Chrysler CEO defends Eastwood Super Bowl ad as not political

[kpete]

Chrysler CEO defends Eastwood Super Bowl ad as not political
By Keith Laing - 02/06/12 02:49 PM ET

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Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a radio interview in Detroit Monday that the commercial, in which actor Clinton Eastwood says "it's halftime America, and our second half is about to begin," was not an endorsement of Obama, who declared in his State of the Union address last month that "the American auto industry is back."

"It has zero political content," Marchionne said of the Super Bowl ad in an interview with Detroit radio station 760 AM WJR.

The commercial, called "It's Halftime America," touted the recovery of the American auto companies after the bailouts of 2008 and 2009. The U.S. government lent millions to General Motors and Chrysler, and the companies have seen their fortunes increase along with fellow American car company Ford, which did not accept a federal bailout.

"It was not intended to be any type of political overture on our part," Marchionne continued. "We are as apolitical as you can make us … I wasn't expressing a view and certainly nobody inside Chrysler was attempting to influence decisions."

http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/automobiles/208895-chrysler-ceo-says-clint-eastwood-super-bowl-ad-was-not-political

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. It cracks me up that people would think otherwise.

[gregtownsand]

2. Eastwood is a REPUBLICAN. LOL

How do the righties spin this one?

[lordcommander]

3. He is a dying breed of a Republican though

[nanabugg]

12. Clint is not a hater like most GOPers. He should just change parties and save his soul. nt

[BeyondGeography]

4. Rove is complaining

Another sign that the Republicans are crapping themselves.

[DCBob]

7. Yes, If Rove is pissed then the ad is working.

The entire RW talk show crowd is freaking about this. They know the success of the auto bailout is killer politics. Remember ObamaMotors? You dont hear them saying that one anyone.

Love it!

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. "Clinton Eastwood"?

Little Freudian slip there?

[boppers]

6. Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Eastwood

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Learn something new every day.

[On the Road]

8. When I Read the Headline

I was assuming someone was accusing the ad of being pro-Republican because of (1) Clint Eastwood and (2) the implication that an economic resurgence might be due to a change in administration.

So I agree with Marchionne. The ad was so apolitical it was difficult to tell which party it might have been supporting.

Loved the ad, BTW -- best ad of this year's SuperB owl.

[tridim]

9. I'm glad this ad hit a Repuke nerve. It's a good ad..

And it is funny to hear republicans complain about America's recovery.

Do they understand how idiotic they sound to voters? I hope not.

[DCBob]

15. Its hilarious hearing their desperate explanations to defuse this ad.

I have never heard Rove get so excited trying to convince Faux viewers that this ad is false. Obvioulsy this is a very powerful ad that reached a huge percent of the American people. The only thing missing was the follow-up ad showing Romney's op-ed "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt".

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html

[mia]

17. Romney's op-ed "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt"....

This article will haunt Romney.

"Very interesting....but stupid"

[liberal N proud]

10. The right wing can't stand the truth.

[Iliyah]

13. the right wing

can't handle the truth - LOL

These so called Christians are black eyes to the religion.

[onehandle]

14. Dirty Harry Rocks!

So does that ad.

[sarcasmo]

29. Dirty Harry Kicks ASS!

[caraher]

16. Oddly, I thought this ad could also be anti-Obama in impact

With all the talk about how rough things are, I could easily see it not so much validating Obama's rescue of a critical industry as reminding viewers that the recovery has a long way to go (which in some minds would mean "Obama failed&quot .

Also, it's interesting that Clint himself seems to have changed his tune...

[DCBob]

18. The impact is no doubt pro-Obama..

Why else would the RW be freaking out it.. even Rove. It doesnt matter what Eastwood's intentions were, the impact is clearly good for the President.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

20. "Why else would the RW be freaking out it" Because it has a "together, we can fix this" theme ...

... which goes completely against the Republican playbook, where everything is based on instilling fear and dividing people.

Eastwood is old school Republican, who puts country before party, the kind of Republicans who were around before Cheney, Atwood, Gingrich, Rove, etc. And the thought of a united country - on any cause - shows that people can come together, which terrifies the new Republicans. Because they care nothing about the country, only themselves.

[DCBob]

21. "Eastwood is old school Republican, who puts country before party"

Nice. I actually miss that breed of Republican. This country would be in much much better shape if we had more like that in congress.

[pa28]

19. It seemed to me the purpose of the ad was to divorce Chrysler's image from the bailouts.

The piece was expertly done and based on the number of opinions it's almost like a rorschach test.

The other thing that stood out was the weird visual reference showing protests that looked quite a bit like Madison. As if we needed to put the signs down and pull together now in the second half.

Maybe it was the fact Clint Eastwood was narrating but I most definitely did not see this as a campaign commercial or endorsement for Obama.

[caraher]

22. I just remember my own initial reaction...

and it was dominated by the initial gloom and doom vibe. I was actually a bit indignant that so much of the theme was that we're in such terrible shape. Yes, we can pull together, but behind whom?

But if I were a wingnut I can also see getting upset about the "halftime" metaphor. Obama's first term is the first half... his second term is the second half?

[pa28]

23. If it's a campaign commercial it's the polar opposite of Reagan's "Morning in America".

The dark atmosphere was hard to miss and IMO the ad was meant to be subtly anti-obama. They might have done a misfire here and based on what I've seen it's actually helping us.

[JI7]

24. it would be out of touch to imply we didn't still have some ways to go

the ad totally comes off as pro Obama. even more so than if Clint EAstwood were to just say "i support Obama" which wouldn't have the same impact.

[Capn Sunshine]

25. A hugely successful bailout, over the objections of many

Many people, a majority , bought in to the republican propaganda and were opposed to the bailout. 74+%. Many right here on this very website.

The President did what he knew would work. Over the objections of many, even inhis own cabinet.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

26. those horns at the end sound like Bruckner. Anton Bruckner.

Just an observation from your resident musical encyclopedia.

[admonish]

27. correction: Ford did indeed take money in the "bailout"

please refer to http://dailyreckoning.com/the-half-truth-and-nothing-but-the-half-truth/ or try a google search or wikipedia.

The fact is Ford hasn't publicized (for obvious good reasons) the fact they also got money back in 2008, but nevertheless did receive over $7 Billion US in that infamous economic crash of 2008.

[Democat]

28. Is the GOP saying that pro-America is pro-Obama?

Are they also saying that the ad would have to be anti-American to be pro-GOP?

The entire argument sounds ridiculous.