This Iconic Actor Is Bolting The GOP

[babylonsister]

http://politix.topix.com/story/10931-this-iconic-actor-is-bolting-the-gop


This Iconic Actor Is Bolting The GOP
Calls Republican Party 'a mess'

Yesterday by David Mark


Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP


Acclaimed actor Robert Duvall - one of the few open conservatives in Hollywood - is leaving the Republican Party calling it "a mess".

Duvall, 83, a movie icon for his roles in The Godfather films, Tender Mercies and The Natural, among many others, tells The Daily Beast:

Let me say it this way: my wife's from Argentina, she's been here for a while, and she's very smart. She calls herself a 'tree-hugging Republican,' but she might even vote Democrat next time because the Republican Party is a mess. I'll probably vote Independent next time.

Some of these very conservative Republicans... I don't know, man. I believe in a woman's choice.

That's quite a turnaround for Duvall, who narrated most of the videos for the 2008 Republican National Convention. In September 2008, he appeared on stage at a John McCain-Sarah Palin rally in New Mexico. In 2012, Duvall endorsed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. And back in 2001 was personally invited to President George W. Bush's inauguration.

Duvall has been nominated for six Academy Awards, winning for his performance in Tender Mercies, six Golden Globes, winning four, and has multiple nominations and one win each of the BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Emmy Award. He received the National Medal of Arts in 2005.

[MrScorpio]

1. He's not leaving the Republican Party...

The Republican Party left him.

[hatrack]

22. Isn't it always that way?

[kelliekat44]

32. And don't be fooled. He is still RW to the core....hard right. nt

[penultimate]

47. I've never heard him speak about politics.

He isn't a social conservative, is he?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

55. His father was a career officer

in the Navy I think so he comes from that kind of background...........
edited for spelling

[butterfly77]

77. Exactly...

[lumpy]

84. He will probably become the new 'hero' on DU for speaking out about his GOP party.

This guy probably supported GWB and the rest of the weasely GOP presidents.

[corkhead]

64. The bat-shit crazy ones have taken over the republican party

and the less insane ones have taken over the Democratic party.

I wish they would take their own party back so we can have ours.

[yuiyoshida]

103. This!

100%

[johnp3907]

2. Even Frank Burns is turning on the republicans!

[calimary]

79. Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. When you put it that way - A-Freakin'-MAZING!!!

So it is.

I don't always trust when a republi-CON, especially as dedicated a republi-CON as this "comes over." He may not necessarily have seen the light. However, as an ardently pro-choice Democrat, the first thing I noticed was this quote:

"Some of these very conservative Republicans... I don't know, man. I believe in a woman's choice."

Indeed? If you do, then WHY THE HELL were you republi-CON to begin with? Why did it take you THIS long, sir? Okay, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, I'll take you at your word and celebrate you. But to feel truly convinced, I'd have to see more of his renunciation and see if he sticks with it. You're DAMN STRAIGHT, Mr. Duvall. It IS a WOMAN'S CHOICE. And anyone who truly does believe that has no business being or voting or sympathizing with, or calling himself a member/supporter of, the GOP.

Hmmm. I'm sitting here, and as of just a few minutes ago was listening to dana rohrabacher (knuckle-dragger from Orange County CA) talking about states' rights in terms of marijuana legalization. AMAZING. He's in favor of legalized pot here in California and elsewhere. And gives several quite logical reasons for it. Explaining that "the federal government shouldn't interfere in people's private lives…" Well no freakin' SHIT, dana. No freakin' SHIT. So then why are you CONS so adamant about shoving hard plastic objects up women's vaginas and jackbooting yourselves collectively into every woman's gynecologist's examining rooms??????

[Douglas Carpenter]

3. I'm glad to hear that- he is one of my favorite actors and it always confounded me how a talented

and intelligent person could possibly support the Republican Party of today.

[yardwork]

36. Always felt the same way.

[Sheldon Cooper]

4. Good job, Robert.

Come over from the dark side. One of my favorite actors.

[Voice for Peace]

5. YA YA YAYYYY I knew he couldn't really be a Republican

forever

[pinboy3niner]

6. I met him at his restaurant in Virginia

Nice guy, great actor--but don't look to him to suddenly be a Liberal.

