William F. Buckley and the Intellectual History of American Conservatism

We the People

National Constitution Center

News, News Commentary, History

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 1 January 2026

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Matthew Continetti, author of The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism, joins prize-winning biographer Sam Tanenhaus to discuss Tanenhaus’s new book, Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America, and to trace American conservatism’s evolution from the Progressive Era, through the rise of William F. Buckley Jr., to today. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. This conversation was originally streamed live as part of the NCC’s America’s Town Hall program series on December 11th, 2025. Resources Sam Tanenhaus, Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America (2025) Matthew Continetti, The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism (2022) Stay Connected and Learn More   Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr Explore the ⁠⁠⁠America at 250 Civic Toolkit⁠⁠⁠ Explore ⁠⁠Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Support our important work ⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, friends, and happy holidays.
0:05.0	I'm Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, and welcome to
0:09.3	We the People, a weekly show of constitutional debate.
0:12.6	The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit, chartered by Congress, to increase
0:17.4	awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.
0:22.0	In this episode, we explore the intellectual history of American conservatism
0:25.6	from the rise of William F. Buckley to today.
0:28.7	Joining the conversation are Matthew Continetti, author of The Right,
0:32.8	The Hundred Year War for American Conservatism,
0:35.3	and Sam Tannenhouse, prize-winning biographer and author of Buckley,
0:39.5	the life and the revolution that changed America.
0:42.4	This program was streamed live on December 11, 2025.
0:47.1	Welcome, Sam and Matt, to the National Constitution Center.
0:52.5	Sam, let's start with you.
0:53.8	Congratulations on your new biography of
0:56.4	William F. Buckley, which has been widely praised as the definitive biography of one of the
1:01.8	central figures in 20th and 21st century American conservatism. It's a gripping narrative as well
1:10.0	as an intellectual history, and you tell the story of conservatism through Buckley.
1:14.7	Let's begin at the beginning, as always.
1:17.9	You have a lot about mommy and daddy and how it shaped Buckley.
1:21.8	But start with his childhood, and then what strains of conservatism was he bringing together when he began
1:30.9	his efforts back in the 30s and 40s?
	...

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