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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. Spar in 'Best of Enemies'

    By the mid-1960s, the presidential conventions had turned into full-fledged TV events, but ABC was dead last in the ratings. In order to spice up their convention coverage, ABC executives invited two towering intellectuals to a series of debates. The fireworks between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley, Jr.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Jul 28, 2015 • 1 min read

    By the mid-1960s, the presidential conventions had turned into full-fledged TV events, but ABC was dead last in the ratings. In order to spice up their convention coverage, ABC executives invited two towering intellectuals to a series of debates. The fireworks between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley, Jr. created giant ratings for ABC, and ushered in the age of bellicose cable news commentary.

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    Should LA Host the 2024 Olympics?, Relativity Media, and 'Best of Enemies'
    1. 0:00Should LA Host the Olympics?
    2. 12:00What’s Going on at Relativity Media?
    3. 20:30Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. Spar in 'Best of Enemies'You’re reading this
    4. 38:32Warning: Killer Robots
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jolie Myers

      Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Morgan Neville

      director, “Piece by Piece”

    • KCRW placeholder

      Robert Gordon

      Co-director of a new documentary called 'Best of Enemies'

      News

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    Should LA Host the 2024 Olympics?, Relativity Media, and 'Best of Enemies'
    1. 0:00Should LA Host the Olympics?
    2. 12:00What’s Going on at Relativity Media?
    3. 20:30Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. Spar in 'Best of Enemies'You’re reading this
    4. 38:32Warning: Killer Robots
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand