Fox News' Chief Political Operative Reveals Pressure To Create Anti-Obama Panels

[babylonsister]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201101310014

Fox News' Chief Political Operative Reveals Pressure To Create Anti-Obama Panels

January 31, 2011 11:04 am ET by Shauna Theel


Frank Luntz is blaming Fox News for pressuring him to create focus groups that The Los Angeles Times called "laughably tilted against" President Obama:

Luntz defends himself by saying that he has conducted focus groups before that favored Obama, including during the 2008 campaign. He has suggested that his airtime has previously been cut on Fox because his findings didn't comport with the outlet's orthodoxy.

You read that right: segments run by a GOP political operative--who was dubbed the Republican Party's "word doctor" -- leaned too left for Fox News.

Message received. As a frequent contributor to Fox News, Luntz promotes the best messages for Republican politicians and Tea Party protesters. In fact, Luntz coined Politifact's 2010 lie of the year -- "government takeover of health care" -- a lie that was fully embraced and repeatedly promoted by Fox News.

Luntz isn't just any political operative; he's Fox News' chief political operative, helping Fox News campaign for Republican candidates and develop talking points to aid the GOP.

And an effective one at that: Luntz's "focus groups" frequently parrot Fox News' talking points. It's no wonder why Fox keeps inviting him back.

[vaberella]

1. Can Frank Luntz please have an interview with Rachel Maddow. n/t

[emulatorloo]

6. That would be AMAZING n/t

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. So is he still doing panels?

Did he fold? Is he doing Fox's bidding?

[jenmito]

3. It's not that the SEGMENTS "leaned too left..." but that the RESULTS were too favorable to the left

and Obama.

[jenmito]

4. Isn't "the outlet's orthodoxy" "fair and balanced"?

:rofl:

[emulatorloo]

5. Had to be bad if Luntz couldn't stomach it. Thanks for the link n/t