HELLO, HISTORY, GIMME REWRITE

Faced by right-wing charges that an upcoming miniseries about Ronald Reagan was too hostile, CBS announced that Showtime would run it instead. If the television networks are going to start insisting that docudramas-- be they about the Kennedys, Nixon, Princess Di, the Clintons, Reagan, whomever--stick to the facts, that's one thing. If on the other hand this is merely the latest instance of a network's craven cave-in, what else is new? Meanwhile, Representative John Dingell sent this letter to the producers: "In the interest of historical accuracy, please allow me to share with you some of my recollections of the Reagan years that I hope will make it into the final cut of the mini-series: $640 Pentagon toilets seats; ketchup as a vegetable; union busting; firing striking air traffic controllers; Iran-Contra; selling arms to terrorist nations; trading arms for hostages; retreating from terrorists in Beirut; lying to Congress; financing an illegal war in Nicaragua; visiting Bitburg cemetery; a cozy relationship with Saddam Hussein; shredding documents; Ed Meese; Fawn Hall; Oliver North; James Watt; apartheid apologia; the savings and loan scandal; voodoo economics; record budget deficits; double digit unemployment; farm bankruptcies; trade deficits; astrologers in the White House; Star Wars..."

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