallynbroadcast talk shows. The normalnresponse from conservatives, it wouldnseem, would be to welcome Mr.nBuchanan’s campaign as at least anuseful splint to keep Mr. Bush connectednto the right wing of his party.nThere is a simple reason for thenshrill denunciations Mr. Buchanan re­nare once again in full productionnchurning through Mr. Pickwick, FathernBrown, Jeeves, and FalstafT. Both partiesnare relieved a prolonged strike wasnavoided, and I have been remindednin no uncertain terms of their slogan: .nCULTURAL REVOLUTIONSnceived from his supposed allies: he isntoo popular.nIt is not that his success excitesnpersonal jealousy among less talentednand less articulate conservative spokesmen,nbut rather that what he offers isnsomething that few if any of the othersnhave. Unlike almost every other majornfigure or organization of the Americannright today, Mr. Buchanan has notnachieved his eminence as a result ofntax-exempt foundations, a governmentnjob, grants from HUD and the educationndepartment, or handouts from fatncats. Mr. Buchanan has been successful—nindeed, become wealthy andnfamous — doing precisely what professionalnconservatives always talk aboutnbut don’t always practice. He has offeredna product — his insights andnviewpoints on public affairs — and annational market for that product finds itnirresistible.nThis is not simply a tribute to hisnskills as a salesman but points to somethingnelse. Pat Buchanan is a realnperson. He really believes certainnthings and really doesn’t believe certainnothers, and he really says what henbelieves and doesn’t believe. He pullsnno punches, and he doesn’t have tonpull them precisely because he is independentnof the conservative hive thatnflourishes in Washington and NewnYork.nBy contrast, what the members ofnthe hive say and do is largely determinednby what is expedient for thenorganizations they represent. Theirnarticles, columns, magazines, andnbooks are carefully plotted medianevents, engineered by public relationsnfirms and reinforced by the other hiveites.nEvery year or so, they crank outnmore lightweight tomes on economics,neducation, culture, or foreign policy.nnn”Life is short; bilge is long; hell, no,nwe won’t read it.”nThank you, Mr. Tate, for showingnme what I haven’t missed.n— Windi CarnesnLakemont, GAncontrive to have their friends reviewnthem and boom them and sit back andnenjoy the limelight their contributionsnto scholarship emit. But within anothernyear, their efforts have proved perishable,nand you’re lucky if you can locatenthem on the remaindered shelves ofnsecondhand bookstores.nAfter a steady stream of Big Macnconservatism, anyone who serves a realnhamburger is not going to be welcome,nand that is exactly what Mr. Buchanannoffers: not the monosodium glutamatenof neoconservatism and the soft rightnbut the muscular protein for whichnAmericans outside the Beltway arenstarving.nIf Mr. Buchanan is smart—and wenthink he’s very smart — he’ll ignore thenchirpings of the Beltway hive and keepnon serving up what Americans andnAmerica need. The rabbit food ofnSERIES’ OF 38N5ni OF DESPAIRnFEBRUARY 1992/5n