BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech

Subject: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 12:50 AM

Clint Eastwood was the "surprise" speaker at the GOP convention tonight. The only people surprised by his speech were the convention organizers. It was absolutely despicable. To make matters worse, the broadcast networks only covered one hour of the convention tonight and it included the Eastwood speech followed by Marco Rubio's introduction (which was excellent) and Romney's speech (also excellent). By the time Romney was done, the RNC was making excuses for Eastwood and disowning his speech. Here it is in all of its two and a half minute glory.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Bugsy
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 03:08 AM

I found the whole speech quite embarrasing.

I watched Mitt Romney's speech after Mr Eastwood's rant and as an observer from across the great divide (Aussie) I found the delivery of the speech to be well sugar coated. I said to my wife, "This guy's had acting lessons", but the more I listened to him the more I thought he'd been getting lessons from Red Sovine.

It all rang a little hollow to me.

If you know what I mean.

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 03:54 AM

Very James Stewart....Eastwood doesn't usually do all that muttering and apparent searching for words. All we nneded was the the lights to come on the Christmas tree and him to say ...its wonderful world.

What's very weird is that Americans genuinely believe they are fighting these wars unilaterally. Holding the banner of freedom on their lonesome. They have many allies who comitted forces to the struggle in support of them after 9/11.

It would be just a bit rich if America brought the troops home tomorrow. An admission that maybe we were invading the wrong bloody places in the first instance. Still was a a Republican President who initiated these wars - a real masterstroke. Probably the to pay for the favour of to all the armaments manufacturers who pay for Republican election campaigns.

After all Osama wasn't from Iraq or Afghanistan - and it wasn't either of those countries that was harbouring him.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 04:42 AM

Absolutely brillant piece.

Talking to an empty chair...great comedy and devilery.

You need to watch the entire five minutes...not the edited slop of a network that Bev and Jerry tried to pass off as "the real tbing."

Clint still has all his charm and wit. No teleprompter required. Great timing and sence of humor.

ENJOY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiHNVYRTKP8


Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Stu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 06:40 AM

Eastwood was beaten in a debate by a wooden chair.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: kendall
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 06:53 AM

Was he drunk, or has he been sniffing methane gas from his horse?

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Jack Campin
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 07:11 AM

He has a degenerative brain disease (MS or Parkinson's, I forget which).

Not that showing unmistakable signs of dementia was ever much of a hindrance in Republican politics.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 07:22 AM

Not bad for 82. Got a few chuckles.

Saw some of Rubio's introduction. Good speker. Watched some of Mitt's talk and felt a bit sick from the sugar, put it on tape and went to bed.

One comment... the crowd chanting USA minded me of a bunch of teenagers at a high school pep rally and I felt embarrassed for the good old USA. Surely they knew it would televised around the world?

I hope this thread remains about the convention and the speeches and doesn't degrade into a rehash of all the poloitical threads to date.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 07:58 AM

Couldn't watch it. So awkward it made me uncomfortable. Sad really.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: catspaw49
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:25 AM

He's 82, Cut him some slack.   He's the old Uncle who farts during the Thanksgiving dinner prayer. The fault here lies with the producers of the convention. In a convention where you really need to humanize Mitt, its building nicely but then all the momentum froma pretty fair run-up and a decent video is trampled by the farting uncle and a midget egotist (Rubio) so that what was probably the best Mitt ever did is lost.

What they wanted was a lot of talk of the new Mitt today and what they are getting is Eastwood jokes.

BBBBRRRRAAAAAWWWWMMMMPPPP

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:26 AM

Sick. Absolutely sick.
(:-( P)=

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Ed T
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:43 AM

""Do you feel lucky, punk?""

""...shoulda armed himself if he was going to decorate his saloon with my friend.""

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Bobert
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 09:30 AM

How do you spell "Alzheimer Moment"???

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Greg F.
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 09:32 AM

Looks like Clint has become one of the characters he portrays in the movies. But hell, it worked for Ronnie Reagan............

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,999
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 10:03 AM

That felt like listening to the ghost of Ronald Reagan.

IMO, he shoulda taken Eli Wallach's advice to the guy he'd just killed in the bath scene of TG, TB and TU: "If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk1!"

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Amos
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 10:05 AM

"Referring all questions on this to Salvador Dali."

—Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt, on Clint Eastwood's convention speech

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Jeri
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 10:36 AM

I watched it on YouTube. He talked slow, no problem. One thing I caught was that get a few barbs in there aimed at Republicans which were almost immediately diffused by jokes about Democrats.

About President Obama not being OK with the war in Afghanistan, but not the one in Iraq... and who started BOTH?.

About flying around in a "gas guzzling" plane... So Romney wouldn't use Air Force One?

It was a speech that might make some people a little uncomfortable if they thought about it. So... they'll probably be fine with it except they'll think Eastwood was a bit slow.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 10:53 AM

I like Clint but I agree with Spaw, why the heck would they take away from Mitts speech with that. Instead of discussing him everyone is talking about Clint. Strange

All of these speeches like last night are all based on mom's apple pie and the girl next door. Problem is, no body ever tells us how exactly they plan on doing it.

right now, I am no fan of Mitt, I am no fan of obama ..
I am writing in Spaw's name when I vote

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 11:11 AM

Did anyone else notice, I counted two minority people in the whole building. It looked like it was "whites only" 1920 again.   just an observation but a disturbing one. A political party is suppose to represent all people. kinda bothers me and I am not saying anything wrong. Just bugs me

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 11:15 AM

Yeah, there were some interesting little veiled shafts going both ways in that speech. But I find American tribal politics so depressing and downright scary (specially at the party conventions) that I bailed out by halfway through it.

When a crowd chants "USA! USA! USA!" it sounds a lot like "Sigg Heil!" to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,999
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 12:19 PM

Most interesting and instructive were Eastwood's references to Mr Obama, not President Obama.

That aside, and Eastwood's speech to an empty chair aside, the Republicans have damaged their reputations irreparably over the past eleven years or so. The Coulters, Palins, Limbaughs and Gingrichs have made a mockery of the Republican Party and subsequently all its candidates. Obama has wisely said zip about the fiasco. Eight years of Bush followed by three years of stupid talk from Republicans has ensured that they will not be taken seriously by voters, and now they have relegated themselves to third-party status, thus ensuring a Democratic victory. My best guess--as I stated on another thread: Democrats will win in the EC, and the popular vote will go 53% Obama, 46% Romney.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: saulgoldie
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 12:21 PM

White? Really? I had never noticed. ;-)

Yeah, I am always surprised to see people of color within the party. and women, too. The GOP really only wants women in the kitchen preparing meals or in the bedroom preparing babies...when HE chooses. The only place they want people of color is *standing* at the table (not sitting at it, for goshsakes!) with a towel over their arm asking "May I take that plate away, sir?"

They will NEVER get over the heartbreak of having to live with a black president. Never. When you drill down through all their arguments, that is where you end up.

Uh-oh. Thread drift. Sorree. Yes, Clint...

Saul

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 12:36 PM

They will NEVER get over the heartbreak of simply losing an election, saul...regardless of the many other excuses. Nor will the Democrats. For both of them that is the Holy of Holies: just WIN the damned election and thereby SAVE the country! (Ha! Ha!)

And they really believe it too.

Yeah, sure, having a black man as president bugs them. No doubt about that. But they really wouldn't mind all that much if he was...Colin Powell? And they wouldn't mind a woman in the White House either as long as she was a Republican.

I had a (Republican) friend from Georgia...he was up visiting in Canada a few years back...and Democrats were all enemies of society as far as he was concerned...all "socialists", tree-hugging whiners, etc...

We got along fine as long as we didn't discuss politics! ;-) We had some other stuff in common, but we were living on utterly different worlds when it came to politics.

Anyway, what I'm getting to here is...his favorite pick for president at the time was...



wait for it....








Condoleeza Rice!

Yup, that's right. He wanted a black woman for president. He liked and trusted her far more than he did John McCain or any other Republican name you could advance at the time. He had confidence in her. This just goes to show that in tribal politics (meaning partisan politics)...the one thing that really, finally, absolutely matters is this: Is that person of OUR tribe????? Do they utter OUR rhetoric? If so, anything or anyone can be made acceptable in the partisan mind. And anything can be damned out of hand.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,Goodnight Grace
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 01:01 PM

Harvey?

