Luntz leaves, Dozier breathes fire and Press bumps liberal fists (and conservative heads)
By Janet Donovan
Kimberly Dozier
Gimme a break!
Colorful Republican pollster Frank Luntz is pulling up stakes and heading west. The announcement came as a surprise to guests attending his seventh annual Baseball All Star Party at his McLean home in July. The explanation was simple: He’s tired. This, of course, was a rather short answer for the noted wordsmith (he is the author of Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say But What People Hear). But that’s what we heard: he’s tired. Even thinking about how he’ll move his massive memorabilia collection – which includes a Big Boy, a Keystone Cop, and a Palm Beach voting machine signed by presidential decider Katherine Harris – is making everyone else tired.
Actor Richard Schiff and the Creative Coalition’s Robin Bronk lingered past midnight. Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman and Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, said to be on McCain’s veep short list, chatted about Coleman’s senatorial race against progressive commentator Al Franken. There were enough CNN collectibles sighted: bureau chief David Bohrman, political director Sam Feist, and Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre. Also seen: Rep. Darrell Issa, lobbyist Bob Livingstone, British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald, and David Bass. Surprise guest: former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, currently in the dog house with Barney for his new book What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception.
