MARCO RUBIO & FRANK LUNTZ, NOT EXACTLY THE “DYNAMIC DUO”

…Frank Luntz, not a Trump fan

 

Frank Luntz is the “Dirty Tricks” guy for the GOP

 

Many of you have probably heard the name “Frank Luntz”, if you follow the Republican party or if you follow Fox News.  Frank has also been known for writing many of the “Republican Talking Points” that you hear being repeated word-for-word by many of the Republican politicians.  You know, things like “Obama is not a legitimate president,” “Obama is a Muslim, or “Obama is declaring war on Medicare,” etc.

 

Well, Mr.Luntz is also a pollster for Fox News and is paid as a pollster for various Republican politicians.

 

This same Frank Luntz has been seriously instrumental in shaping the political career of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).  Luntz actually wrote most the original speech that Rubio is today still using in his current stump speech for the GOP presidential nomination. 

 

For some reason, Fox News decided not to disclose that close relationship with Rubio before Luntz also sponsored and ran an extraordinarily pro-Rubio focus-group after one of the Republican debates. 

 

It has now been learned from a former high-level elected Florida Republican that Luntz crafted much of Rubio’s messaging efforts.  This was when he was a rising state legislator in Florida over a decade ago.

 

Luntz actually secured a block of time on Fox News immediately after the Republican debate to show how his hand-picked focus-group had declared Rubio the winner of the debate.  Luntz’s post-debate focus group was so in favor of Rubio it was ridiculous.

 

What is also ridiculous is that Luntz actually had Rubio and his aides sit in on some of the focus group sessions.  He would present bits of speeches to the focus group participants for learning firsthand from their observations.  I have been previously involved with marketing focus groups and one rule that is never broken is that for obtaining truthful observations, you never have the individual of focus group in the same room as the focus group.  For some years, Luntz has held various focus groups and showed people tapes of the young legislator.

 

In talking to Fox’s Megyn Kelly after the debate, Luntz literally gushed at her saying: “Megyn, you asked probably the toughest question of the debate. You gave the candidates no room to wiggle. You pressed him. And he responded.  I want to begin with the most important and impactful moment of this debate. It was your challenge of Marco Rubio. And watch how well he did on immigration.”

 

The focus group had featured what we were told were ordinary Americans.   They delivered what resembled a virtual love-letter to the junior Florida senator.  Luntz notably did not reveal the names of the “ordinary Americans” in the focus group. 

 

It was later also reported that Luntz was paid to help Rubio with his 2006 document “100 Innovative Ideas For Florida’s Future,” but the Rubio-Luntz relationship goes much, much deeper.

 

Another high-level former Florida Republican has stated that Luntz worked closely over the summer of 2006 with Rubio’s leadership team.  Over the years, Rubio has reportedly paid Luntz over $300,000 for the “shaping” and speech writing of his career.

 

Meetings with Luntz helped Rubio write his book, but it also helped him to deliver that first “American Exceptionalism” speech that Rubio gave before a national audience.  This was when he accepted his victory in his 2010 Florida Senate race. Rubio has since returned to that theme in many of his presidential endeavors.

 

Luntz was first hired by Rubio’s leadership team, but it’s not known whether Luntz was originally paid by Rubio personally or by the Republican House leadership organization in Florida.  Since Rubio controlled that group, and his having his own personal financial problems, one can only guess.

 

The Rubio campaign has not provided comment for this latest revelation about Mr. Luntz and calls to Luntz’s office were not returned.  Luntz did not return an interview request on social media, but as usual, he did scoff at any suggestion that his focus panel was rigged.

 

And for the GOP, the hits just keep on coming.

 

Copyright G.Ater  2016