My favorite speech at the Republican National Convention occurred, well, 3,000 miles to the west and forty years earlier. It offered a "Republicanism so focused and so dedicated not be made fuzzy and futile by unthinking and stupid labels." What do you suppose Barry Goldwater would have made of "compassionate conservatism?" I confess: I wasn't inspired by John McCain, Ron Silver, or even President Bush himself. I feel like a party switcher and I didn't even change my registration. Well, at least I can read Goldwater's Cow Palace speech, Pat Buchanan's 1992 oration at the Astrodome, and Ronald Reagan's acceptance speech in 1980 to be reminded of why I am a Republican.

It's too bad that most people dismiss Buchanan.

If you read what he writes and listen to what he has to say, it becomes clear that he is a brilliant, no-nonsense person who is not as radical as people think.

He would have made a great president but we'll never know.

Nowadays, people would prefer the Bud Light of candidates.

Hey the crazy liberal agrees. I'd vote for Pat Buchanan over Kerry or Bush.