Arizona Ground Report
(Moderator’s Note: Thank you to Hillbuzz reader Kimberlie for this! Please use the “Contact Us” in the navigation menu above to send in your Ground Reports. We would especially love to get reports from campaign events.)
Dear Hillbuzz,
I went to a political focus group last weekend moderated by Dr. Frank Luntz (the
pollster often featured on Fox News). I was in the Conservative/Republican group
(they wisely kept each political group separate), and it was very interesting.
About 10% of these people were overly aggressive, even to Dr. Luntz. Unless you
were a “purist” (or Ron Paul supporter) they didn’t want to listen to a thing you
had to say. They were the types who are pushing for a 3rd party candidate just so
they can “send a message” to the GOP. I argued the fact that this would only assure
a liberal/Dem win, and they honestly did not care! They wanted candidates to be
EXACTLY how they wanted them to be or they would “throw them out”.
Dr. Luntz told these people that he just interviewed a group of swing voters, and
they felt exactly the opposite, and that an unwillingness to listen or take other’s
views into account was alienating swing, moderate and independent voters. He told
them all the shouting and name calling was not helping their cause, and if they
wanted people to consider their argument, they needed to bring the volume down and
actually LISTEN to other points of view. He told several of them that they were
scary and they were prime examples of why the Tea Party has been getting higher
“unfavorable” ratings lately in national polls.
Things got really heated when he told them that the research he’s done indicates
that R’s will win the House and Senate, but Obama will win the WH again. When
someone challenged him about this, he replied “Dude, this is what I DO! I’ve been
to Ohio 6 times this year, how many times have you been there? I’ve been to Florida
8 times. I’ve talked to people on the ground in every battle state, and they are
extremely worried about the R’s Medicare plan.”
We asked what we could do to counter the Dems misinformation, and he said to get
organized and get out to the seniors in retirement homes, active living communities,
etc and educate them. For the most part, they only watch the MSM and are unaware
that the media has a political agenda. They truly believe what the Dems are
peddling about Republicans pushing grandma off a cliff.
After he said that, the meeting started wrapping up and some of the people were
clearly depressed about the thought of Obama winning a 2nd term. I got into my
Hillbuzz mode and chastised them for being Eeyores. I told them to get out and DO
what Dr. Luntz said and take action, not sit around whining about how “all is lost”.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know what Dr. Luntz said. He is a very conservative
guy who is very politically astute, and I think we should consider his advice and
start to mobilize and take action. I looked through the descriptions of HB Action
Items, and I’m not sure which color this action item would fall under…maybe we need
another color for “Community Organizing”. I suggest using pink, as a poke in the
eye to Code Pink!
If you have any questions about what I experienced at the focus group last week,
please let me know.
Kimberlie
© 2011, Kathleen Gee. All rights reserved.
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Great summary! Luntz is right – we have a problem bring awareness to people. This has to be a full time job to get the word out. The time is NOW!
It is hard to beat a sitting president. Apparently Luntz's research supports this idea. But hard is not impossible. Yes, the advice is good: Go out and make the case amongst voters.
Another thing to consider: The GOP has not settled on its choice to run for president. It will be quite a different game, I believe, when the field has narrowed and eventually a person is chosen through the primary/caucus/convention system.
In the mean time, the GOP needs to hit Obama left, right, and center. Be relentless. And avoid taking cheap shots at one another the way Newt Gingrich did with Paul Ryan.
This battle will be tough. It is not impossible. Remember this: Your health care and your pocket book depend on Obama getting thrown out of office! That is enough for me to fight on. Is it for you?
Another way to put it: Your life (health) and your living (pocket book) depend on electing a Republican who will mop the floor with Obama AND repeal/replace health care legislation and cut spending/tax rates. I–we–must act as if our lives depend on it!
It appears that the MSM is not reporting anything about the republican candidate except of course the negative. It's their game plan, the candidates get no media time, only Obama and his thugs.All we have is our web sites and FOX , FOX Business. The Democrat Governor are also cancelling the republican primaries.
We have so much to do between now and the election but this should be one of the main platforms
of the GOP …..to SAVE and reform Medicare and Social Security.
The Dems already have their playbook ready.
It's time we get ours and get the ball rolling on this.
Great ground report, Kimberlie! I've watched some of Fox's Frank Luntz focus group sessions, and have been impressed with Luntz. I've become somewhat skeptical of Fox's loyalties of late, and so I would tend to take even Luntz's statement about BO's 2012 prospects with something of a grain of salt. Wonder whether it would be possible to get Luntz interested in gathering/polling HBers as a focus group (Kevin, Kathleen, other writers, readers) and having such a focus group air on Hannity or Greta shows? (Just thinkin' out loud…)
I agree with this post.
I have noticed the same thing. I'm a hillary supporter, a PUMA, voted for Hillary in 2008, and McPalin in the general, supported SarahPac and donated to several tea party PACs.
Lately I find myself distancing myself from the Tea Party, some of those people are nuts. I 100% agree with the fiscal, limited govt planks of the Tea party, but what they don't realise is not all of us are hard core conservatives, we are common sense conservatives.
