MovieChat Forums > Wag the Dog (1998) Discussion > Was DeNiro the 'real' president?

Was DeNiro the 'real' president?


I keep seeing spin doctor all over the place, but it really seemed that DeNiro was the man in charge. That and the fact that Heche freaks out about the immigrant truck driver who she quickly has sworn in as a citizen.

The 'president' is told what to do continually, as if he is just an actor doing a job for someone else. The one bit of personality he does show is debating over whether to read a speech or not. Then he does it anyway.

I'm really curious if anyone else noticed this.

Just to reiterate.

1 - Heche says something earlier in the film about whether someone is a US citizen. I think she may have said it 3 times. The first time may have been during the Albania shoot.

2 - DeNiro basically pushes the CIA around as if they can't touch him.

3 - DeNiro never answers to anyone.

4 - DeNiro is the man in charge all the time. He chooses to have Hoffman killed. He has the 'presidents' plane diverted.

5 - Heche has the immigrant sworn in at the end. If there is some law about the president only working with citizens...who was on that truck? Hollywood producer, her, dead woody harrelson, and..DeNiro.

So..whatcha think?

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No, DeNiro was just an important person in the Administration. He's not just a "spin doctor", but also a political strategist and tacitian... the president's left hand, who gets the necessary stuff done while everyone looks at the right hand.

As for the importance of American Citizenship, take a look at the opening scene again. DeNiro comes in, and one of the first questions he asks is if the president had an illegal immigrant as a maid in the past. A couple of important people in politics either had their careers derailed (and at least rocked) because they employed illegal immigrants... a big no-no, and in the news during the big elections.

As for the CIA and diverting the President's plane, that's pretty much evidence that he's not the real president. If he were the real president, the CIA answered to him... he wouldn't have to make threats about what someone else might do. As for diverting the President's plane, while it came out as an order, it was probably sent to the president as a request, along with the reasons why. The President, wanting to get re-elected, agreed to it... but the final word rested with him... we just don't see that part.

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Stop infecting our beloved boards with this dumb theory. Your points are weak.
There are many people in charge - it doesn't mean they're all the president.

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> Stop infecting our beloved boards with this dumb theo...

Stop being a coward and get out of your miserable sqauare.

--
The Purpose of Life is to End

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I almost nearly agree!. Especially considering the amount of times he's asked ' What He does? ' throughout the movie.

The film was a satire on a Television news and was none to subtle about it's references. Where it was subtle was however regarding the power structure in US politics. Tie the two in and you basicly have the US president as a kind of ' TV Show ' that relys on ratings as much as votes and image as much as reality. It may have been a satire on Moviemaking too, with Hoffman bemoaning the lack of respect a Producer gets in HWood claiming all the credit goes to the stars and the Director ( The Pres and De Nire respectivly ). The clues above aren't conclusive enough to suggest that Levinson was attempting any of it but then again...

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two words,...

Carl Rove

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[deleted]

[deleted]

Because the point was that this was the President's administration that was trying to protect him, and he wasn't really important. I think it was meant to be a look at what can go on behind the scenes.

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Hey Mr.Bisco-put "SPOILERS" in your post next time!

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How hard is it to grasp the concept of "The President is a Puppet"?

It's been that way for years.

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Having advisers does not make one a puppet, you know.

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I think you hit the nail on the head. Carl Rove is a perfect real life Conrad.

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The President is the title given to the person we elect to run our country. In the movie DeNiro is obviously not this person. The president can have advisors but even if these advisors have better and more important ideas than the president they will not become the president. I am not really sure what you're asking our your point.

The Human Fund. Money For People

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He's clearly not the President. In the scene in the editing room, the President requests a white kitten, and though De Niro and Hoffman want a Calico, they are forced to change it.

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[deleted]

Don't know or this has been mentioned, but he doesn't exactly pushes the CIA around. He needed to put a lot of effort in convincing them to not reveal the war-scam. The CIA didn't reveal it, but they do boycot it by telling the public that their beloved american soldiers are being withdrawn from Albania.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Team







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When flesh hits the telepod.

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