HBO's Reagan, the diminishing of the President

I watched this slanted documentary made for Reagan's centenary with growing frustration on Washington's Birthday. HBO was happy to exaggerate real and imagined flaws in Reagan. These were negatively accented by his unfortunately fallacious and perennial adolescent son, Ron.

HBO, the pay TV channel of chronic 'Real Time' with Bill Maher, followed their intentional docu-downer of "Reagan" with the ever perpetual hagiographic mythology of "President to Remember John F. Kennedy." [mr]

HBO's Reagan - National Review Online

By Shannen Coffin

Posted on February 08, 2011 3:16 PM

Excerpts-

I watched most of HBO’s documentary on Reagan yesterday, and came away wondering why everyone cares so much about him. The chief aim of the piece, by its own characterization, was to demystify the former president. After watching it, I take that as documentarian-eze for “take down a notch or two.”

... So rather than demystifying President Reagan, the film comes off as a trite, myopic presentation of his presidency. If viewed by someone who knew nothing independently of Reagan, it would raise the question of why anyone would care. Various mainstream reviews I have read suggest that only the most ardent Reaganites would fail to see the film’s balanced presentation. I guess that makes me an ardent Reaganite.

I would be curious to know whether others watched and whether I’m simply being too hypersensitive about it all.

[Read the full post at the above link.]

If anything, Shannen Coffin, you are being much too kind to HBO.