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Thursday’s RNC Speeches: Clint Eastwood.

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  August 31st, 2012 at 11:00 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

First off, here’s the video of the speech:

…and I recommend that you watch it if you haven’t, already. Executive summary: it was successful, but at the same time highly surreal.

Clint Eastwood reportedly did the speech without a script; in fact, it wasn’t a speech at all: as the Romney campaign noted, it was ‘improv.’ And it was improv that was very disrespectful of the President… by the Media’s standards, which are thankfully not the same standard as the American people’s. Eastwood visibly doesn’t particularly care whether the Left is upset about him or not, and he’s also comfortably aware that there’s dang little that the Left can do to him at this point. He’s an American movie icon with two Oscars and over five decades’ worth of work behind him; he’s also probably rather more liked than most Presidents, including our current one. I do not recommend… no, wait. I do recommend that the Left freak out about this. Loudly. Viciously. Denigrate Clint Eastwood as loudly and as viciously as they like. Profanity would be a definite plus, here.

Because I believe that getting that kind of response was Clint Eastwood’s intent, frankly.

Still, it got hairy at times. Speaking as somebody who has done the odd bit of speaking without notes and extemporaneously… well, that’s why most people don’t dare do improv at such a high-risk venue. The term ‘surfing on the edge of the catastrophe curve’ comes to mind; and while Eastwood pulled it off, it was still what Wellington called a ‘close-run thing.’ Or, as Jim Geraghty put it:

…every time [Eastwood] came up to the edge of the cliff, and you thought the segment would be an absolute train-wreck . . . he pulled back with some great line: “I thought maybe it was just because somebody had the stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown New York City.” “Politicians are employees of ours.” “Of course we all now Biden is the intellect of the Democratic party.”And if the aim of this convention is to persuade Obama voters of 2008 that it’s okay to vote for Romney in 2012, then maybe nothing said last night will be more powerful than Eastwood’s gravelly, “When somebody does not do the job, you’ve got to let them go.”

So it worked. But I would not recommend that the GOP make it a habit, mind you.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

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COMMENTS

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  • Bill S

    I had not planned to watch any of last night’s festivities. Frankly, I’ve had quite enough of so-called conservatives on “our side”. But I was flipping between football games last night and saw Eastwood. And I loved it. He served to do what TV networks do with their program scheduling…he provided a leadoff for the featured act: Romney. Everyone wanted to see the “mystery speaker”, and once they discover it was Clint, they watched. Even though it was a little odd in spots, it was funny and it was hard-hitting. And they slid right into Rubio and seamlessly into Romney. It was a brilliant example of scheduling strategy…it probably sucked in a LOT more non-politicos than a pure blowhard politician agenda would have.

    And if you want to see another good overview of the Eastwood appearance, read John Nolte’s piece on Breitbart – http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/08/30/Eastwood-Mocks-Obama … fantastic.

  • commonsenseobserver

    Maybe Cantor. The guy has a talent for stepping on our messaging. He just messed it up on Medicare.

  • westcoastpatriette

    kowalski…also, IMO, there was more to the empty-chair technique than it just being a clever skit. Using an empty chair to talk to significant people who you may be afraid to confront in your life became a very popular psychoanalytic technique used in the eighties and nineties and the subtle inference that the O has made us all a little ill added to the satire and the appeal to the left who think they are such savvy readers of people. Clever times ten.

  • jamesm

    Could not agree more. Clint Eastwood is a box office hit. Politco’s don’t see the enormous positive impact of Clint’s appearance. Too many are thinking of analyzing a speech (as politicos do) instead of just watching, listening and then looking thru the eyes of John or Jane Doe american. Brilliant strategy and the liberals are extremely concerned about the impact of Clint. Clint was extremely effective in speaking to non-political types.

  • Xasteius

    Rule #5, people. Rule #5.

  • kakypat

    Mr. Lane…it worked and it worked like a charm, and not just in a good way with those of us in fly-over country. Mr. Eastwood’s mocking words must have had Obama throwing things and must have really gotten under his skin as evidenced by this tweet.

    “This seat’s taken”

    http://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/241392153148915712

    It was wonderful to see a Hollywood icon taking on Obama and Biden in such a deliciously humorous way, a way that Leno, et al haven’t been able to figure out how to do yet.

  • redhat885

    It’s all about tone. Dirty Harry endorsed our guy, nuf said. But WTH will all the backpedaling from the campaign? “he was ad libbing” how refreshing, “can’t judge him through a political lens” – who was doing that? He was exactly what Harry Callahan pulled off in the movies, equal parts scary, honest, funny, and deadly serious.

    On another note – when will the RedState phone app be updated?

