Good evening and welcome to The American Experience, I'm David McCullough. Part One of our special two-part broadcast, Reagan. It was then, too, that the Cold War all but ended, a turning point in history the importance of which can hardly be overstated. What distinguishes our film is the presence of so many of the protagonists in the drama, including Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as members of the president's own family, Nancy, Maureen, Ron and Patti. Indeed, this is the first film biography of Ronald Reagan in which his family has agreed to appear.
Several themes emerge in tonight's broadcast.
One is that Reagan was so often underestimated. Who would ever have thought a movie star could twice be elected governor of our largest state, let alone twice elected president. Another theme is the extent of his religious conviction, beginning in boyhood. Never in the history of the country had there been a president with his background.