Tuned In: PBS explores 50 years of White House photographers
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For viewers who miss the high-minded idealism and emotional patriotism conjured by "The West Wing," PBS's "The President's Photographer: 50 Years in the Oval Office" brings back some of those same hair-standing-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck feelings. The one-hour program (8 p.m. Wednesday, WQED) explores the history of official White House photographers while showing recent presidents at their most human and down to earth.
It's an hour that is reverential of the highest elected office in the land while going behind the scenes to show that the White House is a workplace not that different from others in terms of positive relationships among co-workers. Surely tensions must exist but "The President's Photographer" is generally unconcerned with conflict and more interested in the lives of the men and women who document history.
Narrator: Morgan Freeman.
Although this National Geographic special focuses on the work of President Barack Obama's chief photographer, Pete Souza, the program is non-partisan and includes interviews with past presidents of both political parties and their photographers. Still, producer/director/writer Jody Lenkoski Schiliro might regret using Mr. Souza's coverage of Mr. Obama's historic health care legislation as a centerpiece now that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claims the recent election results created a mandate that Americans want the law repealed. (That's actually not true according to exit polls that found 48 percent support repeal and 47 percent do not.)
Photo coverage of the health care debate is about as partisan as "The President's Photographer" gets, which is to say the program is apolitical unless any mention of Mr. Obama or his legislative priorities makes a viewer's blood boil.
Narrator Morgan Freeman explains that the White House photographer's job is to create "a visual tool to help future historians understand what went on here," an all-consuming job. It's not uncommon for Mr. Souza to work 13-hour days because his schedule is a mirror of the president's schedule as he provides blanket coverage. One never knows when history will happen.
First Published November 21, 2010 12:00 am
