FRIDAYS WITH MAHER-EE SHOCKER: Republican Party's Wordsmith Backs Obama

[babylonsister]

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/7430

FRIDAYS WITH MAHER-EE SHOCKER: Republican Party's Wordsmith Backs Obama
by Steve Young | May 12 2007


First of all, let's get the Maher header out of the way. It was rolling around in my head all night and the only way to get it out was to put it on paper. I'll be the first, but far for the last to admit, I'm no Frank Luntz.

Friday night, Luntz, the Republican Party's message architect behind the phrases, "Contract With America," "Climate Change," and "Death Tax," paneled along with the always gaw-gee-ous Lady Huffington and the severely amusing Paula Poundstone on Bill Maher's Real Time.

As always, it was politainment at its best. Whomever's in charge of casting the consistently interesting labyrinthine of diversity that sits weekly at the Real Time table should get an Emmy (or at least an ACE). If not for ingenuous mix of personality and credentials, then for the fact that they can put together a group which can battle intelligently and passionately without going O'Reilly all over each other.

While each panel member was splendid in doing what they do, if I might put on my dispassionate, non-partisan glasses on for the moment, it was Republican-enabler, Luntz, who shone. Not for his even-tempered, charming grasp of the issues but for his willingness to accept the part of sacrificial Republican lamb without losing his sense of humor.

Maher's hour never fails to surprise, but last night on the webcast that follows the HBO hour, Luntz provided the kind of jolt that on network television would send shock waves through the political punditry cosmos.

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[illinoisprogressive]

1. not sure whether to be happy or mad....

[Colobo]

2. Be happy!

Obama's reach goes beyond party lines!

[Bucky]

3. You forgot to add "don't worry"

Also, repeat the same four words over again several times.

[w4rma]

4. They seem perfect for one another. They both like the same type of non-substantive speeches. (nt)

[Kool Kitty]

5. Maybe it's just me, but

I thought Luntz was a jackass last night. He goes on this big spiel about how "the Democrats are so mean and negative", The Democrats are so angry, wahwahwah, :nopity: and then he says that one of the reasons that Kerry lost was because he looks like the tree that threw apples at Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". (Pretty bad coming from a man that looks like a be-wigged Pillsbury DoughBoy.) I wasn't impressed.

[Boo Boo]

6. The Oz "tree" joke was Maher's. Luntz probably forgot where he saw it. /nt

[Kool Kitty]

7. Wow, really?

Shitty thing for him to say and Luntz to repeat. And I still think Luntz is a jackass. He was responsible for some of the repigs' vilest spew, and now he acts like Mr. Moderation. He's a scumbag as far as I'm concerned.

[Boo Boo]

8. Yup. Back during the '04 race Maher did that bit on Larry King's show. /nt