Dem. legislator an example of Republican talking points

Frank Luntz has become nearly legendary in the political world for his strategic advice to Republicans on how to sell their ideas to the public and undermine the agenda of Democrats, but his latest advice memo to Republicans — instructing them on how to stop Obama’s push for new financial industry regulation — uses a rather curious example. In a memo telling Republicans how to reframe the debate over those regulations, Luntz used a picture of U.S. Representative Mark Schauer — a Democrat from Michigan. Politico reports:

Pollster Frank Luntz picked an unusual poster boy in his new memo instructing Republicans to kill attempts to tighten financial regulations by tying the new laws to the bailout: Michigan Democratic Congressman Mark Schauer.

Schauer and his wife, Christine, are used to illustrate a section suggesting Republicans “personalize the impact” of the legislation by claiming it will effect specific small business owners.

In his research, “”The most popular images of small business owners both projected optimism with signs saying ‘grand opening’ or ‘open.’”

The irony is that Schauer is a staunch supporter of the new financial industry regulations — and he voted against the bailout. And Luntz had to know the picture was of Schauer because it came directly from Schauer’s congressional website. Oops.