  • proudmarinemom

    To those hip, smug liberal critics of our elder American friend, may the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., the father of a “liberal” Supreme Court Justice, enlighten you:

    I saw him once before,
    As he passed by the door,
    And again
    The pavement stones resound,
    As he totters o’er the ground
    With his cane.

    They say that in his prime,
    Ere the pruning-knife of Time
    Cut him down,
    Not a better man was found
    By the crier on his round
    Through the town.
    …

    But now his nose is thin,
    And it rests upon his chin
    Like a staff,
    And a crook is in his back,
    And a melancholy crack
    In his laugh.
    …
    And if I should live to be
    The last leaf upon the tree
    In the spring,
    Let them smile, as I do know,
    At the old forsaken bough
    Where I cling.

  • proudmarinemom

    Ah, did not take long for the dripping cynicism to emerge.

    Well. Some of us were uplifted and inspired anyway . . .

  • ntrepid

    Well, I don’t know about “uplifted
    and inspired” but I was completely serious about the genius part. I suspect all content and the delivery style
    were deliberate…plenty of very biting mockery to go around. Probably not properly placed for the party
    machine control freaks but truly awesome.

    Ntrepid

    Proud Redstate Member since April
    2006…?

  • http://www4.webng.com/rickbull/lostlucky/ rickbull

    55555. And don’t forget U.S. Marine and Korean War Veteran, though I gather from the Semper Fi, you knew he was a Marine.

  • http://www4.webng.com/rickbull/lostlucky/ rickbull

    Normally, I would be very concerned about someone’s deciding to make a career change at age 82, and I read comments on a number of blogs before I had seen the video (didn’t get a chance to watch it live last night), so I viewed the video expecting the worst. I have to say that Clint pulled it off beautifully. I had seen references to some members of the convention looking “deer in the headlights” while he was doing his schtick on stage, but all I saw were folks about to roll on the floor they were laughing so hard. If there were any DITH, it was folks thinking, “I didn’t know Clint Eastwood could do stand-up comedy!”

    In my opinion, Clint nailed it. And if anyone has a problem with Obama’s being represented by an empty chair, simply substitute an empty suit.

  • kakypat

    To the person who clicked on my “down” button, I believe Invisible Obama made a suggestion last night that would apply to you, too.

  • vakat

    He was BRILLIANT! Reminded me of the great Bob Newhart who did similar routine.. The subtle humor and pointed jabs were far better than any monologe David Letterman or Jay Leno could ever put together. And his straight talk for the second half was in the “KISS” vein (keep it simple, stupid).

    Absolutely AMAZING!!!

  • Melody Warbington

    I’m beginning to think Eastwood’s odd, weird, bizarre – whatever you want to call it – routine was pure genius, and regardless, I enjoyed the entire thing and was urging him on throughout. But think about it. If he had done a typical speech, albeit from a beloved star, it might have gone unnoticed or garnered a passing glance or two from a few independents. The fact that it was not typical is what brought the attention and made it the number 1 video on youtube today (or so I heard). Very likely that many more heard what Clint had to say because of how he said it.

    My guess is that next week the DNC will trot out it’s share of Hollywood stars who will gush about how great Obama is and how mean and racist Republicans are. Same old song and dance. No new material Who do you think will appeal more to Americans? Eastwood is one of a kind, and his routine last night was unlike anything I’ve ever seen at a convention. Liberal stars are a dime a dozen.

  • PowerToThePeople

    Agreed Melody, I know it was a bit crude, but my favorite line was where Eastwood told the “Obama Chair” that he would not tell Romney to do that and that he did not think he could do that to himself. My wife thought I was having a seizure I was laughing so hard.

    By the way Melody, can you please tell me how you changed your blue power up button to the American flag. I am lost and have given up trying to figure it out.

  • Melody Warbington

    PTTP, I’ve had the flag pic at my Disqus account for quite a while because I’ve made comments at other blogs using Disqus. Try setting up an account there if you don’t have one change the icon on the profile.

  • Melody Warbington

    kowalski, set up account at Disqus, go to edit profile and scroll down to avatar to change it. Easiest thing is to save a jpg to your desktop and download from there. You may have to resize it.

  • runner12

    I am not spinning anything when I say I thought it was quirky and cool. I purposefully watched the RS Live feed to form my own opinions on everything without being even subconsciously influenced by the talking heads on either side.

    When he mumbled around a little, it took me a second to realize it was part of the act. I felt a little silly that it took me that long for it to dawn on me.

    I am going to say something and I honestly hope it does not offend anyone. I think the younger you are (or younger at heart you are :) ), the more you liked Eastwood’s speech. Those who are a little more stodgy probably didn’t. I thought it was refreshing after the parade of speeches before it (as good as some of them were).

  • WmCraig

    Where is the video