"In November of last year," Mr. Buckley begins, "when the smoke of election day had cleared, a datum emerged of extraordinary historical meaning. A state in the Deep South, South Carolina no less, had elected a Republican governor, for the first time since Reconstruction. All the psephologists and futurists stuck that into their computers, and concluded that if such a thing could happen here, a great deal in America has changed." A lively discussion bouncing back and forth between practical politics and ideological divisions. JBE: "Bill, I think that we've gone through this before. After ... Goldwater's defeat, there were all of these terrible predictions that the Republican Party was through ... And I have a strong feeling that if... we have a candidate who has a track record that proves that he in fact does believe in the great principles ... I think that we'll make the most tremendous comeback that has ever been made ..." WFB: "Well, you've described the ideal candidate." JBE: "Well, I guess I did." WFB: "Yes. Were you describing President Ford?" JBE: "Well-- Bill, you know,... President Ford, I think, is a great fellow, an awfully nice fellow, and he's trying to do what's right and best, but I think he's surrounded himself by people who may not be interested in the same things that Jerry Ford's interested in."