Eastwood: I'm not affiliated with Obama

[kpete]

Actor Clint Eastwood wants to clear up any confusion over the political intent of the Chrysler ad he narrated during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/02/was-eastwoods-super-bowl-ad-proobama-113583.html

“l am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama,” the actor told "O’Reilly Factor" producer Ron Mitchell according to Fox News. “It was meant to be a message ... just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it.”

Eastwood reiterated that he’s “not supporting any politician at this time” and added that if "Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.”

In the commercial, Eastwood says he's hopeful about a nationwide economic recovery, especially given recent improvements in the auto industry. "This country can't be knocked out with one punch," he says. "We get right back up again and when we do, the world is going to hear the roar of our engines.”

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/02/clint-eastwood-im-not-affiliated-with-obama-113651.html

[mdmc]

1. I thought it was a pro-bailout ad

thanking Obama

[gateley]

6. Someone on w/Tweety said it was like a Rorschach test -- and he was probably right. I don't think

it's unreasonable to assume Chrysler is appreciative of Obama's help and wanted the spot to highlight the resurgance of the industry without coming out and saying Thanks To Obama... They want to sell cars to Republicans, too.

[xtraxritical]

33. Do yourself a a favor vote a straight Democratic ballot

Clint does so.

[olegramps]

42. I didn't used to but, their isn't a Republican for any office that I would now vote for.

[Left Coast2020]

55. I thought I heard Matthews, or someone on his show

(MSNBC) last night say they thought Clint was a Libertarian critter? I know I heard it. Just not sure if was with Chris or not. But I found that hard to believe knowing what Clints past policies have been as Mayor of Carmel. I certainly haven't known him to have an (R) by his name. Does anybody know??

[gateley]

56. No need to advise me of that, I do, but Eastwood said he's never voted for a Democratic

President EVER. So not sure I understand your statement.

[ashling]

65. Hopefully, though not likely,

Clint will look t the abuse he is getting from Limbaugh and others and decide that most Repubs are scum

[1620rock]

2. He chose his words carefully..I think.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. if "Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.”

...... or against it like the re-pigs have been doing for 3 years.

[onehandle]

4. Sorry, Clint. The GOP will not 'agree' with job growth. They're actively trying to Kill the economy.

You might want to rethink your political affiliation.

[flamingdem]

29. I love that he's a repug

but doesn't get the way repugs are behaving! If he could get that he might support Obama.

[louis-t]

5. Doesn't matter, repugs make up their own phony outrages.

I thought the ad was very powerful. Repugs SHOULD distance themselves from it. They have no intention of doing anything to help anyone in this country but their rich friends. Good luck with that.

[mother earth]

7. If memory serves me correctly, Eastwood has always been a conservative, but given the current

state of conservativism in this country, one can only sway liberally if you truly love your country. If you do love your country, Obama is the only way...supporting anyone else is just utter madness, plain and simple. That's what it has come to, who knew the democrat would be the true conservative? Guess we really always were, now if we can get our progressive mojo...perfection.

The GOP died, they are now officially bat-shit-crazy. They should drop the elephant and start waving their "bat" flag.

[DFW]

39. Subtle difference

Eastwood has been conservative--not "a conservative."

More or less like me. I am risk averse, never did drugs in college, stayed with my first and only wife, stuff like that. I'm conservative. But I'll be damned if I'll be anything like the Republican whackos who have hijacked the term with no respect whatsoever for what the word means. Maybe Eastwood feels somewhat the same way. Today, Fox Noise would indeed have us all believe that "conservative" means bat-shit crazy.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

40. You wrote...

I am risk averse, never did drugs in college, stayed with my first and only wife, stuff like that. I'm conservative.

Do you mean to imply that not being a conservative means that one is not risk averse, does drugs in college, cheats on spouses? I just want to be clear because I don't know of any liberal or non-conservative who does these things.

[AlbertCat]

50. Besides...

In the 70's, drugs were actually kinda across the board. I know lots of conservatives who did some drugs in college. Lily Thomlin has a whole routine on it.
a character who grew up in the 60's, and it's now the 70's...

"There once was a time when sharing a joint was almost a spiritual bond between people. Now you see Wall Street execs saying "I'll have a hit off that".

Just takes all the fun out of it."

Anyway, some of the worst conservatives I know now ("Obama;s gonna take our guns away!&quot were out-and-out hippies in the 60's.
( I think it has something to do with always wanting to be in the "in crowd", plus being spoiled and confusing freedom with not following the rules and just doing whatever you want.)

[DFW]

53. I meant nothing of the sort

Why in the world would you read that into what I wrote? I'm "a" liberal who lives a conservative lifestyle.
Nothing more, nothing less. Are you "clear" now?

