PBS and the Luntz-Giuliani Connection

Connection to Giuliani Further Proof that Luntz is Incapable of Objectively Analyzing Democratic Presidential Forum

Washington, DC - Media Matters for America has publicly identified a glaring conflict of interest in the announced appearance by Republican pollster Frank Luntz on PBS to provide "public feedback on candidate performances" following PBS' June 28 Democratic presidential forum and on PBS' Tavis Smiley the following evening to discuss his findings. As Media Matters has noted, Luntz has worked on Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's previous three political campaigns, and has heaped praise on Giuliani this year. Giuliani could well be running against one of the participants in the Democratic presidential forum. Luntz's connection to Giuliani is yet another strong reason why PBS should not be featuring Luntz, described by PBS in its April 4 release announcing Luntz's appearance only as a "noted pollster."

"PBS simply should not use a discredited pollster, former Giuliani consultant, and avid Republican to conduct the official post-forum focus-group analysis on the PBS Democratic presidential forum. It doesn't make any sense, and PBS should know better," said David Brock, President and CEO of Media Matters for America. Brock continued: "From his long ties to the Republican Party to his reputation for misrepresenting polling data and being reprimanded for it by his colleagues, Luntz's connection to Giuliani is just another in a growing list of reasons why he cannot be trusted to provide objective analysis."

Yesterday, Media Matters for America called on PBS and the Tavis Smiley program to reconsider their decision to have the discredited Republican pollster participate in coverage of Thursday's forum. As a partisan Republican, Luntz has shown open disdain for Democratic priorities and candidates and has a long record of being criticized by his peers for misrepresenting polling data and questionable polling methodology.

More Information on Luntz's History of Censure and Smear:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200706250002

• 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, 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 "[i]t 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.

More information on the Luntz-Giuliani connection:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200706260002?f=h_top

• On the June 20 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Luntz said of Clinton: "[I]f she is shown to be a flip-flopper ... [t]hat will undercut her credibility immediately." He went on to say that "[w]hat the Democrats want ... is somebody who says what they mean and means what they say." Luntz predicted Clinton is "going to have a problem later on in her campaign." On the same program, Luntz falsely claimed that "[t]here's data out there that shows that the Democrats have a significant lead over the Republicans in who people want for president. But when you compare Giuliani and Hillary Clinton ... she runs behind." Co-host Alan Colmes corrected Luntz, saying: "It depends on the poll. She runs ahead in some." Indeed, several of the recent polls available at the time of Luntz's comments had Clinton either ahead or tied with Giuliani in a possible general election match-up.

• On the June 14 edition of Hannity & Colmes, Luntz repeated the phrase, saying that "the reason why [Giuliani is] still leading right now is because the number-two attribute after someone who says what they mean and means what they say -- the number-two attribute that the American people want in a president is a leader in times of crisis." Luntz then asked: "Does that not define Rudy Giuliani?"

• In an April 25 article, Variety reported that "Luntz predicted that [former Sen. John] Edwards [D-NC] will win Iowa but said the next president will be whoever shows authenticity, a person 'who says what he means and means what he says.' " Luntz was quoted as saying: "I pray that it is Rudy Giuliani vs. Hillary Clinton for one reason: It will be the biggest brawl in modern political history. Every guy will be rooting for Rudy. Every woman will be rooting for Hillary. Divorce lawyers will make a mint off this election. And it will be fun to watch."

• As Media Matters noted, on the March 13 edition of Hannity & Colmes, Luntz described Giuliani as "someone who defines the phrase 'Says what he means, means what he says.' "

• Again, on the March 2 edition of Hannity & Colmes, Luntz criticized Sen. Clinton and said that Americans "want to look you straight in the eye and they want you to say what you mean and mean what you say and not hide anything."

• On the February 10 edition of CNBC's The Tim Russert Show, when asked to explain how "[c]redibility is as important as philosophy," Luntz said: "It means that you have to genuinely say what you mean and mean what you say." Later in the show, after suggesting Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) is a "flip-flop[per]," Luntz stated: "You want [politicians] to look you straight in the eye and absolutely say what you mean and mean what you say. It's why [Sen.] John McCain [R-AZ] is popular, it's why Rudy Giuliani is popular, and it's why Barack Obama is popular.

• In a February 4 New York Times article, in which Luntz was identified as "Mr. Giuliani's second mayoral campaign pollster," he was quoted as saying, "No one in New York, not even Ed Koch, could equal Rudy in the phrase, 'He says what he means and means what he says.' "

• And on the January 19 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, Luntz was asked by host Tucker Carlson, "What kind of language should Giuliani use?" Luntz replied: "First off, I'm not advising him. I worked with him in his mayoral races, but I'm not involved in the presidential." Luntz went on to say: "Rudy doesn't use sound bites. He's the only politician in America that speaks in entire thoughts. And if you look at the transcript of what he says, it's not beautiful. But if you listen to it, he moves people."