[Zorra]

7. Yes! When I saw the OP subject line, I thought, Robert Duvall.

I could never understand how someone with such enormous creative talent could be a republican/conservative.

All the other conservative artists, musicians, actors, writers, etc. are mediocre at their best. But Robert Duvall is excellent. I'm shocked it has taken him this long to break through the veil of stupidity, but better late than never.

[LiberalLovinLug]

72. Him and Clint Eastwood

I guess I wouldn't be surprised at Clint's leanings based on his early pulp Western work, but he has been in, and directed, some very sensitive moving works in his later career.

But yeah, most creative types are liberal. Look at the percentage of editorial cartoonists. Creative people naturally have a more open mind because they need the input to be able to distill it into their work. So they end up being very informed individuals. And when you are more informed, you begin to understand the deception by the elite powerful rightwing and their mouth pieces in the media conglomerates they own. Combine that with a passion to express oneself about the truth they see around them, and they are labeled as "liberals" whether they call themselves that or not.

[herding cats]

8. Looks like it's not just the millennial's they've alienated.

Glad to see he's bailing!

[jeffrey_pdx]

9. Best actor of all time

I always loved his roles, good to see he sees who really cares.

[tblue37]

49. No one has yet mentioned his fine performance in _Falling Down_. nt

[CincyDem]

56. Two words. "True Confessions". n/t

[jimlup]

10. What took him so long?

Hard to get excited or praise the man. He should have left decades ago... seeing the light now is better than nothing I guess but good grief I'm not going to praise someone for doing what should have been a total no-brainer decades ago.

[Rose Siding]

43. How can someone who earns a living by walking in the shoes of others be gop?

I've never understood how a good actor could be a con.

[blkmusclmachine]

11. About damn time.

[geek tragedy]

12. He'll always be a Republican.

Pity, because he is such an incredible actor.

[awoke_in_2003]

19. Says he will vote Independent...

Independents are just people who say they are not republican, yet only vote for them

[A Simple Game]

48. I happen to be unaffiliated, are you calling me a Republican?

I have no doubt I am more liberal than you, I'm more liberal than 95% of DU.

He says this without even knowing who will be the candidates, "but she might even vote Democrat next time because the Republican Party is a mess. I'll probably vote Independent next time."

I will bet you 100 internet points that you will admit to voting for the Democratic candidate in 2016 before you even know who is running. As an unaffiliated voter I find that foolish and admitting to not caring that you are an uninformed voter. We should take the time to know the candidates before we vote.

[awoke_in_2003]

54. I will rephrase, then

99% of the people who tell me they are independents are really republicans who don't want to admit it

[A Simple Game]

69. You are hanging out with the wrong crowd. I and many I know are former Democrats

who are now too liberal for the Democratic party.

[awoke_in_2003]

86. Oh, I don't hang with them...

I work with them. I am stuck down here in Texas.

[hotrod0808]

92. I have never

affiliated myself with a particular party. I am a very progressive, liberal voter. I refuse to register with a party because I've seen what has happened to the wavering of ideals in both parties in my lifetime. Prime example: the four bullshit pro-corporate Democrats that are OK with The Keystone XL, or the six bastard Democrats would not fight to the bitter end for increased minimum wage rates.

[awoke_in_2003]

93. Sorry, I was going off personal experience

and should have said so.

[marble falls]

94. And I'm a Texas Republican who's been voting an almost straight Democratic ticket for the last .....

three election cycles. The Tea Party has torn the GOP to pieces. Rather the GOP has allowed the Teabillies to turn it into the Teapublican Party. We need a Blue Texas/US because the Red is turning shit brown.

[ErikJ]

13. This actor surprised me. He gives the air of intelligence but I guess its just acting

[AAO]

15. If he really said that then he's a fucking dumbass.

[wheniwasincongress]

24. An odd one here

He's always been said to be really smart; he's really close with Jodie Foster (or was) and may even be the sperm donor of her sons... I'm not sure what his deal is. Too bad.... great actor and hilarious in Casino

[Douglas Carpenter]

30. I never trusted James Woods after what he did to Peter Griffin

[Zambero]

71. Republican Thinker?

Now there's an oxymoron!

