September 23, 2009
4:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Milken Institute

Frank Luntz describes some of his survey findings, which examine the American psyche -- what we think, what we care about and what's most important to us.

For those who think actions speak louder than words, meet Frank Luntz. The well-known communications consultant and Republican pollster has made a career out of changing language in an effort to change the debate.

In the political arena, Luntz helped the GOP transform the "estate tax" into the "death tax," change "school vouchers" to "opportunity scholarships," and re-cast "drilling for oil" as "exploring for energy."

One of the most entertaining and informative speakers today, Luntz is as controversial as he is captivating. At a recent Milken Institute Forum, Luntz discussed his latest book, What Americans Really Want … Really. In it, he uses polling in an attempt to answer questions such as: Do Americans care more about the Ten Commandments or the Bill of Rights? Is your nest egg larger or smaller than the average American's? Who deserves a raise first: our teachers, our troops, our police, our health-care workers, or someone else?

He also touched on current debates over health-care reform, cap-and-trade energy legislation, tax increase proposals, and the latest comings and goings from Washington to Wall Street.

Luntz, president of The Word Doctors, is also the author of The New York Times best-seller Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear. As a consultant, Luntz has conducted more than 2,000 surveys and focus groups for corporate and public affairs clients in more than two dozen countries over the past decade. He has provided communication and language guidance for numerous Fortune 100 companies. He also has been a guest on virtually every talk show on American television, acting as "focus group czar" for Fox News during the 2008 presidential campaign. Luntz has written about language for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, the Financial Times, The Times of London, and The Washington Post.

He has also appeared numerous times as a speaker at the Institute's annual Global Conference, drawing standing-room-only audiences.

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