I just did a Google search for the phrase "Noah strikes a match inside the whale" (in quotes) and I found several references to Christopher Buckley's article, but I also found the quote being posted to several discussion forums (like Mudcat) WITHOUT attributing it to Buckley. Looks like this is a joke that is getting out of hand—people are repeating it as if it's true.

I would like to call attention to the following:

1. Christopher Buckley is a humorist.

2. Christopher Buckley is a conservative. I suppose he is the conservatives' nearest equivalent to Al Franken. He likes to make fun of liberals. He is the son of William F. Buckley.

3. It should be noted that the only quote for which a source is cited is the first one: "In a shift, Howard Dean says he will mention God more often in his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination." --New York Times, Jan. 4
Buckley doesn't cite any source for the other quotes because he made them up!
Case closed.