The New York Post has a great article about Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings all pretty much agree that the coverage of Ronald Reagan's death has been excessive.

"Even though everybody is respectful and wants to pay homage to the president, life does go on," Rather told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"There is other news, like the reality of Iraq," said the "CBS Evening News" anchor. "It got very short shrift this weekend."

...

"Once the herd starts moving in one direction, it's very hard to turn it, even slightly," Rather said. "Nationally, the herd has grown tremendously."

"I think just about everything is over-covered these days," said Brokaw, who anchors the "NBC Nightly News." "The spectrum is so crowded. With all the cable networks, it begins to have a 'video wall' feeling to it."

So use your influence jerks and change it! I'm alright with the non-stop cable coverage, but the nightly news at this point shouldn't be heavily dominated with Reagan news. This weekend was understandable I guess, but a whole freakin week of this non-stop coverage? enough already. We get it, the 40th President of the United States has passed away. Showing a live feed of his casket isn't news.

More from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The tone of the networks' Reagan coverage thus far has raised some eyebrows among media critics, who labeled it too soft on his sometimes controversial presidency.

Rather says such analysis should be done only after Reagan is interred. (He prefers to call Reagan's funeral "his farewell journey.")

"When a twice-elected, two-full-term president dies, it's not the time for a seminar on his strengths and weaknesses, in my opinion.

"To paraphase Marc Antony, I think, by and large, that the good that men do should live after them, and the evil should be interred with their bones."

Brokaw and Jennings don't share Rather's view. Although they both intend to be appropriately respectful while covering the somber events, their networks will also do analytical pieces this week.

Reagan "was a beloved American leader, but at the same time our journalistic obligation is to put his whole life and his political career in context," Brokaw says. "It's a very delicate balancing act.

"In a time of national mourning, let the first day or so pass, then go back and respectfully examine the person's record. The Reagan legacy has some scandals - Iran-contra, his failure to recognize early on the AIDS epidemic. He made some controversial appointments."