Fox News' Fake Democrat Attends Secret Right-Wing Cabal
Not that you needed any proof that Doug Schoen, the angry white pollster who plays the role of "Democrat" stool pigeon in the Fox News' political soap opera, is actually revanchist conservative just like the rest of them. But just in case: A tipster reports that Schoen will be briefing members of a notorious right-wing secret society on Monday. Because that's the sort of thing Democrats do, for fun.
The "Monday Meeting" is a weekly gathering of arch-conservative businessmen, thinkers, and politicians in New York City. It's modeled on Grover Norquist's weekly confabs in Washington, D.C., which are basically the engine of conservative unreason in the Republican Party. The New York Observer described the Monday Meeting, which was founded by right-wing bankers, as "the conservative movement's preeminent beachhead in the hostile territory of New York." Attendees have included Anne Coulter, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn.
A tipster forwarded us an email laying out the meeting's schedule this week. In addition to GOP congressman Todd Rokita and Bush White House veteran Margaret Hoover, it features Schoen:
DOUG SCHOEN, former senior pollster for President Clinton and current Fox News Analyst, makes his first Monday Meeting appearance to brief us on the results of a poll he completed recently for The Manhattan Institute: the first comprehensive national survey of public attitudes toward public sector unions.
So next time Sean Hannity throws to Schoen for the "liberal" counterpoint, just remember that he actually plots in secret with conservatives on how to best defeat the liberal agenda.
UPDATE: Right after we published, Schoen got back to us with this explanation:
Briefing them in part on a poll we did for Manhattan Institute and the fiscal crises facing state governments.
More generally, frequently discuss bipartisan approaches to urgent public policy problems that face all of us—Democrats, Republicans and Independents. And believe it is particularly useful to bridge the partisan divide—notwithstanding the presumed motivation of my audience.
Will also put in a plug for Americans Elect—a bipartisan initiative designed to offer an alternative to Ds and Rs in the Presidential nominating process. Have spoken to a wide array of groups about this effort.
Hope this answers your question.