Media Matters Protesting Choice of Frank Luntz

Photo from MediaMatters

And well they should. I received this email from MediaMatters.org moments ago, and am publishing it here, in its entirety.

In case you didn’t see, I wanted to pass along an ACTION ALERT from David Brock sent this morning. The alert is about PBS and their plans to have GOP pollster Frank Luntz provide analysis after PBS’s democratic presidential forum. As you will read in David’s letter, Frank Luntz cannot be trusted to provide objective analysis of the forum.

Any help you can give to get the word out would be appreciated. Here is the link to our action alert with the contact info: http://mediamatters.org/items/200706250001

Here is a link to a form that allows people to send the alert to their friends: http://mediamatters.org/items/email/200706250001

Here is the contact info we are urging people to use to contact PBS and the show:
PBSPBS/Public Broadcasting Service 2100 Crystal Drive Arlington, VA 22202 703-739-5000

Smiley ShowTavis Smiley Show 4401 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027 323-666-6500

Email the show

Thank you in advance for your help. Please let me know if you have any questions.

- Justin

Justin J. Cole

Online Outreach Coordinator

Media Matters for America

www.mediamatters.org

http://mediamatters.org/items/200706250001

ALERT: PBS Selects Luntz for Democratic forum analysis...
Email from David Brock, June 25, 2007.

Dear Friend:

I'm sure you've already heard that PBS will be hosting the next Democratic presidential forum on Thursday, June 28, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. What you may not know is that PBS has invited Frank Luntz, a longtime Republican pollster and strategist, to provide "immediate public feedback on the performances of the candidates" during post-forum coverage on the Tavis Smiley program.

Of course, when Luntz's appearance was announced, the press release made no mention of his Republican ties or long history of being criticized for his work.

If you don't know much about Frank Luntz, here are some important facts about this discredited Republican pollster:

In 1997, the American Association for Public Opinion Research formally reprimanded Luntz for refusing to release documentation in support of comments he made to the media regarding his polling work on the Republican Party's 1994 "Contract with America" campaign platform, according to a Salon.com article.

Washington Post polling director Richard Morin reported that the National Council on Public Polls censured Luntz "for allegedly mischaracterizing on MSNBC the results of focus groups he conducted during the [2000] Republican Convention."

In September 2004, MSNBC dropped Luntz from its planned coverage of that year's presidential debate coverage, following a letter from Media Matters that outlined Luntz's GOP ties and questionable polling methodology.

According to a January 29, 2007, article on The New Republic's website, Luntz "not only helped write Republican House member Newt Gingrich's Contract with America; he was also responsible for its presentation to the public." He also "advised Republicans trying to impeach Bill Clinton."
Luntz's 2002 memo "The Environment: A Cleaner, Safer, Healthier America" coached Republicans on new ways to talk about global warming and warned the party that the environment "is probably the single issue on which Republicans in general -- and President Bush in particular -- are most vulnerable."

A June 2004 memo by Luntz, "Communicating The Principles Of Prevention & Protection In The War On Terror," urged Republicans to use concepts such as "It is better to fight the War on Terror on the streets of Baghdad than on the streets of New York or Washington" and "9/11 changed everything," which have been staples of Republican rhetoric ever since.

With his well-documented Republican ties and history of being criticized and reprimanded by his peers, it's clear that Frank Luntz cannot be trusted to provide objective analysis of Thursday's forum.

Today, I'm asking you to contact PBS and let the organization know that it should reconsider its decision to use Luntz in light of his partisan Republican ties and history of questionable scientific methodology. If Luntz must be a part of PBS post-forum coverage, let it know you expect that its viewers will be informed of these facts on the air.

Sincerely,

David Brock,President & CEO

Media Matters for America