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.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Mas]

Post the memo so it can be circulated.

[weatherwaxx]

It's good to hear that the new Democrats we elected last fall came onto the floor with the GUTS to call these b@stards on their propaganda schemes.

Call them out -- every single time. This isn't Oz -- America needs to be shown the corporate fearmongers hiding behind the curtain and working the smoke and lights.

GOOD MAN!

[kylie]

It also points out just how many Democrats are being courted and bought by the same insurance/pharmaceutical lobbyists that bought all the Republicans in the past eight years.
Merkley is not one of them, thank God.
I want a single payer plan and I want the government to keep the prices down with insurance/health care and the quality much better than it is now.
The Corporations that own the insurance/pharmacueticals just don't want to let go of their For Profit billions they are making off a captive public.
Go Government!

[tahoegal]

I applaud Merkley for speaking o ut - even if the article does point out he's a "freshman". President Obama and the Dems need more people like this who are willing to stand up and be counted, or we'll NEVER have health care reform!

[zerotimes10]

Yes, the Republicans have been very good at shape shifting words. I got to hand it to them but wait, I see a man behind the curtain. My goodness. Why, there is no Wizard of OZ. He's a fake and a fraud. Busted!

[levibatgirl]

I love it when someone tells the truth about fil thy rethugs and their fil thy America h8ing agenda!!

[Danigirl65]

I applaud Senator Merkley for standing up and calling it the way it is. These talking points have become almost obvious to most of us because they are repeated over, and over. They do not serve to help the American people - they simply serve to attempt to undermine the administration's goals.

[dragonlady620]

Good for Merkley. Frank Luntz's revolting memo is easily available online and it should be aired on the MSM to make people aware of just where the GOP is really coming from on this issue. Thanks to courageous senators like Merkley maybe it will be.

[LeftLeanWing]

Democrats need to start using Frank Luntz's name just like the Republican always bring up George Soros.

"We can not be Governed by another 'Luntz' Talking Point"

[Danigirl65]

AMEN!!

[ChelseaC]

I hope Fox News--Rupert Murdock, Frank Luntz and those in the House and Senate who tell lies about the Canadian health care system gets sued for defamation.
It amazes me that the garbage that Fox News is spouting about the Canadians and their health care is not being addressed by the sane members of the House, Senate and POTUS.
Canada is out friend--we need their help and cooperation with home security and yet we allow these Republican low lifes defame their system? WTF?
It's one thing to not like the Canadian health care system, it's another thing to defame it.
Shame on the unprofessional thugs that will tell lies about another country just to promote their SHAMEFUL and greedy self interests.
As an American, I'm ashamed of their behavior.

[wordvarc]

Good.

Expose his "method" and 'talking points.'
Make Frank Luntz a household name in the company of rove, w, cheney, limbaugh, delay, boehner, and gingrich.

[foldingthought]

Good work. I hope that there some decent Health Care is developed in the US. As to "government run" health care, all the government does is provide the funds to operators, be they state or private based. The fundamental principal of Universal Health Care is that everyone can seek treatment regardless of their age or condition (however, cosmetic procedures shouldn't be covered).

Glad that there are a few peeps in the senate to hopefully get some change pass through!

[dennissinned]

A real debate can only take place if and when a viable third party finally sprouts from the current political landscape.

[freethinkergirl]

That may come sooner than we think.

[LeftLeanWing]

But wouldn't that make getting things done even more difficult with the 60-vote majorities required.?

[cruzking2000]

I've been saying that for years, and now it finally looks like the stars are aligned for it to happen. Richard Wolfe was talking about how the conditions are right for just such a thing this evening on Countdown.

[jinxed]

Speaking of Countdown, a couple of nights ago I had 2 guys where I work "informed me that MSNBC is not long for the world" and "MSNBS is has NO following and will be gone within 6 months". My only comment back was "listen to fox noise, do you?"

[Wiseronenow]

Here! Here! 'Bout time somebody called that tweeb, Luntz, out!

[petef59]

If there is a hell, Frank Luntz has a long term upcoming stay.

[cruzking2000]

Talk about the perfect "death tax" for him!

[ChelseaC]

Senator Jeff Merkley,
Thank you.

[jakiew]

i agree, thank you !

[helpusa]

NOW THERE IS A MIGHTY GOOD MAN!! Thank you Senator Merkley. You're my hero of the week!!

[toppermost]

holy crap. the conservatives are taking on the neo-cons.