Wag the Dog. 1997. USA. Directed by Barry Levinson. Screenplay by Hilary Henkin, David Mamet, based on the novel by Larry Beinhart. With Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Anne Heche. 35mm. 97 min.
On a visit to the White House, an underage “Firefly Girl” has a possible encounter with the President that could derail his imminent reelection. In order to deflect the potential crisis, the White House hires Conrad Brean, the best spin doctor in the business. Brean’s philosophy is to let the tail wag the dog: get people to focus on a bigger problem than the one you hope to obfuscate. Who cares if it is a fib, a fabrication, or just downright made up? The ends justify the means if the President remains unsullied.