The film came out just before the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke and no doubt benefited at the box office and then at the video store from the publicity. Now, the film is all the buzz again because of President Clintons announcement three days after admitting for the first time an inappropriate relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that he ordered military strikes in two countries.
From the moment Clinton went on live television Thursday to announce the bombings in Afghanistan and Sudan, Wag the Dogs producerdirector Barry Levinson and producer Jane Rosenthal were inundated with requests for comment.
The worlds media right now are giving the filmmakers far too much credit for being clairvoyant, said their spokesman, Simon Halls. The filmmakers put together a movie that was entertainment, and it was well received, but thats what it was entertainment. Anything that is happening in the world today really has nothing to do with the movie.
But the movie is serving as a reference point in the debate over Clintons motivations.
Look at the movie Wag the Dog. I think this has all the elements of that movie, Rep. Jim Gibbons said. Our reaction to the embassy bombings should be based on sound credible evidence, not a kneejerk reaction to try to direct public attention away from his personal problems.
Massachusetts acting Gov. Paul Cellucci, a Republican and a movie buff, said It popped into my mind, but I do hope that thats not the situation and I trust that it isnt.
One of the first questions asked of Defense Secretary William Cohen at a nationally televised Pentagon was how he would respond to people who think the military action bears a striking resemblance to Wag the Dog.
The only motivation driving this action today was our absolute obligation to protect the American people from terrorist activities, Cohen said. That is the sole motivation.
The movies title comes from an old joke, shown in the opening credits of the film Why does a dog wag its tail Because a dog is smarter than its tail. If the tail were smarter, the tail would wag the dog.
