It seems like everyone wants to claim Clint Eastwood as their own. The Republicans point out that he has voted for their party in every presidential election since the Eisenhower administration. That’s seems conclusive to me. He even served as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California as a Republican nonpartisan. The problem is that you can’t extrapolate much from Eastwood’s voting record to know where he stands on the issues. He’s pro-choice, he supports gay marriage and the Equal Rights Amendment. He’s supported Democratic politicians in the past. He has supported many environmental causes. And if you want to know where he stands on race, go see Invictus, the movie he made about Nelson Mandela’s decision to support the traditionally all-white national rugby team as a way to promote national unity. Ask Morgan Freeman about Mr. Eastwood’s heart and character.
The truth is that Clint Eastwood can’t be claimed. His politics are broader than either party. But that doesn’t keep Fox News from distorting his words. Take a look a what Eastwood said about his Chrysler commercial and compare it to the headline that Fox News decided to use.
I am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK.
I am not supporting any politician at this time.
Chrysler to their credit didn’t even have cars in the ad. Anything they gave me for it went for charity. If any Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.”
Fox emphasized that Eastwood denied any “affiliation” with the president. I would emphasize that he didn’t rule it out in the future and that he encouraged the president to run with the pro-American message of job growth.
After the way the right has treated him over this Super Bowl commercial, I won’t be shocked if Eastwood comes out and supports Obama for president. Then again, I won’t be shocked if he doesn’t. Voting for a Democratic president would break sixty years of precedent.
The conservative backlash against the Eastwood ad is telling. It’s as if any sign of optimism or hope is a Democratic thing. They’re ceding the high ground to us. Awesome.
Chris Hayes pointed this out last night on Maddow. Optimism used to be the stock in trade of the GOP since it was claimed as an issue by Reagan in his famous Morning In America theme. But they have completely thrown it into the crapper and gone all in with the negativity.
How do they think that will create any enthusiasm on their side or convince independent voters that they have any answers or plans for a better tomorrow? Just being anti-anything-Obama-does is not going to fly. Their rooting for failure is becoming more obvious by the day. They don’t even try to hide it anymore. They are really losing it.
In their hypersensitive little minds, Republicans heard Chrysler say, “Remember us? The company you left for dead but Obama didn’t?” Detroit might always be the Ghost of Christmas Past for them.
Dumbledore says it’s easier to forgive someone for being wrong than for being right.
These people laid it all out against the auto bailout, just as much as they laid it all out in favor of the Iraq War, and it’s going to haunt them forever.
that’s a very Clint Eastwood scenario; betting Obama appeals to him regardless of party
Amen! Did he really vote for George W. Bush twice? For his views on race and ethnicity, I would also check out Gran Torino.
He’s also supported Herman Cain, then Ron Paul, this election season.
i guess the punks really DO feel lucky today.
Surely the fact that he voted Republican in the past makes his apparent endorsement of Obama’s message all the more powerful?
Thus the furious reaction.
I would add that any Eastwood “endorsement” of Obama is more powerful if it’s not explicit. It has the strongest persuasive effect on those (older, white, male) voters who would never tell a pollster that they support or endorse Obama, but once inside the ballot box will punch the ballot for Obama and his downticket friends rather than the party that clearly lacks any integrity or middle-class values.
I hope Eastwood does not come out in support of Obama. The commercial, and his quiet, authoritative response to the GOP freakout have been pitch-perfect as it is.