[demwing]

83. He reportedly has a genius IQ

And though a registered Dem, identifies as very conservative.

Of course, there's the whole Sean Young thing, so the guy can't be all that bright.

[nikto]

96. I agree

It must be acting.

[AAO]

14. I realize people like this have very busy schedules

Too bad they can't find time to deprogram themselves. A little bit of truth (and science) never hurt anyone!

[hadrons]

16. Duvall's parents were complete wingnuts....

Duvall said that they actually thought he was gay because he wanted to go into acting.

[groundloop]

17. It's not like he's come over to our side

He stated he'll probably vote Independent (my guess would be libertarian). I suppose that's a half a vote improvement for Democratic candidates.

[pokerfan]

18. Welcome home, Gus

[Vogon_Glory]

20. I've Noticed That When Some Guys Reach A Certain Age

I've noticed that when many guys reach a certain age, think for themselves, and still have their mental faculties, they'll say what they d__n well please and not give a rat's rump what other people think of them.

It looks like Robert Duval has reached that point, even if he hasn't yet become a Democratic Party supporter and activist (But there might be hope).

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

21. My work puts me in contact with the extremely wealthy

And while I have only seen a couple come out identifying themselves as Democrats there are quite a few who now fall silent on any political subject. One individual was one of W's "pioneers" and other than a small donation to McCain hasn't contributed a cent to a Republican in years. It is probably a pure coincidence that he has a PhD in Biology.

[functioning_cog]

23. I love the smell of defection in the morning. It smells like

VICTORY!

[Ratty]

25. I can forgive an ex-conservative many things

But standing on a stage and endorsing that dangerous moron from Alaska isn't one of them. That he couldn't see her for what she was ... that kind of idiocy never goes away.

[Skittles]

28. I agree

[Tom Ripley]

51. +1000

[redqueen]

60. +1

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

85. -20,000

When a Republican stops being a Republican, the correct response is, "Welcome the Democratic Party."

The correct response is NOT "I'm still going to hold you accountable for what you used to believe."

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Luke 15: 7

Mr. Duvall is now on the side of the angels, and I welcome him.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but current Democratic "It Girl" Wendy Davis used to be a Republican -- even donated to George W. Bush's first presidential campaign. Markos Moulitsas and Garbrielle Giffords also used to be Republicans.

[MADem]

26. Jesus--that's big news. Why? He's one of the few...with TALENT!

He should take "Frasier" with him...!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

27. As a huge fan of his acting, his politics have always been baffling

Glad to see he's coming to his senses.

[Skittles]

29. his wife is a "tree hugging republican"?

that makes no fucking sense

[Vogon_Glory]

34. There Were Tree-Hugging Republicans

There were tree-hugging Republicans once upon a time. The R's once had a strong environmentalist wing and it also used to have a strong pro-family planning faction. The Religious Right overwhelmed the pro-family planning faction and they were either side-lined or silenced themselves, and the environmentalists were sidelined by the extraction industry people and (so-called) free-market ideologues.

All too many still eat (bleep) and vote R out of thoughts of " party unity" and the occasional table scrap.

I wised up to what the Republican Party had become and at the end of the Cold War cheerfully started voting Democratic.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

35. Remember, Theodore Roosevelt was a Republican

And he was almost certainly the greatest tree-hugger of any president.

Of course, he would be drummed out of the GOP nowadays.

[Vogon_Glory]

39. Indeed he was and he would be

Indeed TR was a great conservationist and he would be drummed out of today's Republican Party.

As I see it, part of the Democratic Party's problem is that many of today's Republican Party's voters remember the GOP's progressive actions of the past without coming to grips with the fact that their party has changed, and changed for the worse.

TR built dams and created national parks; today's remaining center-right and moderate-conservatives are constantly building walls of denial.

[packman]

50. Got you one better

Abraham Lincoln was a Republican. Imagine how he would relate to the Repukes today, or the Repukes to him.

