English to French Other Journalism

Think back to Pat Buchanan's 1992 convention diatribe. His list of objections to Bill Clinton comprised the latter's support for legal abortion, gay rights and women in combat, and his supposed use of a pro-choice litmus test for Supreme Court justices, "discrimination against religious schools" and draft-dodging. Mr Buchanan also fulminated against "the raw sewage of pornography that pollutes our popular culture" and the LA riots. His speech was the highlight of that convention. It energised the masses, produced rousing cheers and incited a passion that the candidate, George H.W. Bush, could not match. Four years later Mr Buchanan was at it again. "They hear the shouts of the peasants from over the hill," he shouted at a rally in Nashua. "All the knights and barons will be riding into the castle pulling up the drawbridge in a minute. All the peasants are coming with pitchforks. We're going to take this over the top." And they did.