And I have also noticed this about Palin's supporters, sorry to say it, but I have….. I am as of now a registered indepdent, I will be reregistering as a repub to vote in those primaries, I have not decided who I will vote for…..
but I can say this much, I will vote for a roll of toilet paper if they are the repub nominee about that marxist fraud Obama. And it really pisses me off that me as a former lifelong democrat will vote for anyone against Obama, and you have these purists, either Palin purists, or other tea party purists who will sit at home. They are then just as much to blame as Obama.
There are some "nuts" in every part of our society! The tea party movement is all about less tax, smaller government, following our constitution, protecting our freedoms, etc.
So when you say you are distancing yourself from the tea party because some of those people are nuts…… then you will soon be a man on an island. Nuts can be found everywhere….
Are you against less tax, smaller government, following our constitution, protecting our freedoms?
Democracy requires participation, and it is not on purity, I like Palin, if she is the nominee, I will use my vacay time to campaign for her, if romeny is the nominee, I will do the same, even though I cannot stand romney. For congress, I will not compromise on strong constitutional conservatives, but for the presidency, I will not be applying the purity test. It seems many in the palin camp, etc will be applying the purity test, and this is why I hesitate to vote for in the primaries, I'm more eager to see that marxist fraud kicked out of the WH than I am to see Palin as the repub nominee, I want the nominee who can beat the fraud, period.
the tea party needs to get its act together and stop acting like a bunch of purists, what attracted me to donating to the tea party pacs was because they listenedn and understood what was at stake.
You are exactly right about the "purists" and the people who sat home and allowed that guy to be elected.We have to pull together to defeat the socialists.
People have gotten politics, entertainment , and religion all confused. Look- you want a grown-up conservative executive for president: save the messiahs and the rousing speakers for the religious and entertainment aspects of your lives. ( And I am not trying to be disrespectful to religious people- I am religious myself.)
Well said ssmith!
"…the tea party needs to get its act together and stop acting like a bunch of purists, what attracted me to donating to the tea party pacs was because they listened and understood what was at stake…"
try substituting "tea" for "cocktail" and you will get the picture of what this is all about
the cocktail party needs to get its act together and stop acting like a bunch of purists,
the problem is not the tea party movement patriots – it is the establishment so don't do their dirty work for them by attacking the patriots
Luntz "very conservative guy?" – no disrespect but please know our cocktail party history and its key players
please follow Luntz with care – while entertaining at times – he has been and is part of the establishment
It was Frank Lutz who said in 2006 regarding the 2008 election that it was a great year for a 3rd party candidate – so who did he want as his 3rd party candidate?
Surprise!
Frank Lutz supported (1) Mayor Bloomberg, (2) John McCain (remember he was flirting with leaving the Repub Party – guess who was advising him) and (3)Colin Powell …all 3 of whom are the most conservative guys we know right?
All represent Lutz's picks to lead a 3rd party! now he is a against a 3rd party candidate only because the tea party movement and Sarah Palin may be forced to consider it.
Why Lutz's change of heart? could it be because this would dry up his and Tokyo Rove's business model and they would be left on the outside looking in? of course!
plus we see concern troll every time we watch him including the quote from above –
"He told several of them that they were scary and they were prime examples of why the Tea Party has been getting higher “unfavorable” ratings lately in national polls"
who is getting the "unfavorable" ratings – how do you poll a nonexistent entity? tell us who they refer?
it is most likely the LSM's/Dems and cocktail party's projections that are polling "unfavorable"
plus there is no tea party (only fake dems or cocktail party plants) – it is a movement not a party but a conservative branch that went against ObamaCare and TARP and the bailouts – right now it is only a "party" as in "fiesta"
bottom line – the only one polling "unfavorably" right now are the cocktail party and establishment who are pushing this as a false meme just like the media did after the million person plus peaceful marches on Washington!
so don't be bamboozled by this more sophisticated attempt to get you to shun the tea party movement and instead re-embrace the establishment, go-along-to get-along party.
I don't know anything about his history regarding 3rd parties, I can only speak about what I saw at this group. He stated several times that the Tea Party was the best thing about politics today and he strongly supported them. That was why he encouraged us to get out and educate the seniors.
However, he WAS correct that those few aggressive people in the room were scaring the rest of us (and regular Americans too, based on some unscientific polling I've done with friends who are not die-hard conservatives). I heard several people mutter after the group that they didn't want to ride in the elevator with them. And I believe he may have been talking about this recent poll from Gallup. http://www.gallup.com/poll/147308/Negative-Views-…
I'm just trying to get out and DO something,as he suggested. You can choose to follow his advice or not…it's still a free country- for now…
I guess from your posting you might be a tad too young to remember the days of Perot, and maybe …since it sounds you are still in school (maybe a college republican or one of the YAFs) you might not understand the anger of your elders….it seems that the Dr. insulted the crowd, at least those he didn't agree with…because DUDE is NEVER a polite response…let alone the way Drs are supposed to talk …
As for doing something, I have been to FL and OH lately…AND have LIVED in both states….he is right…idiotic Rs are scaring the seniors and it is the REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT's fault.
