Howard Kurtz quoted Frank Luntz today on his being dropped by MSNBC after MediaMatters complained: "I think they buckled to political pressure," says Luntz, who has advised Republicans from Newt Gingrich to Rudy Giuliani but says he's done no GOP work since 2001. "They caved. . . . Why is it that Democrats are allowed to do this" after leaving politics, "but Republicans aren't?" But MediaMatters says Luntz has indeed done GOP work recenty: But as MMFA has noted, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press reported on September 2: "Earlier this year, GOP pollster Frank Luntz advised Republicans to never talk about Iraq or homeland security without first mentioning how '9/11 changed everything.'" The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on September 1: "Republican pollster Frank Luntz did his best Tuesday to pump up Ohio's Republicans at a delegation breakfast. 'If you guys fail, if John Kerry becomes president by a percent or half a percent, I think you're going to be pretty regretful,' he said." MediaMatters has more examples and links, including a report of paid work for "Rescue California, Recall Gray Davis." It could be, though, that what Luntz said was imprecisely summarized by Kurtz, or that Luntz has another idea of what "GOP work" means. |
Monday, October 04, 2004
