Notable deaths of 2008
William Frank Buckley Jr., who died on Feb. 27, was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century." His primary achievement fused traditional conservatism with laissez-faire and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for modern conservatism . However, many Americans will remember Buckley for his scholarly and humorous style on the weekly PBS show "Firing Line." Frank Franklin II / Associated Press