Someone afterwards said that Cint Eastwood is now backstage talking to a vending machine.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 02:32 PM

Why pay attention to any of the Hollywood celebs?

Neither candidate should try to use them as attention-getters.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 02:50 PM

Dan... "Instead of discussing him everyone is talking about Clint. Strange"

Strange? Really? I think it's a VERY clever play by Mitt's handlers. When a candidate has as much baggage and so little to say as Mitt does, it's best to steer conversation away from the candidate.

Will "Make My Day" become the slogan? It could. Depends on the handlers.

LH... the chant... yeah, I suppose that could be added to what I said as it equates the lack of intelligence I alluded to above.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 03:34 PM

I Just found out what part of Clint's dialogue with the chair consisted of...*talking to the chair*
"So anyway, we're going to have -- we're going to have to have a little chat about that. And then, I just wondered, all these promises -- I wondered about when the -- what do you want me to tell Romney? I can't tell him to do that. I can't tell him to do that to himself."

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Don Firth
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 03:53 PM

I can't say that it "made my day. . . ."

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,nobody in particular
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 04:15 PM

What I thought very interesting, and clever, was that Clint Eastwood's delivery was mostly all 'ad-lib' to the empty chair which had a Teleprompter set up facing the chair!!

There was a LOT of very, small innuendos and details in his shtick, very, very well done, and effective, as well.

I can imagine that the nastier the comments from the Obama supporters about his routine, the more effective it was

And for someone who mentioned it earlier, Clint has Parkinsons Disease, like Michael J. Fox.

As for the Saulgoldie's surprise about seeing so many coloureds, and women there, maybe you should pay less attention to the Democratic Party's erroneous rhetoric, and pay more attention to facts. And By the way, there are more Hispanics that hold office in the Republican Party, than in the Democratic Party!

Susana Martinez's (Governor of N.M speech, was also pretty good, and effective as well, as was Condoleeza Rice's Actually a lot better, and factual that most of Obama's smooth talking sales pitches!

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Ed T
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 04:36 PM

Why would we expect an entertainer (like Clint Eastwood) to have a more enlightening view on politics than a person from any other very unrelated profession? IMO, this is not logical. I see it as no more logical than expecting a plumbers views to be "so enlightened" on political issues. Well, on second thought - Maybe a plumber would have more quality time to follow up on issues?

In todays society, many folks do give more weight to entertainers views, and just assume they follow issues closely - and are aware of perspectives. But, it was not always that way - as the attached link on Elvis Prestly indicates.

BTW, I see that Elvis gave a very appropriate response to a reporters questions on political issues of the time - saying that he was "just an entertainer", nothing more (just ignore the honey):

""On June 9, 1972, Elvis was asked a question on the Vietnam War at the press conference preceding his famous Madison Square Garden concerts.

Question: "You were in the Army and were drafted. What is your opinion of war protesters? And would you today refuse to be drafted?"

Elvis: "Honey, I'd just soon to keep my own personal opinions about that to myself? Cause I'm just an entertainer and I'd rather not say.""

Where Elvis stood on issues

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:15 PM

"As for the Saulgoldie's surprise about seeing so many coloureds, and women there, maybe you should pay less attention to the Democratic Party's erroneous rhetoric, and pay more attention to facts." GfS

I do believe you misunderstood Saul's post. That is a tremendous surprise to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:15 PM

I found the speech a little rambling. At the age of 82 Eastwood is not his own best spokesman but he's one of the few Hollywood celebs that Republicans can count on. So they signed him up.

"Clint has Parkinsons Disease"

I didn't realize that but I still wouldn't cut him any slack for that.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,nobody in particular
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:18 PM

Sorry I didn't catch the GFS, part, nor did I misunderstand Mr. Goldie's text.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:21 PM

Just occurred to me.

perhaps Osama was never in the foothills of Afghanistan or Iraq - like the WMD's weren't there. Why did we invade those places?

If the person who said the WMD's and Osama was there, perhaps we ought to be tracking him down and slinging him in prison for costing us a lot of money and killing a lot of people.


at least we ought to know at what level this dishonesty was initiated.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:30 PM

In the boardroom of BP.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:33 PM

Ebbie,
I got it.
The stuck comma key has been catching my eye (here and elsewhere).
Could be coincidence?