[penultimate]

45. I think that's the point of him and others feeling distant to the GOP

The GOP is so far out there on issues that anyone with sensible beliefs is no longer in line with them. I'm sure there are plenty of republicans who are now saying "good riddance." In fact, I have little doubt that a quick search of any republican forum will have posts calling him a rhino (I think that's the term) or a communist socialist. That out of touch extremist view of things will be the downfall of the republican party. I will say the republicans have a lot of mindless sheep who will follow them wherever they go though....

[Skittles]

74. RINO = republican in name only

well all I have to say to people like him is - WTF took you so long?

[penultimate]

75. I don't think it's him who changed or moved on though. It's just the GOP gets more and more nuts

I never heard him talk about politics much, so I did a search on youtube to see what I could find. I found an interview with on the Howard Stern show, and he came off as being rather socially conservative on issues. He's against gay marriage and stuff like that. I personally find it hard to find any sort of common ground with social conservatives, because their is little logic in many of their opinions. I may be wrong about him though, as I just listened to about 20 minutes of an interview that took place almost a decade ago.

[Skittles]

76. the GOP has been sickening for a long, long time now

I mean, like seriously

[Sgent]

65. Hell

Nixon signed the environmental protection act establishing the EPA, GHWB signed the clean air act. The radical bits are new.

[Eleanors38]

97. Think Teddy Roosevelt.

[NBachers]

31. Boo Radley ventures off the front porch . . .

[jollyreaper2112]

33. Huh?

I could buy this story from someone in 2002 when the Iraq war talk was heating up. In 2014? Just what the fuck happened now that was your last straw, guy? You mean to say two illegal wars, bowing to Wall Street after the financial crisis, pro-torture and climate denying and illegal spying and an imperial presidency wasn't enough to do it for you? It's like an old woman divorcing her husband because he's a killer and cannibal and used the meat from hitchhikers in his restaurant. He's a monster, you say. You don't even know him anymore. Well, we have video that shows you picking up those hitchhikers and you worked at the restaurant. You must have already known who and what he is. Did he leave the toilet seat up one too many times or something?

[Inkfreak]

37. Love me some Bobby D!!

I watch Open Range all the time. Great movie. I doubt he's really leaving the Republican Party. He prolly just got tired of some of their horseshit at the moment. I bet they put up a candidate he likes, he'll be back in with em.

Don't really care. I like my actors because of their body of work. Not party affiliation.

[TRoN33]

38. Good move, Robert.

[napkinz]

40. This ICONIC actor bolted the Democratic Party and went Rethuglican

[Beach Rat]

41. Who the hell is that?

[napkinz]

42. a sample of his work ...

[africanadian]

44. In "Apocalypse Now," he played a batshit-crazy man

And now, he's leaving a batshit-crazy party. Good for him!

[bvf]

89. That movie was full of batshit crazy, which reminds me

that Dennis Hopper underwent a similar political conversion before his death a few years ago. Don't recall if he ever changed his political affiliation, but he did publicly support Obama in 2008.

This was a guy who years earlier buttonholed Newt Gingrich to shake his hand and tell him what a truly great man he was.

Regrettable that in both cases here their changes of heart came so late in life.

Back to Duvall: I even liked him in Sling Blade, where he had all of about one minute of screen time and no coherent lines.

[tblue37]

46. ??--How do you "vote Independent"? In most elections you have only the

two candidates, and they are almost always R & D. The race where a candidate is labeledceither third-party or Independent is rare. (Sanders, for example, is Independent.)

[BodieTown]

52. That's the "reveal"...

...it's the coward's way, a dog whistle to his party.

Duvall apparently supposes that his former fans (like me) are as transparently stupid as he is.

Sorry, Bob: You can't even get the "...she might even vote Democrat..." part right, without using your dog whistle.

[rhett o rick]

53. I am not happy with Republicans switching parties unless they switch ideologies.

I dont want no damn conservative ideologies corrupting the DEmocratic Party. Tell them to stay and fix the Republican Party.

We dont want a one party system, especially if that one party is going to be conservative.

