The importance of public opinion in the movie "Wag the Dog".

The movie "Wag the Dog" is a political and media satire, adapted by Hilary Henkin and David Mamet from Larry Beinhart's novel. In this movie, Two weeks prior to re-election, the President of the United States is accused of sexual harassment a firefly girl in the Oval Office. To divert the country's attention from this politically fatal bit of information, presidential adviser Winifred Ames brings in political consultant and spin doctor Conrad Brean, a specialist …

…What he means is not that TV news is necessarily true, but that it might as well be true because most the public will believe it. The song "Good Old Shoe" was created to lift American spirit. After that kids start lobbing their old gym shoes over power lines and throw them onto the court during basketball games as a spontaneous display of patriotism. That shows us how strong the media can influence public opinion.