This article contains some details from the 1997 movie “Wag the Dog,” a political satire by Barry Levinson. The film, which involves a U.S. president creating a fake war to divert attention from a scandal, seems eerily relevant today as it mirrors real-life events. As President Clinton was being investigated for his affair with Monica Lewinsky in 1997, he launched military strikes against Sudan. Of course, any resemblance between the characters in the movie and actual individuals is purely coincidental, but it’s difficult to convince Saddam Hussein or the relentless media seeking sensational headlines of that fact.
The timing of Clinton’s bombing campaign sparked widespread international mockery, as numerous commentators declared his presidency as good as over. Initially intended to satirize the influence of television news and the rising influence of spin doctors, the film has since evolved in significance. In the late ’90s, the phrase “wag the dog” became a common term in political discourse, symbolizing politicians manipulating the media to divert attention from their personal scandals.
Predicting the events of this particular period, Levinson and his team, comprising Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Denis Leary, William H. Macy, and Kirsten Dunst, found themselves unknowingly entangled in global politics. The attention generated by their film posed a potential risk to Bill Clinton’s career. This tale takes an unexpected turn, serving as another example that reality often surpasses the imagination of fiction.
War for Sale
As a movie buff, I’d say that “Wag the Dog,” originally based on a novel, hit the screens in 1997 with a quiet buzz. Barry Levinson’s dark comedy, which revolves around a morally questionable president who orchestrates a fake war to distract from a scandal in Albania, might have slipped into obscurity if not for some extraordinary occurrences towards the end of President Clinton’s tenure.
During speculation of Clinton’s extramarital affairs with a White House intern intensified, Clinton ordered an attack on a chemical factory in Sudan, known as Al-Shifa. The comparisons grew awkward as details emerged about Clinton’s personal life. The global community began to joke about Clinton’s romantic interests. Strikes aimed at suspected terrorist arms factories in Sudan were likened to the Levinson political satire, where the president recruited a PR advisor and film producer to stage a war.
A Presidency in Peril
In my opinion, during that time, the administration failed to convincingly demonstrate that a Sudanese facility was manufacturing lethal nerve gas, as claimed by the Defense Department. The media, unfortunately, jumped on the “wag the dog” narrative. Some analysts even posited that this allegation had a detrimental impact on Clinton’s political landscape, potentially disrupting his foreign policy considerations. He was considering a military show of force against Iraq after Saddam Hussein refused to let weapons inspectors into the country as part of the United Nations Special Commission.
By January 1998, the Israel-Palestine peace summit had failed to progress due to rumors that Clinton was too preoccupied with an upcoming impeachment vote, causing him to divert his focus from the negotiations. On the other hand, in 1998, Iraqi television aired an R-rated satire against the U.S., reportedly a bootleg copy, as propaganda against what they considered the “degraded and immoral” American leadership.
European journalists declared Clinton’s political demise imminent. The allegations of a “wag the dog” presidency and “bimbo bombings” were severely damaging his effectiveness, according to political historian Ofira Seliktar. Both supporters and critics agreed that the scandal negatively impacted the administration’s foreign policy. It was particularly odd given that Clinton had been aware of the film’s production before it hit theaters. Seizing opportunities to mingle with stars, he socialized with De Niro and Hoffman, showing no signs of concern about potential incrimination, even allowing them to shoot scenes on White House property.
Bill Clinton’s Happy Ending
Interestingly enough, it’s not accurate to say Clinton lost credibility. In fact, he did carry out threats against Iraq and Yugoslavia as promised, and when he left office, his popularity had actually increased compared to four years prior – which happens to be how the movie concludes. This unexpected turn of events in reality was so unbelievable that even the film’s creator, Levinson, stated it would have been hard to foresee or accept if depicted on screen. Speaking humbly about his predictive abilities, he admitted to the L.A. Weekly that his satirical comedy was overshadowed by the actual events.
The situation is similar to watching a movie that becomes incomprehensible midway through, leaving you to think, ‘This isn’t engaging for me. It started off promising, but it’s spiraling out of control.’ I believe this analogy can be applied here – an intriguing tale, yet we find ourselves exclaiming, ‘Whoa, hold on a minute, everything’s gone awry, I’m confused and lost.
Some aspects of the movie “Wag the Dog” don’t hold up over time. The director found it surprising that Clinton’s popularity peaked at a career-high 73%, during the height of the Lewinsky scandal. Despite being a controversial figure, Clinton rose to become a respected leader within his party due to founding the Clinton Global Initiative charity. Meanwhile, his wife benefited from his strong brand and political legacy by riding on his coattails.
The central theme of the movie, particularly its ending, is based on the common belief that a respected politician wouldn’t survive scandals like those involving sex allegations. Yet, Clinton quickly dispelled that notion. This writing is both elegant and poignant… but surprisingly outdated. It speaks volumes about how we naively consumed media content in the ’90s, giving our leaders the advantage of doubt. However, a film of this nature couldn’t be produced today because we’ve become cynical towards such institutions. An AI-dominated world that nobody could have foreseen back then when we all relied on the same three, universally trusted news channels for our information in 1997 is now a reality. Best of luck trying to revive this project, Hollywood.
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2025-05-25 23:13