[Zambero]

58. Sounds like he's trending independent

Not content with either major political party. There are a lot like him these days, many of whom are former Republicans but more middle-of-the-road. At least he's let it be known that he's not associating himself with the crazies who've taken over the Republican party, which might give others pause for thought as well. As for the GOP itself, it's not fixable in its current state, short of splintering and self-destructing which could very well be in the offing.

[rhett o rick]

59. I want the conservatives to stay in the REpublican Party and kick out the crazies.

Our Democracy needs a strong two party system.

[Zambero]

62. I wish that was possible at this time

The activists, the ones that vote in the primaries, skew straw polls, and affect the outcome of state caucuses, in other words what has come to define the Republican base -- these people are extreme right wing to the core and outnumber "establishment" conservatives many times over. They are dug in, uncompromising, and oblivious to anything outside their own ideological realm. As such, those who are less extreme and fewer in number will have no luck in persuading (let alone getting rid of) the hard core loonies.

[Zambero]

57. Why does it take them so long?

I'd guess that recent rants of the Teds Cruz & Nugent and those with a similar mindset might tend to make a thinking person ponder if they really want to be in the same party with these idiots. They can hold out for moderation, but it will not be forthcoming. A mess indeed.

[mountain grammy]

61. "I believe in a woman's choice" really, pal, where ya been the last 30 years

while Republicans have tried every which way to limit "woman's choice?" And let me know how that "voting independent" works out for you.
He's a fine actor, I admire his work, but any actor who supports the Republican party is, to me, an enemy of the people.

[progressoid]

63. " JFK had one of the worst Civil Rights voting records."

Here's the whole quote:

Q: Republicans in Hollywood seem to get a lot of flack and be a bit marginalized. Has it ever been tough, for you, to be a Republican in Hollywood?

Let me say it this way: my wife’s from Argentina, she’s been here for a while, and she’s very smart. She calls herself a “tree-hugging Republican,” but she might even vote Democrat next time because the Republican Party is a mess. I’ll probably vote Independent next time. I think it was Jack Kerouac who said something like, “Don’t run down my country. My people are immigrants, so I believe in this country with all its faults. To me, it’s a big country that’s made mistakes.” Some of the bleeding-heart left-wing, extreme left-wing, are actually different from liberals. That movie The Butler? It’s very inaccurate. JFK had one of the worst Civil Rights voting records. And the Rockefeller’s were much more liberal with the blacks. All the atrocities in the South were committed by the Democratic Party, but now, everything’s been turned around in a strange way. Some of these very conservative Republicans… I don’t know, man. I believe in a woman’s choice. I believe in certain things. I hear they booed Rick Perry last night on the Jimmy Kimmel show. But it’s a great country. We’ve done bad things. Slavery was terrible. One-third of all Freedmen in New Orleans fought for the South. I can’t figure that out. Those things aren’t told in the history books. There’ve been lots of contradictions and this and that. But I think the country’s okay, and hopefully it will survive.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/13/robert-duvall-discusses-his-storied-career-a-night-in-old-mexico-and-why-he-s-ditching-the-gop.html

[Iris]

99. I always love the "things not told in the history books" tactic

Also equating the Democratic party of today with the party in the South just after the Civil War. Good stuff.

[Bjorn Against]

66. I think he was the only Republican actor who actually had talent

Now they are left with the shit list of Victoria Jackson, Tom Selleck, Adam Sandler, Steven Segal, and Chuck Norris.

[BlueMTexpat]

67. What took him so long?

Today's GOP is nothing - NOTHING - like the majority of pre-Reagan era Republicans that I knew in my youth. Today's GOP consists primarily of the crazies that even the mainstream GOP of yore considered "fringe" at best.

Those GOPers I knew in my youth always had different emphases and concerns than I did, which is why we disagreed politically - and likely always will. But we were able to disagree courteously and respectfully, with reasoned - and rational - discourse on both sides. And ALL of us believed in ONE unified country that would move forward, more or less in concert with the will of the majority of the PEOPLE - NOT that of the corporations and NOT that of the One Percent.

They also were not beholden to the religious zealots that rule today's GOP.

[IrishAyes]

68. Didn't know he was GOP but sure glad not any more. Now if he can just persuade

my once-adored James Woods to follow him, I'd be tickled pink. James Woods is a brilliant man but nobody who sticks with the GOP can be considered smart.

