The stakes are not the same as they were in 1969 for space exploration and dominance. The government would have too much to lose and very little to gain to bother faking something like this, that to be honest, most of the population probably doesn't care much about. All the people employeed by NASA and other various and sundry government contractors would have to keep a pretty tight lid on it too, but for what gain? With all of the funding NASA receives, it is highly unlikely they would be able to channel the greater percentage of it elsewhere while under scrutiny from countless other government boards and agencies, not to mention the employees, the public, and the media. I agree that the president Bush is likely going to use support for the space program to bolster his reelection campaign, and probably draw back support once in office just like his father because the glaring debt created by his war makes it financially reckless to continue support for something that offers him little benefit.
The American people on the other hand, and the whole world even, have a great deal to gain. Aside from knowledge, which to me is the biggest motivator, the process that NASA goes through in order to put men on Mars will certainly come with unexpected side benefits to medicine and applicable technology just because of the enormous research budget, not to mention any future research this makes possible in regard to the red planet itself. If Bush is sincere and comitted to the space program, and I don't mean like Reagan was, then it might change the way I feel about his administration and give me some hope for the next four years. THAT I'm skeptical about however.