From staff reports
Frank Luntz says young voters are more engaged in this year's presidential contest than any he has witnessed -- and he's looking to Ohio University students to prove it.
A nationally recognized polling expert, Luntz will be part of the FOX News Channel's FOX & Friends team broadcasting live from Baker University Center Tuesday and Wednesday. Luntz will be on campus Wednesday capturing the student perspective on Tuesday's primary election in Ohio. Plans call for FOX & Friends to cut away to Ohio University frequently both days during the news show's 6 to 9 a.m. broadcasts.
On Tuesday, FOX & Friends will broadcast from New York and cut away to anchor Alisyn Camerota and her Baker audience. In addition, the university's award-winning Forensics Team is expected to engage in two brief mock debates during the Tuesday broadcast. Team members will square off to represent the views Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama in the Democrats' race and John McCain or Mike Huckabee in the GOP race.
On Wednesday, Luntz -- author of the national bestseller "Words that Work" -- will seek the views of student focus group members and students from the audience assembled for the show.
"(Students) are more activated, more motivated and more informed than at any time in my lifetime," said Luntz, 46. "It is my goal to show all of America just how informed OU kids really are. I want to put as many students on TV as I humanly can."
Luntz said today's presidential candidates appreciate the influence young voters can have in this year's election. "Kids have wanted someone to pay attention and speak their language. Now they have it," he said.
Between the on-air segments -- which are expected to last five to seven minutes and come twice an hour during the three-hour show -- Luntz will talk with students about his craft, focusing specifically on political language and communication.
"There will be no down time," he said. "It will be incredibly interactive."
Ohio's primary is considered crucial in the race for the Democratic nomination between Clinton and Obama. Texas voters -- also expected to make a historic impact -- go to the polls Tuesday, too, and FOX News has made similar plans to broadcast from Texas A&M University that day.
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