Why Republican pollster Frank Luntz considers Brian Williams the Republicans "go-to network anchor"

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/research/200502070007

February 07, 2005 5:54 pm ET

Paul Bedard's "Washington Whispers" column in the February 14 edition of U.S. News & World Report noted that Brian Williams -- who replaced Tom Brokaw as anchor and managing editor of NBC's Nightly News on December 2, 2004 -- received accolades from discredited Republican pollster Frank Luntz in a memo to Republican Congressional leadership. In the memo, Bedard reported, Luntz wrote that "Williams has emerged as the 'go-to network anchor' because of his brains and 'lack of detectable ideological bias.'"

Media Matters for America has identified some examples that may explain why Republicans consider Williams to be their "go-to network anchor":

more

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http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh043007.shtml

TAKE ME TO YOUR MORAL LEADER! Brian Williams once said he loves Rush. Last Thursday evening, he proved it

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2007

WILLIAMS (actual opening question): Senator Clinton, your party's leader in the United States Senate, Harry Reid, recently said the war in Iraq is lost. A letter to today's USA Today calls his comments "treasonous" and says if General Patton were alive today, Patton would wipe his boots with Senator Reid. Do you agree with the position of your leader in the Senate?

Good God! Nothing too “loaded” about that question! And no, we really aren’t making this up; in his first question on Thursday night, Williams quoted a letter-writer—accusing Reid of treasonous conduct! Sadly, foolish, poisonous letters like this are now an integral part of our discourse. Amazingly enough, this cry of “treason” became a part of the first question at Thursday’s debate!

Yep! Instead of simply asking his question—Do you agree with what Harry Reid said?—Williams constructed a lurid framework. Reid is “treasonous,” a letter had said. Patton would “wipe his boots” on him. snip


WILLIAMS (actual second question): Senator Obama, you have called this war in Iraq, quote, "dumb," close quote. How do you square that position with those who have sacrificed so much? And why have you voted for appropriations for it in the past?

Good God—what a perfect hack! Back in the fall of 2002, long before the war began, Obama said he opposed the idea, the wisdom of which was then being debated. “I don’t oppose war in all circumstances,” he said. “But what I do oppose is a dumb war.” When he spoke, no American soldier had lost his life; the wisdom of going to Iraq was still being debated. But so what? Five years later, Williams constructed a classic, dishonest “gotcha” moment; he made it sound like Obama had been parading around saying things that disrespected the loss of American lives. This sort of garbage-can framing can be seen each night—performed by Sean Hannity. And you could see it Thursday night too—in Williams’ second question.

[spooky3]

1. This is good to know, but one story is dated 2005 and the other 2007

Not sure why you are OP-ing it now, and not sure whether there are any more recent examples about Williams.

[NNN0LHI]

2. Because I have discovered a lot of people have very short memories

Why do you ask?

Don