Michael Reagan defends father Ronald's reputation

Does Michael Reagan want to be the last word on his father Ronald Reagan--or the only word?

On Friday, the 65-year-old adopted son of Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman, trashed Eugene Jarecki's "Reagan" documentary (which airs on HBO at 12:30 p.m. today).

Michael, who founded the Reagan Legacy Foundation, wrote on Fox News.com that Jarecki's film is "a clever attempt to hijack my father's legacy." He also characterized the doc as an "insidious rewrite of history" that, for instance, "repeats the tired canard that Reaganomics transferred wealth from the poor to the rich."

"Eugene Jarecki is rummaging through the tomb of Ronald Reagan, looking for a legacy to steal," Michael concluded.

What Reagan doesn't reveal is that he is featured prominently in the film, which has been lauded by the Right and the Left for its evenhandedness. (The NY Times called it "unblinkered but respectful"; the NY Post gave it four stars.)

Jarecki tells us he was "kind of honored" that Reagan wrote about "Reagan." but surprised by what he chose to put in-and leave out-of his critique.

The filmmaker says his goal in making the film was to "invite people to think more deeply" about the 40th president, whose 100th birthday was recently observed and whose legacy has too often been co-opted by people of all political stripes who "invoke his name when they want to sell the American people privately held agendas of their own."

"Reagan," he says includes "high praise" for the Gipper and "reflections on his shortcomings so that a real man can emerge from the dialogue." Those interviewed include Reagan's former Secretary of State George Schultz, former Chief of Staff James Baker, economist Arthur Laffer, who argues that Reaganomics worked, and sons Ron Reagan Jr. and Michael Reagan, who crops up in the first 10 minutes.

Jarecki tells us he found it "striking" Michael failed to mention his participation in his Fox News article. "He acts as though this is some sort of ambush," the filmmaker says. "If it is tomb robbing, I suppose he would have to include himself in the raiding party."

Noting that last month, Michael called his half-brother Ron an "embarrassment" for speculating about early signs of their father's Alzheimer's Disease in a new memoir, Jarecki says, "I sense Michael"--who just published a book of his own, "The New Reagan Revolution: How Ronald Reagan's Principles Can Restore America's Greatness"--"is uncomfortable with other American citizens reflecting on the 40th president from any distance."

He adds: "Criticizing someone for their effort to promote more dialogue, betrays a certain insecurity about the subject."

The filmmaker is scheduled to appear on CNN's "Parker/Spitzer" show tonight. We suspect he'll have more to say about this then.

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