Senator Calls Out Frank Luntz From Senate Floor

It's not every day that a sitting senator takes to the floor to call out a GOP strategist. But on Wednesday, Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley did just that, whacking messaging guru Frank Luntz for writing a blueprint for demonizing health care reform and Republican officials for dutifully following his lead.

"Now, you may think that I'm raising this document before you, this -- this plan for how to kill health care, and that maybe it doesn't have any bearing on the real debate," said Merkley, a freshmen Democrat, from the floor, waving a thin set of white papers in his right hand. "But it absolutely does. These talking points are being echoed in this very chamber in order to kill health care."

What followed was a point-by-point comparison of Luntz's 28-page memo, distributed to congressional Republicans, to some of recent talking points coming straight from the mouths of GOP leadership. Said the Senator:

Here we go. Frank Luntz's memo, that's his memo on how to kill health care, came out in April. It says - talking point number five - "Health denial care horror stories in Canada and other countires do resonate, but you have to humanize them. You notice we recommend the phrase 'government takeover' rather than 'government run' or 'government control.'" Why? Because government takeover sounds even scarier.

So what did we hear in the chamber from our minority leader just recently? I quote - "Americans are concerned about a government takeover of health care and for good reason." And it goes on. So recognize that that is a point that's coming from a document about how to kill health care, not a responsible debate about the plan we have in front of us.

Merkley's remarks represent a new line of political debate about the reform process. The extent to which Democrats can establish that opposition to greater government involvement in health care is driven by poll-tested talking points, as opposed to legitimate ideological disagreements, could go some ways towards affecting the legislative process.

To be certain, progressive health care advocates also have well-tuned talking points and polling data at their disposal. But the conventional wisdom going into the upcoming reform battle has held that the Clinton-era effort at an overhaul was, in part, derailed by massive and correlated effort between private industry actors and sympathetic Republicans.

There is little public appetite for that happening again. Hence the benefits in putting Luntz at the center of the debate.

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Comments

[CamJam]

02:24 PM on 06/16/2009

Way to go Senator Merkley! Makes me so proud that I voted for you!

If any of you would like to help and speak out with Senator Merkley (as well as many of us in the USA) on this issue please read about it here and sign his petition:
http://www.jeffmerkley.com/2009/06/speak_out_for_h.php

[Janus]

08:40 AM on 06/12/2009

Luntz is the porcine buffoon who is largely responsible for the Contract for America (read: Contract ON America), Newtie's pride before he was ultimately run out of the Speakership and then mercifully left the House entirely. Luntz will continue his TV appearances on --where else?--Fox along with Rove. Luntz can be expected to have at the ready his kneepads for dropping to the floor in ideological worship if a far-right plutocrat shows up.

[real1234]

07:12 AM on 06/12/2009

This man is so right. We need on honest debate not obstruction.

[vkcarter65]

12:58 AM on 06/12/2009

Thanks for calling the GOP out because yes the america people want this option and need it. It's only the ones with money that don't.

[Jayson F BA]

12:52 AM on 06/12/2009

Nice job, expose those bought and paid for Republican fear mongers.

[Raster]

10:11 PM on 06/11/2009

Here's a "talking point": Lose your job, lose your health care-immediately! Is that scary enough?

[jill2468]

09:32 PM on 06/11/2009

If you don't think that the Democrates come out with talking points, you are living in a bubble. Be fair. Both sides do it. And often it is successful.

[jsob]

10:45 PM on 06/11/2009

Both sides do use talking points, but Republican talking points too often characterize and demonize, which does little to advance honest debate.

[real1234]

07:16 AM on 06/12/2009

The Republican's use it more . Even Elizabeth on the view uses language verbatum as the daily right wing talking points when they discuss politics which makes me believe they each get a memo of things to say rather than dealing in facts.

[davispty5]

09:25 PM on 06/11/2009

I encourage anyone who agrees with Senator Merkley to let him know you appreciate the work he's doing on behalf of hard working Americans:

http://merkley.senate.gov/contact/

[Samalabear]

08:55 AM on 06/12/2009

Done.

[motoboy]

08:10 PM on 06/11/2009

It's The People v. The Repugnican Party and Big Med

We're about to see whether our system of government is democracy or capitalism.

[Raster]

10:14 PM on 06/11/2009

I wish it were otherwise but I'm betting it's---Capitalism by a mile!

[Montgriz]

03:29 AM on 06/12/2009

the answer is is already clear....the people in America don't count unless they have bucks...our officials are being bribed, and quite well...we cannot compete with the bribery they get....it is like the last days of the Byzantine Empire when positions, and votes were openly bid on on and paid for.....very little difference....sad

[naschkatze]

07:03 PM on 06/11/2009

And above this story is a new one that Democratic bogeyman Luntz "schooled Harry Reid and others. Go, Senator Merkley!

[LeeCalif]

05:52 PM on 06/11/2009

Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

A good man to support !

[HurryUp1212009]

05:42 PM on 06/11/2009

Would somebody explain why Republicans are so determined to prevent all Americans from having health insurance?

Except of course, if Obama succeeds in getting universal health coverage, and even better, a competitive public option, he will be the 2nd coming of FDR and the Republican Party will be DOOMED for the next 25 years!

[LeeCalif]

05:52 PM on 06/11/2009

Because they and many dems receive large political contributions from private insurance companies.

[harmonikasavingsbonds]

05:55 PM on 06/11/2009

BINGO!

That is exactly what is at play here.

[Tomhere]

06:06 PM on 06/11/2009

A close look at former senator Dr. Bill Frist and his business might give you a better idea. They are making money. LOTS of money.

[jill2468]

09:34 PM on 06/11/2009

You may also want to search for GE and its affiliation to the Obama Administration and you will see that no one here has their hands clean.

[judesuper]

05:20 PM on 06/11/2009

Thank you Jeff Merkley. How would you feel about moving to Arizona to replace our T00LS, McCain and Kyl? We in Arizona need proper representation. These repubs have sat in their senate seats well past their sell fresh date.

[juanjo]

03:00 PM on 06/11/2009

God help us! A government run health plan! We all know the government cannot do anything right. Like the military, which is why we have lost every war ever fought and have been invaded repeatedly. Like the Rural Electrification program and the TVA which still have not brought electrical power to vast areas of the rural south and west of this country. Like the Interstate Highway system which has not built a single mile of roadway since started. Like NASA which has done nothing but burn money in a futile gesture to explore space. Like the Centers for Disease Control which have done nothing to control the spread of TB, cholera, typhoid and other infectious diseases. Like the FAA which has done nothing to prevent the almost daily crashes of airliners in our skies. The FDA which has done nothing to prevent the sale of contaminated foods and drugs resulting in millions of deaths and disabilities. The list goes on and on.....

For those who are humor impaired, the above is an attempt at humor.

[ej3]

02:28 PM on 06/11/2009

The government takeover that has caused us so many problems was under the Republicans when government became a corporate subsidiary and the energy policy was of,by and for the energy companies. This whole line of attack is again the Republicans trying to win by falsely defining the terms and framing the issues. Don't let them do it again.