Quick Hit:

Douglas MacKinnon, a former Reagan White House writer, recounts his personal experience with Ronald Reagan and responds to liberal criticism of the new film Reagan. MacKinnon reflects on Reagan’s legacy and the far-left's hostility toward the movie.

Key Details:

• Douglas MacKinnon, a former White House writer for President Ronald Reagan, shares a personal moment he experienced with the former president.

• MacKinnon addresses liberal critics' negative reception of the new movie Reagan starring Dennis Quaid.

• MacKinnon notes the film is well-received by the general public, earning a 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Diving Deeper:

In a recent op-ed for Fox News, Douglas MacKinnon, a former White House writer for President Ronald Reagan, shared both a deeply personal moment with the president and his thoughts on the liberal backlash surrounding the new movie Reagan. The film, directed by Sean McNamara and starring Dennis Quaid, has drawn criticism from the far-left, with some calling it "the worst movie of the year."

MacKinnon, however, staunchly defends Reagan’s legacy and the film’s portrayal of the former president. In his piece, he recalls an emotional moment with Reagan when he was invited to the Oval Office to discuss a piece of writing. During their conversation, Reagan, who also grew up in a family affected by alcoholism, empathized with MacKinnon’s upbringing. “His eyes began to fill with tears,” MacKinnon writes, describing how the president hugged him, showing a side of grace and empathy that many of his critics overlook.

In response to the movie’s negative reviews, MacKinnon argues that Reagan's critics still "hate" the former president because he was a "man of the people." He says the far-left “exist only to tear down the blood, sweat, and tears of truly creative people,” noting that these critics ignore the fact that Reagan was loved by many Americans because “he had walked in their shoes.”

While some professional reviewers deride the film as “worshipful” and “propaganda,” Reagan has been a hit with audiences, garnering a 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. MacKinnon asserts that the film is “exceeding expectations at the box office,” and he credits much of the left-wing criticism to ideological bias, particularly because Quaid, who plays Reagan, has publicly supported Donald Trump.

MacKinnon closes by reminding readers that Reagan, who once saw Hollywood's leftward shift, would not be surprised by the hate aimed at his legacy today. With his signature humor, Reagan might have responded, "Well … there they go again." Despite liberal critiques, MacKinnon believes the public's reception of the film speaks louder, summing up: "‘Reagan’ — 1. Liberal critics — 0."