Frank Luntz is the master of polling, the gold standard of Fox 'News' GOP-TV, the place where right wing voters go to get some infotainment. Luntz seems to understand the Republican voter's 'mind,' or whatever visceral organ they use to make political choices. He is the go-to guy whom Fox News employs when they need data extrapolated for a desired outcome. He can ask a completely baseless and fictional question in a way that incriminates his Democratic opponents before he gets the subject even thinking about an answer.
Luntz specifies, as if it matters, that he works for Fox and CBS. Either way, his demographic will tune in to wherever this mismatched, high-top sneaker-wearing fashionista appears on their teevee. When you hear Luntz, I doubt the first thing you're thinking is CBS, as he reminds you of some of his Caucasian smug pundits who are not terribly fond of exercise. Frank can be interchangeable with a younger Karl Rove or the Chris Stirewalt, who share much in common with Frankie.
The exchange was heated right away. Bill Maher asked how in the Hell is it possible that Hillary and Donald Trump are at an equal standing in the polls.
MAHER: explain this to me how an insane racist in orange greasepaint can be tied with the former First Lady, the Valedictorian at Wesleyan, The Secretary of State, New York Senator. 40-40? What is going on here and who's the other 20?
He repeats the 'she's not authentic, she's not straightforward' decades-old talking point lies. To compound his malevolence, he panders to the audience who is pro- Sanders and says that Sanders should have won the Democratic nomination, which of course is not the issue at hand. Slimy pander number one.
Then, he presents his opinion that he (desperately wanted) Senator Sanders to as a third party ticket. Maher explains that would erase any chance for victory as we all know full well that this is a non-starter.
MAHER: Come on Frank, you're telling me a third party, could here's the point forty percent of the candidates the republicans are voting are for Donald Trump, which shows you they will vote for anyone, anything with an R by the name and they would vote for Jared from Subway.
LUNTZ: And forty percent, and forty percent are voting for Hillary Clinton, but you know with the FBI director said
MAHER: Oh STOP IT!
LUNTZ : had engaged in in nearly criminal activity before he went. away didn't say that when he's obviously
MAHER: what he said Frank was that no prosecutor would bring charges. He found nothing on this again, that's what he said. And, he's a Republican
LUNTZ: and he serves a Democratic President and he serves him well.
There goes pander number three. FBI Director Comey is still a Republican, whose word was gospel, until he gave his testimony that Chaffetz and the Benghazi Boys found unpalatable.
Everything about this election is about pulling people apart, Luntz believes, and gets in a dig on Maher attacking him by playing the victim. Frank first assumes everything Maher says is false because he's a comedian and that his intentions are disingenuously filled with malicious intent. Nice try, big guy, but Maher has a very formidable racquet to return his nonsense forehand right back. The weapon is rather unfamiliar to Frank: the FACTS. Frank's polling somehow concludes
MAHER: that fifty-five percent of Republicans think Barack Obama is sympathetic to terrorist groups like ISIS
LUNTZ: seventy-nine percent of statistics are made up on the spot. (knee slapper)
MAHER: that's not a statistic, that's polling, so you're a pollster, you don't believe that?
Maher then calls him out on WHY is it that 55% of Republicans believe that President Obama was born in Kenya? It's obviously the work of people like Frank Luntz. Where else would they come up with that crap>? Maher finishes him off with little effort.
MAHER: You're talking about bringing the country together, do you really think the Republican Party are the ones who brought the country together in the last 20 to 30 years? Besides, you really think Donald Trump who wants to build a wall and deport 11 million people and a put a ban on Muslims? You think that is bringing people together?
This case of both-siderist malarkey is incurable with antibiotics because Luntz has it in an aggressive viral form. There's a schism between the parties alright, and Maher explains that the GOP is hardly considered the Uniters or the Deciders. The GOP is the Party of the Dividers, and that's all they've been since St. Ronnie was elected in 1980.
