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   Memo: The way forward on health care reform in 2010.
 A dark legacy of the Vietnam War is creating a whole new set of problems.
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May 27, 2009
WASN'T LUNTZ SUPPOSED TO GO AWAY?.... We talked over the weekend about Republican pollster Frank Luntz, and his 28-page memo, "The Language of Health Care," written to help Republican lawmakers undermine health care reform efforts. In an interview with the New York Times, Luntz was asked some of his more misleading policy claims. "I'm not a policy person," Luntz replied. "I'm a language person." And while it's obviously unsatisfying to hear Luntz argue, in effect, that he can do his job without knowing what he's talking about, Jay Rosen reminded me of another important angle: didn't Frank Luntz promise to move to Hollywood and stop bothering us with deceptive rhetorical strategies? This report ran exactly one month ago today.
Asked why he would give up a lucrative career in political manipulation, Luntz said, "I'm tired of selling reality. Reality sucks. It's mean. Divisive. Negative. What Hollywood offers is a chance to create a new reality, in two hours time." He added, "I don't like what politics has become.... I don't want to create a 30-second spot that makes people feel like s---." A few weeks later, Luntz, hired by a client he refuses to identify, released an extensive strategy memo, encouraging Republicans to kill the best chance Americans have had at health care reform in decades, relying on little more than fear and deception. Any chance Luntz can be encouraged to go back to Hollywood and leave the political world alone? What's more, I'd be remiss if I passed up the easy joke here. Luntz is "tired of selling reality." Frank, I've read your "Language of Health Care" memo -- and you're still not selling reality. —Steve Benen 9:20 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (10)Comments
Luntz is "tired of selling reality To be fair, he probably said, "tired of selling out reality. OK, maybe not, but you can't believe everthing you read in the NYT either. Posted by: Danp on May 27, 2009 at 9:30 AM | PERMALINKOnce again the meme "Perception is Reality" comes to mind. . . Posted by: DAY on May 27, 2009 at 9:33 AM | PERMALINKmost propagandists are more low-key and less arrogant. And Frankie boy maybe that -- with a background like the republicans... I think the name "Luntz" metaphor-o-cize in the future like the name "Hoover" (the sucking machine, not poor Herb) or the name "Xerox." To "Luntz" is to arrogantly and deviously and obviously slant rhetoric as far as possible toward the ugly, the evil, and the Big Lie. Posted by: neill on May 27, 2009 at 9:34 AM | PERMALINKHe's not a reality person. He's a sound bite person. Posted by: Lifelong Dem on May 27, 2009 at 9:41 AM | PERMALINKLuntz is a professional liar, which is something he basically openly admits. He probably said he was retiring to Hollywood specifically because he was not. The fact that he has a voice at all in our discourse should tell you everything about its quality. Posted by: kidcharles on May 27, 2009 at 9:42 AM | PERMALINKI think what Luntz meant to say was that he was tired of combating reality. Posted by: Stetson Kennedy on May 27, 2009 at 10:09 AM | PERMALINKLuntz said exactly what is correct - "he's tired of selling reality" He means creating a reality, packaging it for the purpose of propaganda, and then watching the Republicans use his work to sell "their VERSION" of reality. Propaganda works - very well! Posted by: Mark-NC on May 27, 2009 at 10:11 AM | PERMALINK"...kill the best chance Americans have had at health care reform in decades, relying on little more than fear and deception." How can we miss him if he won't go away? Ditto Cheney, Gingrich, etc. Posted by: low-tech cyclist on May 27, 2009 at 10:42 AM | PERMALINK
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