CBS' Luntz Praises Paul Ryan: "He's Got A Brain For Policy, Which Is What We Need"

Luntz On Next House Speaker: “If Paul Ryan Says No, God Help Us,” He's "What We Need In Washington." During the October 9 broadcast of CBS This Morning, CBS News analyst Frank Luntz was asked about possible speaker candidates Rep. Daniel Webster and Rep. Jason Chaffetz. He responded by heaping praise on Paul Ryan, labeling him as someone with “a brain for policy, which is what we need in Washington right now”:

GAYLE KING: What about the other candidates who are still in the running, Jason Chaffetz and Daniel Webster?

LUNTZ: They talk about, we need a new face. The problem is, this is not a debating society or the Kiwanis Club. This is speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America. You don't want a new face. You want someone who knows the rules. You want someone who knows procedure. You want someone who knows what regular order actually is. And you want someone who can listen, not just to a narrow group of people but to the entire Congress. I don't see any candidate other than Paul Ryan who has the capability of doing it. I know that they are talking to him. I know that there's a considerable amount of pressure on him, but if Paul Ryan says no, God help us if we put someone in there who's been in office for two or four years and doesn't even know the process to run the House of Representatives.

NORAH O'DONNELL: John Dickerson says there's not a path for Paul Ryan to the presidency through the speakership. Do you agree?

LUNTZ: Well, it has nothing to do -- and I know Paul Ryan very well. As well, in fact, I know Paul Ryan even longer than I've known Kevin McCarthy.

O'DONNELL: Good for you.

LUNTZ: And Paul Ryan prioritizes his family. He's got young kids and that matters to him, and I respect that. Imagine someone who puts their family and their commitments ahead of politics? He is focused on his job as chairman of Ways and Means, so I can understand why he would say no. However, I'm hoping that he changes his mind, because he's the only one who can talk to the conservatives, the moderates, he's the only one who understands the rules. And he's got a brain for policy, which is what we need in Washington right now.

O'DONNEL: Alright, Frank Luntz, thank you so much. [CBS News, CBS This Morning, 10/9/15]

Luntz And CBS News Did Not Disclose Financial Ties Between Luntz And Ryan During The Segment. [CBS News, CBS This Morning, 10/9/15]

Paul Ryan Has Paid Luntz Global Over $100K For Consulting Since 2012 Cycle

Ryan Paid Luntz Global LLC Roughly $57,000 For Consulting In 2014. According to data filed with the Federal Election Commission, Ryan for Congress paid Luntz Global LLC -- Luntz's consulting company, of which he's the founder and president -- $57,296 for expenses related to advertising consulting during the 2014 election cycle. 

[LuntzGlobal.com, accessed 10/9/15; FEC.gov, accessed 10/9/15, 10/9/15, 10/9/15, 10/9/15] 

Ryan Paid Luntz Global LLC Roughly $45,000 For Consulting And Polling In 2012. According to data filed with the Federal Election Commission, Ryan for Congress paid Luntz Global LLC $45,063 for consulting and polling during the 2012 election cycle. 

[FEC.gov, accessed 10/9/15, 10/9/15, 10/9/15]

CBS Previously Failed To Disclose Luntz's Paul Ryan Ties In 2012. [Media Matters, 12/3/12]

CBS And Luntz Failed To Disclose His Financial Ties To Eric Cantor During A 2014 Appearance. [Media Matters, 6/11/14]