Stefan Forbes Explores the Boogie Man of American Politics
New documentary traces the impact of Republican strategist Harvey Leroy "Lee" Atwater
By Douglas Polisin
URL: http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/boogie_man_lee_atwater_stefan_forbes_20081002/
Just in time for election day, director Stefan Forbes releases his documentary on the father of the politics-as-war ideology: Harvey "Lee" Atwater. A political consultant and strategist for the Republican Party during the elections of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, Atwater's abrasive negative campaigning not only made him a star in the eyes of his party and George W. Bush’s “number one soul mate” but also set the playing ground for the dirty politics we know today. With the debates underway and mudslinging ads coming from both sides, one thing is certain: Atwater's legacy is still very much alive. Forbes gave MM the scoop on Boogie Man after its screenings at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Here, he discusses everything from making a documentary on such a controversial figure to the importance of the Atwater story on the current political climate and upcoming election.