When Republican pollster Frank Luntz was surreptitiously recorded saying that right-wing radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin were “problematic” for the future of the GOP, you’d think it might stir a little soul-searching for the folks at the Media Research Center.
Fat chance. Tim Graham’s response, in an April 25 NewsBusters post, is to pretend Luntz isn’t really a Republican.
Graham’s headline refers to “‘GOP’ Pollster Frank Luntz” — yes, “GOP” is in scare quotes — and he asserts that Luntz is “denounced as too conservative by liberals when he turns up on liberal networks.” But that’s utterly dishonest — Graham’s fellow NewsBusters have repeatedly touted Luntz’s Republican ties.
Meanwhile, the MRC is too closely in bed with the right-wing radio figures Luntz criticized for Graham ever to bad-mouth them. Recall that MRC chief Brent Bozell launched an “I Stand With Rush” website last year rather than issue any meaningful criticism of Limbaugh’s three-day misogynistic tirade against Sandra Fluke. And the MRC is currently paying Levin to promote its anti-media campaign on his radio show.
Graham is too much of a company man to even consider biting the hand that feed him — and he’s too much of an ideologue to do anything other than fragging friendly critics simply for daring to criticize.