A behind-the-scenes look at scheming political operatives

No, what gives “Farragut North’’ the ring of authenticity is the mixture of adrenaline, ambition, and animosity that drives its scheming campaign operatives. These characters are out to win at all costs — even if one of the costs of their scorched-earth approach is that they will forget why, exactly, they are trying to win in the first place.

In other words, this is politics with a small “p.’’ The 33-year-old Willimon does not reach for the capital “P’’ politics of a Brecht or an Odets, nor does he aim for the social criticism or metaphorical scope of a Tony Kushner. That’s fine, yet “Farragut North’’ does not feel quite fully developed. It suffers by comparison with the work of Aaron Sorkin, who, with “The West Wing,’’ substantially raised the bar on political dramas. Willimon, while undeniably talented and promising, lacks Sorkin’s endlessly fertile wit and his knack for generating dramatic sparks out of the collision between wonky idealism and hard-edged pragmatism.

But like Joe Klein in his Bill Clinton-inspired novel, “Primary Colors,’’ Willimon creates an often-absorbing political fable out of one simple truth: namely, that the real action of any presidential campaign occurs not in the candidate’s stump speeches or appearances on “Meet the Press,’’ but rather in the behind-the-scenes machinations of the strategists.

At the center of “Farragut North’’ is Stephen Bellamy (Victor Shopov), the press secretary for the presidential campaign of a certain governor (never seen), who is sitting on a comfortable lead in the polls shortly before the Iowa caucuses. In the chain of command, Stephen is second only to campaign manager Paul Zara (Peter Brown), but he still keeps a wary eye on deputy press secretary Ben Fowles (Zach Winston), while turning a roving eye on Molly (Caitlyn Conley), a 19-year-old intern (given no last name by Willimon).