Eastwood Rightly Mocks An Empty-Chair Presidency

IBD EDITORIALS ^ | August 31, 2012

[raptor22]

Tampa 2012: In remarks to a chair as vacant as the one in the Oval Office, a Hollywood icon reminds us that the president is a failed employee of the people and it's time to let him go.

As performance shtick, it may not have come off perfectly. But judging from the reaction from those "left of Lenin," as 82-year-old Hollywood legend described it during a sort of surprise appearance at the Republican National Convention Thursday, it skewered our absentee president perfectly.

"Clint, my hero, is coming across as sad and pathetic," tweeted "left of Lenin" film critic Roger Ebert as Eastwood ad-libbed Thursday night to an audience of millions — and one empty chair. "He didn't need to do this to himself. It's unworthy of him."

Eastwood's point, though delivered haltingly, was that President Obama is unworthy of the great nation he disparages and apologizes for incessantly, and that our failed employee should be given his walking papers.

Ebert and others miss the point that it is what Obama has done to us that is sad and pathetic.

[MomwithHope]

I just posted on Mark Levin’s FB page that I thought people across America should put an empty chair in front of their houses, a la Wag the Dog and the shoes bit. That would really get under Obama’s skin. Especially set out empty chairs at his campaign stops.

[Aquamarine]

Here's another good outtake from that movie.

You talkin to me?

[Elsie]

• Sudden Impact

  (1983)

• 00:49:14 Why? Do you want him?

[Elsie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue0fZfwHfzo

[Elsie]

...I don't think it will deliver a virus....

But it WILL help CURE one!

[Elsie]

The biggest issue I had was there was very little call for Democrats to be defeated.

That would be an intellectual appeal.

What Clint delivered was a blow to the GUT!

[Stand Watch Listen]

“We own this country… Politicians are employees of ours…
And when somebody does not do the job,
….. we’ve got to let them go”

[Elsie]

It played well with people who already disapprove of Obama, but frankly to the vast majority of Americans that are mostly apolitical, I don’t think they quite “got it.”

Perhaps it was DESIGNED to PROVOKE the Libs, and then their BACKLASH will make them look all the worse!

[Elsie]

After all, Eastwood is a long time actor/producer. What else can I say?

Uh...

That he is a Great Communicator?

[Elsie]

What convinces me of that was the schtick about Obama wanting Eastwood to tell Romney to flip himself off.M/b>

WHAT???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc1qFGKEGdA

[Elsie]

No doubt the thin-skinned Obama and his crowd are going to attempt to "get back" at Romney at the DNC and you can bet that their response will be heavy-handed, petty and ugly.

There ya go!

[Stand Watch Listen]

I agree with the many posters who believe the dottering fool approach was in the style of Jimmy Stewart.

[patriotspride]

I just watched it again and there were some really funny lines. He did great. He did amazing considering he is 82?
The second time watching it was funnier and better than the first. The left is coming undone over this. I loved the line about Obama becomes as bad as Biden, the “intellect of the Democrat Party”.

---

For what it’s worth I think this was planned payback, and a “ you bring a knife , we bring a gun” message to O , based on the “ you killed my wife, and threw Granny off the cliff messages”

[patriotspride]

It was scripted, organized, and effective. After all, Eastwood is a long time actor/producer. What else can I say?

---

Agree. An actor, who has to memorize lines, scenes, timing, delivery can easily pull off this particular scene.

Throw in the thought that he probably enjoyed it and it dekunks the dementia counterpoint.

[bcsco]

What convinces me of that was the schtick about Obama wanting Eastwood to tell Romney to flip himself off.M/b>

WHAT???

The appropriate transcribed text from this link: TRANSCRIPT: CLINT EASTWOOD at the Republican National Convention RNC GOP

What?
What do you want me to tell Romney?
I can’t tell him to do that.
That uh… He can’t do that to himself.

And...

OK. ….Well anyway.
All right, I’m sorry.
. I can’t do that to myself either.

It's pretty obvious what he was referring to...

[kevao]

I agree with the many posters who believe the dottering fool approach was in the style of Jimmy Stewart.

---

Not only the character, but the entire concept of Clint’s parody came from the Jimmy Stewart movie “Harvey.” Here is a scene from that movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKECvqSVWPA

[Terry Mross]

According to 2016 THE MOVIE, people voted for him so they could tell they’re grandchildren that they helped elect him. People were voted out of guilt and are afraid to say anything bad about him. I hope people won’t be afraid to vote against him.

I came away from that movie feeling more afraid than ever for this country. I wasn’t planning on voting. Now I can’t wait to pull the lever for Romney. I believe Romney wants his children and grandchildren to grow up in America. obama wants to turn us into a third world country so he can fulfill his absent father’s dreams.

[Ditter]

Yes you are correct, the style of Jimmy Stewart and the movie Harvey. I doubt if there are too many of us who actually remember Harvey.

[bcsco]

After all, Eastwood is a long time actor/producer. What else can I say?

Uh...

That he is a Great Communicator?

The word is "imply". In context, that's exactly what I implied. It was for you to infer.

[kevao]

The movie was from 1950 — many, many years before I was even born. But I knew about the movie. Saw it about six years ago on TCM. Great movie.