The seniors ARE scared, and Ryan's powerpoint show is not going to help (he needs to learn to design a' la Al Gore–his ppt presentation was designed by Durarte.com… Slideology explains it all–but I guess Ryans' 20something staff has never read any of her books)
Heated political debate is the NORM, and that is why people win elections… the wimpy always lose!…anger is PASSION…
The guy was asking for political TECHNIQUE not Platitudes…and the good ol' Dr. couldn't answer…. the place to learn technique and HOW to WIN is Morton Blackwell's Leadership Institute…yes the place that trained Tokyo Rove….
Check them out, their classes are pretty cheap and the dorms are FREE!!!
they even do events all over the nation — with their Grassroots Activist School and their Youth Leadership School…. come to VA and learn how to WIN
leadershipinstitute.org
The tone here is getting a little close to the edge. Let's keep it classy, people. Remember who the real enemy is.
Frank Lutz crossed the line that was our point- as a researcher Lutz is not supposed to attack and shout and argue with the participants – he can only ask for clarification – you don't argue and lecture with them – his tactic was a very sinister and sophisticated attempt to dishearten potential voters – notably those who are daily becoming more and more sympathetic to the tea party movement- Lutz is on a 24/7 mission to hold back the tea party tsunami!
and unless Kevin tells us this is no longer a Sarah Palin site (and Hillary site too) anymore – we will not stop outing the cucumber and mayonnaise candidates and the cocktail party and their tactics!
this is primary politics 101 – conservatives don't have a candidate yet so we are going to bring down every cucumber and mayonnaise candidate and their enablers who are working with the LSM to elect anyone but Sarah while they daily keep putting Sarah down as unelectable, polarizing, unqualified…
so the issue is not about who is allegedly getting heated from the TP movement as identified by the establishment/cocktail party gestapo Frank Lutz and further evidenced by his unprofessional tirades!
This primary is only about what the cocktail party is doing (and not doing) and of course Palin/West 2012!
Good Lord, you are making me wish I'd never sent in this ground report! Unless you were there you couldn't possibly know how things were. At no time did Dr. Luntz attack, shout or argue with the participants. If my post indicated that, then I apologize. He was nothing but a gentleman to the participants,even in the wake of foul language from many of them. His "dude" comment that you seem to have such a problem with was actually rather lighthearted, considering how agitated some of the participants were.
Also, AGAIN, he did nothing but praise the Tea Party, not disparage it as a movement. Clearly, I must not have articulated the situation very well, but I was trying to keep it brief. I have never done this before, and after all this, I'm not sure I'd want to do it again..
I am a 42 year old mother of 3, so please don't insinuate that I couldn't possibly know anything about the anger of Americans. I live and breathe this every day because I have children who are depending on me to do what's right for them and this country. I may not agree with all of your thoughts and ideas, but I appreciate your desire to share what you know with others.
You may not agree with the things I've said and that is your right. However, the anger that you equate to passion is often very unnerving for the person on the receiving end of it. I don't want to vote for an "angry" candidate, nor do I want to vote for a wimpy one. I'm sure we can work to find someone who has sincere passion for this country without coming across as an angry hothead. The point is, we need to work TOGETHER on this mission, and not tear each other apart for our differences.
Hear, hear, Kimberlie! "The point is, we need to work TOGETHER on this mission, and not tear each other apart for our differences." Yep, the Obamacrats constantly push the meme of a "divided" GOP, et al, opposition rife with infighting. We must not fall into the trap of letting them frame us in that manner and drive wedges among us, regardless of our rightful individual "passions." You are correct, we must work TOGETHER, with one overarching goal uniting us: Making sure that BO's first term is his last and only!
Thanks DC. I didn't know the background on Luntz.
I like the theme I read here: There's no purity test, but a strong desire for traditional (NOT wacko!) conservative policies of fiscal responsibility and national security. I read this over and over. And through it all there's the thread of liberty and freedom.
I've even challenged a local conservative talk show here in MN. Sometimes they discuss who isn't conservative enough. I want R candidates who will focus primarily on our fiscal issues. Spinning wheels on the social issues at this time is ridiculous to me. The purists would have me branded a dreaded and indecisive "moderate" because of where I stand.
The best way to play any reform that involves benefits is to play the liberal's favorite trump card: the children. Specifically the grandchildren and great grandchildren and tie backing meaningful reform with patriotism and a heroic gesture for future generations.
I think his overall research is spot on, people are not in a mood to talk sacrifice or paying more they have an entitlement mentality. They only way around it is to find something they care about more than their own wallet – their grandchildren's quality of life and that message needs to be delivered by a charismatic figure (this is why Pawlenty is doomed) t
Very cool report. I actually signed up for that same focus group but was not chosen; to think, I could have met a fellow HBer!
I have enjoyed the way Luntz leads these groups and also like the reports he gives back on Fox News. Interesting comments by In DC Troll affirm that we have to be more cynical than ever and really watch everyone; sad to admit, but true, I think.