Rachel Maddow was left a little, shall we say, confused as hell following Clint Eastwood’s speech last night at the Republican National Convention, during which he — now (hours later) famously — berated an empty chair representing President Barack Obama.
Maddow went on to describe the speech as “the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen at a political convention in my entire life … and it will be the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen if I live to be a hundred.”
You’re selling this election a little short, Madds — the crazy’s just warming up.
Mitt Romney, who regarded Eastwood’s endorsement as a feather in his cap, was quick to defend the 82-year-old Oscar winner:
How about we take this to the next level?
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Judging an American icon like Clint Eastwood through a typical political lens doesn’t work. His ad libbing was a break from all the political speeches, and the crowd enjoyed it. He rightly pointed out that 23 million Americans out of work or underemployed is a national disgrace and it’s time for a change.
Hey, whatever floats your boat. Some may say ad libbing, others might say incoherent ramblings — six on one, Alzheimer’s on the other. But in all seriousness, you guys: memory loss is no laughing matter. The RNC on the other hand is coming up with some doozies, though.
Check out Maddow’s response below, which pretty much sums up what a lot of people were thinking:
Neo
He’s a rich old white man who rambles at nothing. You sure this isn’t actually Romney?
Stick to making films Clint, I don’t think the real world is a place for you anymore.
Shabby Sweater
The Republican Party has a weird empty chair fetish. I recall primary candidates arguing with an empty podium at a town hall that Romney refused to participate in. The audience joined in, asking ludicrous pointed questions to the area where his head would be.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
I’m wondering if Clint Punk’d the RNC?
Spike
Google video search . . Simpsons, tied an onion to my belt
It will make this rambling old man’s speech make a lot more sense.
NormdePlume
It’s what Sophia Petrillo used to call an “arterial flow problem”.
Brandon
It is very apt that he would be talking to an imaginary Obama. The republicans have been yelling at an imaginary version of Obama for 4 years.
John Doe
I found his speech to be entertaining and funny even if I don’t agree with his views. I guess some people just don’t get it. Not to mention that it’s pretty amazing for an 82 year old iconic actor to be doing impromptu humor at a national convention on politics. It is much better than canned speeches that just spew forth the same talking points that we’ve been hearing from the candidate for the past X number of months. Not that Clint’s speech had a lot of substance… but I thought it was funny.
I do agree, by the way, that Obama has broken a lot of campaign promises. Gitmo, 1 to 2 ongoing wars + 1 other unconstitutional war upon Libya, being a “fierce” advocate for gays, that his healthcare law wasn’t a tax and wouldn’t be a mandate, keeping unemployment under 8%, shovel-ready jobs, being a “uniter” and changing Washington politics, etc.
Our candidate options this year are pretty bad in my opinion, not that they’ve been great in the past.
Alexa
@John Doe: some people just don’t get it because there’s nothing to get. It was lame and sad. Getting old sucks. Even Ann Romney couldn’t bring herself to praise the performance this morning.
Jerry12
Sorry, Clint; You should stick to memorizing scripts. Off the cuff is not for you.
hephaestion
The Republican Party is just one giant Bucket of Crazy.
I think you have to be crazy to be that deluded and to lie that much.
Michael Bedwell
Politics Schmolitics. Eastwood wasn’t campaigning for Romney—he was auditioning for the starring role in the remake of “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/207160_3214639344525_1930227316_n.jpg
hf2hvit
How sad… An angry version of Dick Clark
Avenger
Clint is an icon and a legend. Glad he’s a Republican and isn’t for Obama.
qur812
A possibly senile movie great propped up to spout reactionary babble….. looks like they finally found a replacement for Charlton Heston.
NateOcean
So, basically, what you have is a senile old man talking to his stool.
Charli Girl
…well after visiting my inlaws in B’ham, Al…. I now understand that MOST republicans are misinformed and just plain ignorant!!!! They kept repeating that Obama wasn’t an American, blah blah blah and how he wants to take away from the elderly.And just kept saying” Aside from the ” gay thing what do you like about him?.Really? Like “the gay thing is so unimportant ? I believe THEY ALL just RAMBLE!!! They just repeat what ” Joe Shmoe says down at the local redneck gas station and run with it!!! I finally had enough and fired back and said ” if ALL your basic rights to your partner was taken from you, would you just lie down and say, oh well aside from all my rights being stripped away, I think Mitt Witt is a fine choice.”?????
They absolutely could not debate! They ALL just mimick and ramble!!!
blizair09
@NormdePlume: Bernice Clifton (Designing Women) had the “arterial flow problem.” Great line! 🙂
ScaryRussianHeather
Clint Eastwood was hilarious, ad libbed and pretend all you want he just “rambled” he got off some great lines. No Teleprompter-In-Chief in sight. It’s pathetic that people can’t appreciate what a person does professionally just because they disagree with his opinions.
Even Bill Maher tweeted “he killed it” FFS.
If you claim he was incoherent try reading the transcript:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57503994-503544/clint-eastwoods-gop-convention-speech-full-transcript/
BTW, try and remember his closing words:
“We – we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours.
And – so – they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. It is the same old deal. But I just think it is important that you realize , that you’re the best in the world. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican or whether you’re libertarian or whatever, you are the best. And we should not ever forget that.”
timmmyk
Dinner with The President
http://youtu.be/MB9iF4p2SqU
CivicMinded
Mr. Eastwood’s brain has become slower and a tad out of touch with reality. It’s evident in the movies he’s made in the past decade. “Gran Torino” was almost a good movie. He directed and starred in it. He used young actors who, in some scenes, were good and in other scenes acted like rank amateurs. Mr. Eastwood isn’t making good decisions these days.