What's with the label hangup? You dodging bullets that were never fired.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

59. You wrote those words. I didn't. In fact, I don't have any label hangups.

People are free to be what they want to be. However, I simply asked for clarification, since what you wrote was unclear and a little ambiguous.

[justiceischeap]

51. He's actually a Libertarian, though votes Republican

Eastwood has made no secret of his pro-liberty views. He first hinted at his politics in Parade magazine (January 12, 1997) when he wrote about government: "Abuse of power isn't limited to bad guys in other nations. It happens in our own country if we're not vigilant. Those in power get jaded, deluded, and seduced by power itself." He explicitly went on the record as a libertarian in a March 1997 Playboy interview, when he was asked: "How would you characterize yourself politically?" Eastwood replied: "Libertarian... Everyone leaves everyone else alone."

He reiterated that with his 2004 USA Today quote, and then elaborated when asked about same-sex marriages. Eastwood replied: "From a libertarian point of view, you would say, 'Yeah? So what?' You have to believe in total equality. People should be able to be what they want to be and do what they want -- as long as they're not harming people."

Then, just to confirm that his views were neither conservative nor liberal, Eastwood was quoted in an undated profile in the British magazine Hello as saying, "There's a rebel lying deep in my soul. Anytime anybody tells me the trend is such and such, I go the opposite direction. I have a reverence for individuality... I've always considered myself too individualistic to be either right-wing or left-wing."

http://www.libertarianism.com/pop_celebrity/clint-eastwood

[mother earth]

75. Maybe this time around he'll be a libertarian voting Democrat, since the republicans are self-

destructing. I can understand libertarian views, except for the small gov't BS line. If gov't worked the way it was intended, it
would not be imposing and far reaching into our lives, it would act in transparency and safeguarding that one piece that always
gets lost in the shuffle, we the people.

[Bruce Wayne]

57. Their WHAT flag?! Are *you* insane now?

No, keep the elephant, Republicans. Some symbols should remain sacred.

"Bat"--sheesh

[mother earth]

76. LOL, only because they are batty....they are waving that flag, like it or not. It's like a never

ending game show these days...you never know who's going to be on top, it's always someone else.

[tanyev]

8. Funny how the GOP is assuming it was about Obama.

Seeing how it was a hopeful message about job growth and the spirit of America.

[Skittles]

12. GOP cares more about power than they do about America

that's a fact

[SomeGuyInEagan]

13. Ding! Ding! Ding! Winner!

This ad scares them because it talks about how "we" are in this together and can turn it around. That's a unifying theme. Since the time of Atwood, the Republicans have run on fear and division, because Reagan's policies simply didn't work and they know it.

[cbrer]

28. Let's hope

More people gain this awareness. Enlightenment can come after suffering...

[chervilant]

9. Wow...

Now we get glurge delivered with state-of-the-art graphics by one of our iconic actors. I'm all teary-eyed...

[DCBob]

10. Good response... but the GOPers wont like it..

because he wants the country to succeed and not to fail like many RWingers want.

[Boombaby]

11. "just about job growth"

Mr Eastwood, that is a pro-Obama message!

[former9thward]

14. Just 3 months ago Eastwood was a Cain supporter.

And he was against the auto bailouts. http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/02/05/clint-eastwood-and-detroit-%E2%80%98we-almost-lost-everything%E2%80%99/

[JI7]

15. people don't always support a candidate because they agree on every issue

i think Cain's appeal was partly his personality.

[Little Star]

18. I chuckled about your Cain's appeal-his personality...

If a person was brain dead they might think Cain had a good personality!

Then again, we're talking about Republicans here!

[groundloop]

17. Nothing against Clint, but I wouldn't expect any actor to know much about how the country runs

(Yes, St. Ronnie included).

[lunatica]

37. He did a few years as Mayor of Carmel

He did a pretty good job too. He probably knows more than you do about what it takes to run one of the most beautiful and popular cities in the country.

[Duct Tape]

16. Of course not. Eastwood is a big

republican. I'm surprised that people thought the ad was pro-Obama in the first place.

[Obamacare]

19. You can tell Eastwood is a rethug "Mr Obama", no its President Obama!!

[bottom line]

54. WE do not forget

Being from Hlywd, old enough to remember the first 10 years of runs ronnies, not A mention of the word AIDS, or help and where Miss Eastwood's nose was in his grand scheme to become "B" actor 2nd president, I would bet $ he's never said, President & Obama together. He's quite a schemer & thinks because he was used to draw the younger gen with his very relevant movies as Alist director that he's still on. sorry he's a bit smarter than charlton heston, by seelearning from, to not talk, i.e. ACT. Always jealous he couldn't hold a candle to great actors.
WE DO NOT FOR GET

[liberal N proud]

20. Spirit of America - pro recovery

GOP is anti recovery.

[provis99]

21. no one thought it was pro-Obama until stupid Karl Rove shot his mouth off.

these days, Rove is like the anti-King Midas. Everything he touches turns to shit.

