OBAMARAMA

Every time I hear the name “Frank Luntz,” I throw up in my mouth a little.

This is the man, after all, who made the Republicans understand that they could win policy debates simply by having the better message, regardless of how flawed their policies were. He coined phrases like “Death Tax,” “energy exploration” and “healthy forests,” to replace the unimaginative (if more precise) terms “Estate Tax,” “drilling” and “logging.” As Samantha Bee once put it, “Luntz has made a brilliant career spraying perfume on dog turds.”

In fairness, I don’t have such a visceral, intestinal reaction to Frank Luntz because he’s an idiot. To the contrary, the guy has been brutally successful, having reportedly once even sold a ketchup popsicle to an Eskimo wearing white gloves.

While we should lament the absence of substance in our debates, Luntz has helped political folks on both sides learn to appreciate the vital role communication plays in the process. Despite his sometimes questionable methodologies, Luntz understands better than anyone that you need to sell your ideas if you want them to be adopted.

So when he goes on Bill Maher and says Sen. Obama is well-positioned to win both the primary and the general election, I take heed. I still get a little nauseous, but it’s a nausea of joy. Have a look: