Reply #12: Here's what I wrote to Tavis Smiley.

[jasmeel]

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/ask/

I was disturbed to hear that you were going to have republican wordsmith/spinmeister Frank Luntz provide feedback after the democratic debate on June 28th. This decision is extremely ill thought out and something I would expect from Fox "News", MSNBC or CNN, not PBS. I think Americans are hungry for real dialogue with the Democrats, not wordplay and spin of this longtime republican consultant. PLEASE reconsider Frank Luntz as a spokesperson after the Democratic debates. You can do better for Americans desperate for REAL solutions!!!!
FYI: Background on Luntz:
"In 1997, the American Association for Public Opinion Research formally reprimanded Luntz for refusing to release documentation in support of comments he made to the media regarding his polling work on the Republican Party's 1994 "Contract with America" campaign platform, according to a Salon.com article.
Washington Post polling director Richard Morin reported that the National Council on Public Polls censured Luntz "for allegedly mischaracterizing on MSNBC the results of focus groups he conducted during the <2000> Republican Convention."
In September 2004, MSNBC dropped Luntz from its planned coverage of that year's presidential debate coverage, following a letter from Media Matters that outlined Luntz's GOP ties and questionable polling methodology.
According to a January 29, 2007, article on The New Republic's website, Luntz "not only helped write Republican House member Newt Gingrich's Contract with America; he was also responsible for its presentation to the public." He also "advised Republicans trying to impeach Bill Clinton."
Luntz's 2002 memo "The Environment: A Cleaner, Safer, Healthier America" coached Republicans on new ways to talk about global warming and warned the party that the environment "is probably the single issue on which Republicans in general -- and President Bush in particular -- are most vulnerable."
A June 2004 memo by Luntz, "Communicating The Principles Of Prevention & Protection In The War On Terror," urged Republicans to use concepts such as "It is better to fight the War on Terror on the streets of Baghdad than on the streets of New York or Washington" and "9/11 changed everything," which have been staples of Republican rhetoric ever since."