WP/Novak: Frank Luntz Runs Into a Wall of GOP Denial

[kskiska]

The Pollster in Exile

Pollster Frank Luntz for the past decade has issued warnings to his fellow Republicans that they did not want to hear, but never has he been so out of touch with them as he is today. "The Republican message machine is a skeleton of its former self," Luntz told me. "These people have no idea how the American people react to them."

Luntz sees a disconnect between Republicans and voters that projects a grim future for the party. That contradicts what House and Senate Republicans are saying to each other in closed party conferences. While Luntz views 2006 election defeats as ominous portents, the party's congressional leaders see only transitory setbacks and now dwell on bashing Democrats.

Like those of Cassandra of ancient Troy, Luntz's prophecies of impending disaster have been both accurate and disregarded. Republicans have never been very comfortable hearing critics in closed conferences. He is not invited to such meetings today. "They do not want to hear the truth," Luntz told me. While truth-telling is celebrated by Republican reformers such as presidential front-runner John McCain, it is a decidedly minority view in the GOP.

(snip)

Except for a momentary defection to independent candidate Ross Perot in 1992, Luntz has been a Republican operative who has counseled Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani and Trent Lott. But he often has worked for the media and made comments too harsh for the ears of reclusive Republicans. He has clashed frequently with Rep. John A. Boehner, the Republican leader of the House who stifled ethics legislation last year when he was still majority leader.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/31/AR2007013101807_pf.html

[unpossibles]

1. on the one hand, I agree with him even though I think he's a putz and a liar

this is typical of his work though -

"They do not want to hear the truth," Luntz told me. While truth-telling is celebrated by Republican reformers such as presidential front-runner John McCain, it is a decidedly minority view in the GOP.

He's obviously using this as a way to prop up McCain and distance himself and McCain from the current Repub problems. I don't trust Luntz at all - he is nothing but a marketer, and cares only about selling a plate of shit to America and telling them it's succotash.

[tom_paine]

2. Well said. Luntz is a human garbage sack.

ANYONE who worships the villains in Orwell's books and emulates their linguistic mendacity is such.

[librechik]

3. turned on a dime on November 12,2006

a guy's gotta make a buck!