If you’re wondering why the right wing lies all the time these days, here’s an answer: It’s part of their tradition. In an episode largely lost to history, conservative icon William F. Buckley and his National Review forged documents for political purposes and got caught in 1971. 
2/ Ticked off because NYT and WaPo revealed the Pentagon Papers showing the U.S. lied about the Vietnam War, Buckley created fake documents showing the need to continue the war. The hoax crumbled and Buckley admitted the papers were produced “ex nihilo” – out of nothing.
3/ Asked whether the hoax hurt the National Review’s credibility, Buckley said it “enhances our analytical credibility.”
Makes you wonder whether Buckley and Kellyanne Conway were ever seen in the same room.
Makes you wonder whether Buckley and Kellyanne Conway were ever seen in the same room.
4/ NYT's Buckley obit made no mention of the 1971 hoax. He was a “champion of conservatism.”
The takeaway: If you falsify documents to push the U.S. deeper into a devastating war, all is forgiven. But shoplift a Snickers at a 7-11 and it might be on your permanent record.
The takeaway: If you falsify documents to push the U.S. deeper into a devastating war, all is forgiven. But shoplift a Snickers at a 7-11 and it might be on your permanent record.
Commenter @jadler1969 doubts Buckley got "caught," believing it was a Buckley stunt to dump on the media's Pentagon Papers coverage. Maybe Buckley planned the reveal. Hard to know; media were already on to him. In any case, Buckley was using lies to undermine truth. So Trumpian.