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: GUEST,nobody in particular
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:34 PM

Big Al Whittle, I sincerely hope that these incidents are not the first times, that it should occur to you, that our governments have lied to us! as well as your Congresspersons and Senators, claimed that they 'didn't know that the reports were false' and were ONLY going by the intelligence reports!
Did you ever believe ANY of that poppycock? Ever???
It was contrived from the very beginning!
This, by now, should be obvious!

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:36 PM

How much ya wanna bet more people cast write-in ballots for "The Chair" than vote for whoever the Greens and the Libertarians cough up combined?

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: pdq
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:43 PM

Perhaps the correct write-in vote will be for Empty Chair.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:45 PM

I'll bet ya a beer. If yer ever down this way I'll set ya up with a couple a beers. Interest, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 05:49 PM

"Why would we expect an entertainer (like Clint Eastwood) to have a more enlightening view on politics than a person from any other very unrelated profession?"

Well... *grin*.. Ronnie Reagan made it work. But he specialized in 'communication, whereas Clint made a profession of short, pithy remarks. In 10 minutes he managed one or two.

(and, as Michael J. Fox might explain, Parkinsons affects the body, not the mind. Clint's 'speech' showed which one he has the most trouble with.)

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 07:46 PM

To be honest, I refused to believe Tony Blair (someone who purportedly believed in his immortal soul ) would be guilty of such villainy initially. But when all my friends were proved correct, and that there were no WMD's in Iraq - then I realised I'd been a gullible fool.

The proposition that Osama wasn't EVER in Afghanistan - despite all these films of him in a cave. The possibility that he was in some upmarket hotel in Saudi or Pakistan, or London even.....all the time.


Hmmmmm! well I can't remember anyone else suggesting it.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 07:49 PM

"there were no WMD's in Iraq"

Hell, no. Not after the Yanks arrived. That woulda been stunned as me arse.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Jack Campin
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 07:57 PM

Parkinsons affects the body, not the mind

Parkinsons dementia

Carer information leaflet

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 08:13 PM

Bill D... "...Parkinsons affects the body, not the mind..."

Bill, Bill, Bill... not being able to pee properly at 5AM affects the mind. Seriously, when I get back into bed and wanna go RIGHT BACK AND PEE AGAIN it real fucking affects my demeanour.... ALL DAMN DAY.

What's that? You're sorry about yer big ass blocking the grocery store isle? NO you are NOT. Yer fookin stunned as a FOOKIN BAT YOU....

Now, is that senile or do I just need a piss? Maybe Clint just needed to pee? I mean, besides maybe having Parkinson's disease... which might impact having a pee, mind you. Hey... LAUNDRY AGAIN? THAT PISSES ME OFF!

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 10:56 PM

Just watched the balance of Romney's address. He's charming. But such sugary bullshit is appalling to me. If he knows how to create 24M jobs and he loves the USA, why hasn't he done it? He doesn't have to be Pres... he just has to care enough to get it done. Not hold it out as a carrot in some wild west ultimatum. Not say it'll cost you an election... trust me... trust me... I will deliver 24M jobs and tell Putin to go fuck himself. Tall order for a man that hasn't bothered to help America in jobs creation because he isn't Pres. Kinda selfish, innit?

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: LadyJean
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 11:02 PM

People have been pressuring the press to point out some of the untruths in Ryan's and Romney's speeches. Which could be embarrassing if it lead. So they had Clint Eastwood on, knowing how much the press loves celebrities, especially when they behave badly.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: Beer
Date: 31 Aug 12 - 11:12 PM

http://www.thatericalper.com/2012/08/31/president-barak-obama-meets-with-actor-clint-eastwood-on-the-patio-outside-the-oval-offi


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Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: kendall
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 06:35 AM

Corporate profits are at an all time high, yet unemployment is twice what it should be. So much for low taxes creating jobs.

Subject: RE: BS: Clint Eastwood's Convention Speech
From: gnu
Date: 01 Sep 12 - 07:38 AM

I'd like to throw something out there for consideration and comment.
I realize this is thread drift but I see it as a germain discussion after hearing Mitt's oration on jobs, jobs, jobs...

Is it possible that corporate America is squeezing the populace with inflated(ing) prices, especially on food!!!, simply to get people to vote for Mitt? Or is that an obvious observation/question?