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James BuckleyAmerican politician and judge
Date of Birth: 09.03.1923
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of James Buckley
Early Life and EducationJames Lane Buckley was born on March 9, 1923, in New York. His father, William Frank Buckley Sr., was a lawyer and businessman, while his mother, Eloise Josephine Antonia Steiner, had Swiss-American and Irish roots. He had an older brother, the late conservative writer William F. Buckley Jr. James attended Yale University, where he graduated in 1943 and was a member of the secret society Skull and Bones.
Military Service and Legal Career
Buckley enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942 and served as a lieutenant until his discharge in 1946. After obtaining his law degree from Yale Law School in 1950, he was admitted to the Connecticut Bar Association. Buckley practiced law in private practice until 1953 when he joined the corporation 'Catawba' as its vice president and director.
Political Career
Buckley's political career began in 1968 when he challenged liberal Republican Senator Jacob K. Javits for re-election. Although Javits easily defeated Buckley, the latter received a significant number of votes from dissatisfied conservative Republicans. In 1970, James ran for the U.S. Senate against Charles Goodell, who had been appointed by Nelson Rockefeller after the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Goodell aligned himself with the left, especially as an opponent of the Vietnam War. Buckley's campaign slogan at the time was "Isn't it time we had a Senator?" Liberal voters were divided between supporting Goodell and Democratic candidate Richard Ottinger. Despite this, Buckley managed to win the election with 39% of the vote and became a senator in January 1971.
Later Career and Legacy
Buckley sought re-election in 1976 but faced tough competition from Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, who won the Democratic primary. Buckley moved to Connecticut after his defeat. In 1980, he had the opportunity to run for the Senate again when Abraham Ribicoff retired, but he lost to Christopher Dodd. During Ronald Reagan's presidency, Buckley served as Deputy Secretary of State and later as the President of 'Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty' from 1982 to 1985. In 1996, President Reagan appointed him as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. James Buckley's political career and conservative views have left a lasting impact on American politics.
