Friday, August 31, 2012

Given the choice between Romney, Obama and an empty chair, I'd vote for the chair

I've always liked Clint Eastwood. If he screwed things up for Mitt Romney's big night -- well, all the more reason to like him. When he addressed an "Obama" who exists only in his imagination, he encapsulated the entire Republican act.

In the words of this tweet:
Yesterday, upon a chair
Clint met a man who wasn’t there
How sad it is that Rowdy Yates
Has ended up as Orly Taitz
Given the surrealism of the occasion, it was a little hard to tell -- did Clint (or did Clint not) instruct the ObamaChair that we have no business in Afghanistan? And did Clint say these words in a room filled with Muslim-hating neo-cons nominating a man who says he wants to stay in Afghanistan -- like, forever? And did Clint Eastwood also take the traditionally liberal position that Obama should have closed the prison at Gitmo? If so, the award-winning director managed to pull off an astonishing coup de theatre: What he said was not only right on the money but cringe-inducing for both Republicans and Democrats. Awesome!

Given the choice between Obama, Romney and an empty chair, I might be tempted to vote for the chair. But since we're restricted to Obama and Romney, I'm going to have to hold my nose and endorse Obama. Eastwood was right to be angry about our current high unemployment figures, but nobody in his right mind should expect the CEO of Offshore International to do much to improve the situation.

By the way: The people who scheduled Eastwood for the RNC gig are probably too young to recall the first time Clint presented an award during an Oscar telecast. 1969, I think it was. A much younger Clint Eastwood spoke incoherently for a minute or so, then apologized to the audience: "Hey, this ain't my bag."

17 comments:

Mr. Mike said...

Loonycon 2012?

Magnus Johansson said...

"But since we're restricted to Obama and Romney, [...]"

Yes, this is what the Repubmocratic party tells you.

Anonymous said...

We're not restricted to Obama and Romney. In something like 40 states an eminently sensible alternative is available who wants to cut the Pentagon budget by 2/3.

prowlerzee said...

Oh, I wish I'd caught this live. But I think you're right, Joseph. Eastwood specifically mentioned Dems twice alongside Republicans, and ended his speech saying politicians are our employees and "you" (meaning all the yous out there) are the owners of the country and don't have to be mental slaves when the politicians come around begging for votes. He was rambling but trying to clarify that "you" are "all great" whether Democrat or Republican or Libertarian...and he was trying to make that point when some numbnuts in the audience kept interrupting him to say "make my day." So he gave up trying to impart something of value and gave the mental slaves what they wanted. His catchphrase.

OTE admin said...

It's probably giving Clint too much credit to try and analyze that painful performance. To me, the Romney campaign asking him to appear without a script--not that Clint EVER could act (I remember him clear back from his Rawhide days), but this smacked of elder abuse.

Clint was THAT bad.

elmo said...

I suspect that the mockery of this speech will backfire on Dems. Red-staters will interpret it as down-to-earth and 'real,' whatever that means anymore.

prowlerzee said...

It did smack of elder abuse, Susan, especially the heckling.

Anonymous said...

During the 2008 I used to say given the choice between Obama and Socks Clinton cat I will vote for the cat. Never mind socks was dead and I hate cats. I hope u have better luck

Magnus Johansson said...

Anonymous: "[...] the choice between Obama and Socks Clinton cat [...]"

At least regarding eligibility there was no difference between the two.

Twilight said...

Well.... (re elmo's comment)I happen to live in a very red state but I'm British-born, socialist leaning and I thought Clint Eastwood's speech was like a breath of fresh air. Yes, he's Republican, but at least I believed that he was genuine - believed what he was saying - can't say that for any of t'other starched shirts.

People who live in red states are not all dead from neck up you know!!!



LandOLincoln said...

I love Clint Eastwood. I've loved the man since the Rowdy Yates days in the late 50s--though there was a time in the late 60s/early 70s when I bought the canard that he was a racist, sexist right wing pig.

I know better now, and when he goes I'm going miss him more than I can say.

LandOLincoln said...

I'm a liberal (former) Democrat who's loved Clint Eastwood as long as I can remember--Rowdy Yates, anyone? I missed the speech, but all I can say is I'm 100% convinced this country would be in far better shape if Clint were in the White House now. Too bad he had better sense than to go for higher office after his stint as mayor of Carmel.

Jay said...

From posts like these, I get the distinct impression that Joseph tries to defend Barack with his blog, ala. DailyKos. But other times there are indications that Joseph may not be pro-Barack Obama. It's all quite conflicting to me. What does it matter to point out that Clint lost an imagined debate with President Barack? Is it suppose to sway people into thinking that, well if a monument like Clint Eastwood, the incarnation of Americana/Americanism (reaching it's apex with Reaganism and anti-anything other than capitalism, which Clint earlier supported and still does) lost against Barack then obvious he (Barack) deserves my support?

Rod said...

The best is the Chair, by far!

Anonymous said...

Jay, is it? While your purity simmers in the saucepan, consider the alternative. I don't buy the theorem 'lesser of two evils' because that's what defines this world.

Less is more.

Ben

Anonymous said...

CEO of an "offshore international"

What on earth are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

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