The following is adapted from remarks that former Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer delivered at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s “American Economic Forum” at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on July 29, 2022. Lighthizer served as the 18th United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the Donald Trump administration.
It is a great pleasure to be here. The loss of our institutions to extreme liberalism is one of the great crises of our day. The work of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute to counter this decline is noteworthy and admirable. For almost 70 years the ISI has been on the front lines in defense of freedom and American values and I am honored to be here to speak to you today. I am proud to be a part of this battle and to work with you to retake our country.
I am of the age that grew up with William F. Buckley. I read his works, I watched his TV debates and I quoted his witticisms. He was wise and entertaining—no easy combination. I can remember the debates with Gore Vidal. Has there ever been a more perfect foil for a conservative champion? Those performances between two clever, brilliant men were fun and informative. Like so much in life they were about confirmation bias, and as a young conservative I always came away surer of my principles.
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