Di Caprio to play Trippi

Somehow filming a political wonk use the internet doesn't sound like riveting drama, but, apparently Hollywood sees great promise in filming the story of Joe Trippi's management of the Howard Dean 2004 campaign.

Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney are reported to be in early talks about teaming up for a movie, which The Hollywood Reporter is calling a “political thriller,” loosely based on Howard Dean’s innovative but ultimately unsuccessful run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004.
Mr. DiCaprio is expected to play the young, idealistic communications director who guides an unconventional candidate but is ultimately derailed by dirty politics as usual. So, that means the heartthrob is playing the screen version of Joe Trippi. (Kind of like Robert Redford playing Bob Woodward in “All the President’s Men.”)

Here's the plot summary.

The actor [Jake Gyllenhaal] played a young, idealistic communications director who works for an inspiring, though unorthodox, presidential candidate. During the campaign, his career is done in by more seasoned politicos who thrive on poisonous partisan politics, dirty tricks and back-stabbing.

What is the dirty politics that derailed the Howard Dean campaign? He was riding high for a good long time and then voters took a second look at him and rejected him for the more staid and safe John Kerry. Is Trippi accusing other Democrats of playing dirty politics? Oh, my, that can't be.