[vaberella]

35. I don't know why not since Obama bailed out Chrysler and Ford. HELLO!

I can actually see the correlation. I know a few repubs who would have been glad to see Chrysler and Ford go down so they didn't get the bail out. Screw other Americans...as they said to me, and I quote "That's their problem."

[MADem]

22. Run with the spirit of that ad! Ha!

Makes it kind of difficult for the GOP to continue with the "Obama Motors" theme, though, doesn't it? Those bastards will have to, er, "get the SPIRIT!"

Mittsy's daddy was in the car biz, but ain't it funny how Obama does a better job at it than Mittsy ever could?

[Tx4obama]

23. Clint Eastwood's fee for Chrysler Super Bowl ad is being donated to charity

SNIP

The views Eastwood expressed were his own and the undisclosed fee he received for making them is being donated to charity, Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne said today.

SNIP

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-06/eastwood-calls-halftime-in-america-in-chrysler-super-bowl-ad.html

[JNelson6563]

25. Very nice!

Seems to me that Clint Eastwood was speaking as a patriot. I think he diffused the bullshit political firestorm brilliantly. Love that he donated whatever they paid him! Classy.

Julie

[fujiyama]

24. Clint strikes me as a fairly old school republican -

leaning to the right on fiscal issues, but somewhat moderate on social issues. He has said he's in favor of gay marriage.

I don't really care about his politics. I think he's a good director and I've enjoyed his movies. I also think he did a great job narrating that ad! His response to the criticism is also spot on.

[unkachuck]

26. kudos to Mr. Eastwood....

....on a powerful commercial and message....I'm only saddened by the thought that we're expected to pull together, now that the 1% have picked our pockets and are still willing to rape us....

[Alexander]

27. Clint Eastwood is pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, was against the Iraq War and is very pro-environment

His record as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea speaks for itself - he was a strong advocate of environmental protection.

He's a Republican, sure, but he has more in common with people like Lincoln Chafee, Colin Powell, Lowell Weicker and James Jeffords than Rick Santorum or Michele Bachmann.

[DCBob]

36. If all Republicans were like Eastwood this country would be in much better shape...

in many ways.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

41. But he supports Cain. Very strange. Why not someone like Gary Johnson? A true Libertarian.

Cain is not. He wants to control what I do in my own bedroom and monitor my uterus. No, thanks. I'll leave that to my OB-GYN.

[Alexander]

60. Actually Eastwood is now undecided on the presidential race.

I'm guessing he's not following politics as closely as us political junkies. He probably liked one or two things Cain said and didn't research him at all.

This quote seems to confirm my belief.

When asked his opinion of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates in February 2012, Eastwood replied that Texas Congressman Ron Paul was "'as good as anybody else' in the race but that he will decide on a candidate in another month or two after 'listening to all that crap on television.'"

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

61. Great. I guess that now that Cain is out, he's left with these other jerks!

[Alexander]

62. There is the possibility that he might end up supporting Obama.

I'm not quite sure why you think he's dead-set on endorsing a Republican - Eastwood has occasionally supported Democrats in the past.

Not only that, but he did wish Obama well after the 2008 election, demonstrating that he doesn't share the hatred many right-wing Republicans have for the man.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

63. I think he's dead-set on endorsing a Republican because he has emphatically stated that he is a

staunch Republican and has voted Republican since 1952. Just going by his own words.

I hope he does support Obama. I really do.

[Alexander]

66. Going by his own words, he voted for Gray Davis, and is a Republican only because Eisenhower was one

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-10-12-clint-eastwood_x.htm

"He was in his teens during World War II and remembers people along the California coast painting their windows black out of fear that a Japanese destroyer might be lurking in the distance, searching for a nighttime target. He was in the Army during the Korean War, though he didn't see combat. He voted for Dwight Eisenhower for president because he thought a military man familiar with the horrors of battle would be able to settle the conflict.

That's how he became a Republican. "I guess if he'd been running as a Democrat, I'd have been a Democrat," Eastwood says and smiles — a crack in that iconic face which, even in real life, seems to be permanently marked with contempt for punks."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/11/clint-eastwood-talks-politics-whos-the-one-democrat-that-he-voted-for.html

"Eastwood was far more open about his own politics. Having started voting for GOP presidential contenders in 1952 with Dwight Eisenhower, Eastwood said he was tempted to break ranks only once — in 1992, for Ross Perot. “I liked him,” Eastwood said. “I guess because I like rebels.”

The only Democrat he can remember voting for is Gray Davis when he was elected governor of California in 1998. Yet Eastwood is also a big admirer of the current governor, Jerry Brown, and what Eastwood likes about Brown is revealing."

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

67. As I stated before, I hope that he does vote for Obama. And I have no beef with you. I'm not

sure why you're being so hostile.

