Best of Enemies

Summer, 1968. History was made when American television network ABC hired two towering public intellectuals to debate each other during the Democratic and Republican national conventions. William F. Buckley, Jr. was a leading light of the new conservative movement. Gore Vidal was a leftist novelist and polemicist. Armed with deep-seated distrust and enmity, Vidal and Buckley believed each other's political ideologies were dangerous for America.

Intended to feature commentary on the issues of the day, their opposing political positions led to personal insults and vitriolic name calling. Viewers had never seen anything like it and ABC News' ratings skyrocketed. It led to a new era in public discourse.