[Hulk]

70. Seriously? I should care?

Clint Eastwood cleaned me of caring one speck what some old, wealthy white guy who lives on a mountain of gold "cares about". It just reinforces my faith in humanity when the other 99 perception can throw off their cover of wealth and STILL stand for what is right and just in our government and policies. The 1 percent, like Duvall & Eastwood mean NADA!

[Shankapotomus]

73. It's easy to jump ship

when you're party is so unpopular, especially with women and you're married to one.

[Arugula Latte]

78. Jeeezus, Bob, you're not quick to catch on, are you?

[Jefferson23]

80. I don't understand. He believes in a woman's choice...Republicans NEVER have. So

what exactly did he think Palin was going to do for the nation as VP?

His wife is intelligent and a tree hugger, but he worked for McCain..interesting.

Nice he dumped the Republicans in a public way.

[Warpy]

81. He's one of the best character actors in the business

and I've always loved his work. That he is intelligent enough to notice the GOP has gone stark, staring crazy doesn't surprise me in the least.

8 years of Stupid followed by the teabagger crazies should have awakened everybody sane.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

82. Some of the best actors

are dumb as 2X4s.

They are masters of intuition & navigating human emotions
with their bodies & faces & voices. It's a special talent
& can deceive others into thinking acting translates into
political or other sorts of intelligence.

P.S. My favorite movie of all-time is Tender Mercies.

[yardwork]

106. Love that movie! And I agree with you about actors.

We tend to want to believe that actors are the characters they play, but it's just an illusion. They put on the characters with the makeup and clothes.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

109. And of course the best actors draw the best writers

& so speak the best lines which add to the illusion
that they are the best people (i.e., like us, tee hee).

[barbtries]

87. i've always like him

but i didn't know where he stood politically. will probably never feel the same about him now...it took him to 2014 to realize this??

[mdbl]

88. I used to have a little respect for him

until I read this post. Didn't even know he was a repug. Too bad he's contributed so greatly to the decline of our society.

[charlives]

90. Too Little, Too Late

He was good in "Falling Down" though

[UTUSN]

91. Well O.K. So why was his insight lacking in the first place. n/t

[Vietnameravet]

95. I guess I missed this on Fox News..

[Iris]

98. um...he narrated video for their last convention

Nothing much has changed since then

[toby jo]

100. Above poster says he was raised by a military family - it would have been in the 50s, so that

explains a lot. He's starting to see something amiss, good again.

Best part, now he'll actually listen to our speeches, websites, leaders, and get the focus going. Now he's got some truth coming down the pipe at him.

Good. And a great actor, anything with Bobby D in it is worth your time.

[Aristus]

107. Military families don't always vote in lock-step with Republicans.

I was raised in a Southern military family, and my mother is an unreconstructed, old-school Kennedy liberal. She even marched in JFK's Inaugural parade. My dad for most of his life was a left-leaning moderate.

Like a lot of people who should have known better, he did a hard-right turn after September 11th, (long after he retired from the Army, BTW.) Supported the war in Iraq.

After that went down the drain, and my dad woke up, or sobered up, or whatever, he came to his senses and back to his political roots.

He spent most of 2008 supporting Barack Obama's candidacy, and saying of George W. Bush: "I can't wait until we get that fucking idiot out of the White House!"

He cast his last vote ever for Obama that November, and died the next May.

[joeybee12]

101. Well, if he is only "probably" going to vote Independent...

He' still too stupid, IMHO.

[JEFF9K]

102. I'm pretty sure that Boo Radley wouldn't vote Republican.

[AAO]

104. How do you vote independent when it's just dem vs repug?

He just doesn't want to be called a repug, but he'll probably still vote for one.

[IkeRepublican]

105. I get the impression that...

Hollywood "Republicans" really don't pay much attention to what's going on politically. They spout off all of these Eisenhower/Nixon ideologies, yet always come to the bosom of what ever goofball is running for a current Republican slot, which speaks volumes.

[vkkv]

108. The GOP has really lost America then... but he's still an idiot -

and always will be judging from his political views of the last 10 years.