“The Way I See It” (Amazon)

Contributor Kit Duane

The Way I See It a documentary describing the life of Pete Souza, White House photographer for President Obama.

This oddly moving documentary made by Dawn Porter begins with an introduction to an American Everyman, Pete Souza, the nice guy down the block you don’t know at all. As a kid he came to photography in an easy going way and seemingly by chance he became White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan. Souza is such an unassuming guy he can just naturally hang out with Ron and Nancy, because they hardly know he’s there, and he comes up with fine photos. To my horror, looking at them, I found myself fond of Ron.

After that comes the substance of the Souza doc, the Obama White House, and the warmth, character, and decency which flowed from it. This part is a swim into warm waters: So that’s what Americans are like! Fine people, who disagree respectfully, and who stand for democracy and goodness in the world. 

Part three:  Donald Trump enters the White House and everything that plain spoken Pete Souza admired in two American presidents, is tossed out the window. America’s Everyman is outraged. His plain spoken, absolutely direct condemnation of Trump, the liar, the cheat, the man with no respect for “the office,” will give all Americans who give a damn, a shot in the arm.