[Alexander]

68. You are seeing hostility where none exists.

I merely made the point that it's not unheard of for Eastwood to support a Democrat. You countered by saying that according to Eastwood's own words, he never voted for a Democrat. I used Eastwood's own words to point out to you that this was not accurate.

I also hope Eastwood comes around to support Obama this year, and I see his vote for Gray Davis and his brief flirtation with voting for Ross Perot as signs that he might do so. At the very least, it's clear he doesn't share the hatred for Obama most Republicans have.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

69. You made your point, now leave me alone.

[Alexander]

70. Pot, meet kettle.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

72. Your response to me was very nasty. That is why I'm asking you to leave me alone.

Now, off to ignore you go!

[Alexander]

73. No it wasn't. And you've been picking fights throughout this entire thread.

Oh no, some anonymous nobody on the Internet is putting me on Ignore! Whatever shall I do?

[tridim]

30. The ad destroyed Rmoney and the GOP's entire strategery.

Thanks Mr. Eastwood.

[onehandle]

31. You spelled Romney wrong.

It's spelled 'C-A-P-T-A-I-N M-O-N-E-Y-B-A-G-S'

Wait... You did spell it right.

[xtraxritical]

32. What's th' confusion?

The ad was simply pro America? Duh, Doh!

[BadtotheboneBob]

52. Exactly! Kudos!

Those who read political messages into the commercial (on either side) missed (or ignored) that very point. It's how I took its meaning right off the bat and I loved the spot.

[vaberella]

34. Obama was the one who gave the ad a chance to even exist.

Obama bailed out Chrysler. If it was not Obama nothing would have happened.Republicans and even a few democrats wanted it to fail to the ground. Obama doesn't have to run with the spirit of the ad.

[lunatica]

38. Squinty eyed Clint Eastwood made my day

First with the ad and now with his response to what his critics would like to smear him with.

[Johnny2X2X]

43. Amazing

The Republicans are disgusting right now. Any mere mention of anything that is pro America right now is met with hostility. How dare Clint Eastwood point out something good that has happened due to Obama's policies.

[erpowers]

44. Ad In Line With Chrysler Theme

This ad is in line with the theme Chrysler has been pushing since the auto bailout. If you look at all the ads they have put out since the auto bailout you can see the same themes and images. In most of the ads there has been a theme of new beginnings. In a number of the other ads there as been a connection to sports, mainly football. In one ad the used Suh from the Detroit Lions. In another ad they used a young kid whose team had just one an ice hockey championship.

Looking at that their previous ads it is not surprising that they used theme "It's Halftime in America". They have had there new beginning. They have had some success. Now it can be said to be halftime. When halftime is over it will be time to get back to work.

[chelsea0011]

45. Clint and his movies have almost always been about rugged individualization...

this ad continues on that road. It is not political at all.

[Iliyah]

46. Well we all know

that the gops put party before country, and the rate they are going, they will succeed in turning away most of the sane goppers towards Pres O.

[randr]

47. The Best of All

Everyone assumes this wonderful, powerful, positive message is about Obama and his economic recovery.

[nolabels]

48. You know the republicans are running scared......

if they see a ghost around every corner

After I had just bought and watched the Dirty Harry five-pack he shows up at half-time getting the oligarch to pee in their shorts. Thanks for making my day Clint

[AlbertCat]

49. "This country can't be knocked out with one punch,"

the world is going to hear the roar of our engines.”

Mixed metaphors anyone?

I don't really care what Eastwood is for or against, but his message here is in a "it's more than political" vein (kinda like OWS), and I can go with that.

[Ganja Ninja]

58. Too late Clint you're Unforgiven.

Karl Rove Painted your Wagon in his quest for a Fist Full of Dollars. He's willing to Hang you High for a Few Dollars More. Karl's The White Hunter with a Black Heart. He'll turn you Any Which Way but Loose and throw you in The Dead Pool for cash. Karl's The Enforcer and you're going to have to run The Gauntlet over Heartbreak Ridge. You'll find it easier to Escape From Alcatraz then from Karl's Absolute Power. Karl has you in The Line of Fire. In A Perfect World you could use Magnum Force to avenge this True Crime.

[ailsagirl]

64. Maybe he was saying enough is enough

Maybe, just maybe, he's a very rare (nearly extinct) kind of repug who can see through all the verbal crap that the GOP has been spewing and continues to spew in the face of Obama's successes. They live in a dream world where their message is becoming more and more blatant: what's positive for America is anathema to them. It's insane!

[FrenchieCat]

71. That would be "President" Obama......

But yeah......The Ad was really simply about job growth and the spirit of America. And in a just world, it would be true to think all politicians would agree with it.

[lonestarnot]

74. Numbnuts.

[Vidar]

77. Good for Eastwood.