Althouse: "Now, it was clear that a lot of the people in this particular focus group were as dumb as posts."

January 7, 2008

"Now, it was clear that a lot of the people in this particular focus group were as dumb as posts."

"One of the guy's Luntz interviewed explained how Mitt was obviously more credible on the pro-life issue than Mike Huckabee. I mean, I had no idea Mitt could do so well bamboozling these folks. Seriously, it was so surreal...."

Josh Marshall marvels at that Frank Luntz focus group after last night's debate (which we talked about — and you can watch — here).

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: I have to admit, it takes a special kind of cluelessness to think that Romney is more credible than Huckabee on the right's abortion agenda. Romney may ultimately give the right everything it wants in this regard as part of his bargain to gain high office, but Huckabee is a true believer like Romney never has been.; 1/7/08, 7:42 AM
George M. Spencer said...: When you read in today's Wall St. J. how swiftly and professionally both Romney and Clinton have both given themselves an image make-over, you know that we are all in a Philip K. Dick novel.

"After weeks of speaking in front of a massive American flag and aided only by the occasional PowerPoint slideshow, Mr. Romney took the stage "in the round," talking to people on all sides. Next to him hung a huge 11-point list titled "TO DO." The items on it ranged from "Make America Safer" (No. 1) to "Put people ahead of selfish interest" (No. 11). There were blank spaces at the end of the list, and Mr. Romney encouraged voters to help fill them in."

Can't you just see that rouged-up Vitalisy dude and his marker pen earnestly writing down ideas..."Yes, Mrs. Kowalski? Organic foods in schools? Very good, Mrs. Kowalski. Yes, ma'am! I will make that No. 16! on my Oval Office "To Do" list!"; 1/7/08, 8:16 AM
Sean W. said...: I'd have thought Huck's oozing authenticity on abortion would be one of his sole advantages over Romney in the eyes of evangelicals.

If that fellow in the focus group is even remotely representative of the evangelical population, then Huckabee's performance in the debate must have been truly awful.

Also, when did "pro-life" become a noun?; 1/7/08, 8:24 AM
Peter Hoh said...: Also, when did "pro-life" become a noun?

Perhaps it's a noun because "choice" is a noun. I'm not saying this makes a lot of sense. I'm just trying to figure it out, too.

The prhase in question comes from the second speaker in the Luntz focus group, who mentioned "His statement on 'pro-life'" to explain what he liked about Romney.; 1/7/08, 8:52 AM
Eric said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/7/08, 10:51 AM
Eric said...: Here's something ironic, what are the chances of the same people being in two different focus groups for Frank Luntz?

Check out these two videos:

(From Jan 6, 2008)
At the 1:40 mark.

(From Sep 6, 2007)
At the 3:45 mark.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?; 1/7/08, 10:53 AM
Anonymous said...: Sure enough, that's the same guy. Fascinating. I wonder how he managed to get into two of these things.; 1/7/08, 12:44 PM
blake said...: George,

Please step over to the Voight-Kampff machine for your test.

First situation: You have a small puppy. It's run over by a car.

Second situation: You're voting for President, and the candidate is wearing a lot of rouge....; 1/7/08, 4:14 PM
From Inwood said...: Southern O

What a catch! Kudos to you.

I have a visceral dislike of focus groups when the focus group organization tries to sell its results as being representative of "jes folks". Not so, methinks. Focus group organizers & users, true believers as much so as any fundamentalist, have argued with me that I’m, um, out of touch, unscientific, etc. Pseudoscience, I reply.

One of my friends, retired with too much time on his hands, has wound up on focus groups in the mall at least twice recently. He's responsible for today's fashions!

BTW, I have a visceral dislike of people approaching me in the mall for whatever reason. Guess "once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker".

Trooper York; You want Shakespeare? How about Coleridge:

"And he stoppeth one of three."

My answer to all who try to stoppeth me:

"Now wherefore stopp'st thou me; fuhgedaboudit!"; 1/7/08, 4:40 PM
The Exalted said...: funny how the participants all spoke in regurgitated sound bites, including an implausible plaudit for romney for confronting...china.

fox couldn't have scripted it any better...oh, i see.; 1/7/08, 9:18 PM