Clint Eastwood returns, stars in new super PAC ad
Washington (CNN) - Actor Clint Eastwood is returning to the political stage, but this time he is talking directly to the camera - and not to an empty chair.
Eastwood received much derision as well as praise for his speech at the Republican Convention this summer in Tampa where he lectured to an empty chair that was meant to represent President Obama.
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Now Eastwood is the star of a new ad, called "At Stake" from the Republican super PAC American Crossroads.
For much of the spot Eastwood's voice is just heard telling the audience: "For the last few years America has been knocked down. Twenty three million people can't find full-time work," he says. "Obama's second term would be a rerun of the first, and our country just couldn't survive that. We need someone who can turn it around fast. That man is Mitt Romney."
Then Eastwood is seen talking directly to the camera as it ends saying, "There is not much time left, and the future of our country is at stake."
The commercial was taped at Eastwood's home in California, according to American Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio. While Eastwood's speech was met with a lot of negative press stories, Crossroads officials think his message of how Obama has failed resonated. Crossroads President Steven Law was at the convention and thought Eastwood's words were powerful and that he connected with the crowd, Collegio said. Group officials were introduced to him, and he agreed to tape the ad.
Crossroads thinks this goes beyond a stock celebrity endorsement because, as Collegio put it, "this is Clint adding his iconic weight to a message about the country that already resonates with people and which they already believe in their hearts."
The group showed the ad to focus groups in Florida and Ohio, and "it tested off the charts," Collegio says.
The Eastwood spot is one of three new ones launching Wednesday as part of a $12.6 million buy in seven key swing states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.
One entitled "Survive" about small business owners will air in Colorado, Iowa, Ohio and Virginia Survive and one called "Bow" which hits Obama's record on China is set to air in Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.
Mitt Romney is getting substantial air cover this week. With this new buy, American Crossroads will be spending at least $17 million on swing state ads. On Tuesday it went up with a $4.2 million buy just in Wisconsin and Ohio highlighting the story of a young boy battling cancer in the 1970's who Mitt Romney helped. Another super PAC supporting the Republican presidential nominee, Restore Our Future, announced it was going up with almost $18 million in swing state ads on Tuesday in battleground states.
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You were correct the first time Clint, it is half time in America.
It's such a shame we have so many ignorant citizens in this country. To believe Romney could turn the economy around fast would mean Romney could magically "fix" the global economy. Either Eastwood is a liar or he is just one of the ignorant citizens who don't understand how "the" economy works. Since he is obviously backing Romney I choose to believe he is both ignorant and a liar!
Oh yes, Mr. Eastwood's commercial is on the air. He tells us how bad things are. However, he does not tell us that he continue to make millions over the last four years. He neglects to tell us that those who have and are contributing anonymously to the pro-Romney PACs have continued to make money and have lost very little.
Why are we so stupid? We see that the rich have been and are getting richer including Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan, and then we applaud the rich even though they have taken money from corporation after corporation, and even though though same corporations and companies are cutting workers every day. Even though members of Congress are getting richer. Even though those same companies are balking about helping their employees with their health insurance. Even though those companies have bankrolled the campaigns of those they favor. Why do we let this happen? Where are all those tea party people who complain about our representatives but have little to say about those who are draining money from companies across America.
Wake up before we find ourselves falling farther and farther behind. The rich, including Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan will continue to get richer and put their money into overseas accounts and off-shore accounts.
Missing the chair...
There is so much big money being thrown at President Obama; he's going to have to campaign like there's no tomorrow. Hopefully it will be enough...OBAMA/BIDEN, 2012!
Eastwood is a MUCH better actor than Obama–waaaaay more believable and hilarious to boot!
Yes, because we pretend, with old folks, that they are doing fine knowing full well they are not. It's called respect of your elders (unless you are a Medicare voucher rethug or you want to privatize social security) in the case of this empty chair fool it's a big laugh.
Is the senile has been chatting up a sofa in this attempt at "improv"?
Too bad we couldn't take these hundreds of millions of PAC collars and create jobs with them instead of lowering and polarizing people's out look on the future.
The real villains are Congressional leaders in both parties. Each side opposes everything the other proposes without an intelligent discussion of what their proposal is trying to do. Their turf wars are killing us.
Obviously there is common ground where a blend of ideas, philosophies will produce positive results.
Unfortunately our "elected" officials inflated egos prefer prolonging and creating problems for profit rather than solve them.
We need to fire them for failure to oergom, terminate their benifits, persons, demand they refund their salaries or face imprisonment for fraud.
It is time the American people stood up and take charge of our future.
I don't think anyone can take Clint Eastwood serious anymore. The empty chair just kilt it for me. He was better off being silent. Wait how did his movie do it didn't last long in the theater did it. People just don't forget the crazy stuff. That was one of those things that stay in the back of your head.
Not only did we just come out of WAR, but a recession as well. The entire WORLD is coming out of recession.
But we ARE moving in a very good direction, upwards. It is already predicted that 2013 will see huge growth in the economy, no matter who is in the oval office. I'd say that the President's policies ARE WORKING.
We are all suffering but if you think it can be turned around quickly in one presidential term, you are wrong. Yes, we deserve a better, lasting economy, and this will take time. The best thing to do is keep moving FORWARD with Mr. Obama, and for the GOP to stop being obstructive.
Go ahead Harry. Finish it.
The empty chair talked back to Clint:
"Hey Clint, the psychiatric ward called... they want their bed sheets back."
You know you are doing something right when you upset the left.Get em Clint.
Clint Eastwood's performance at the Republican Convention was priceless. I was rolling on the floor laughing. Predictably, the Liberal's derision exposed their fears of his impact. I'd listen to anything that Eastwood has to say.
I love his movies, but his politics stinks!
I would LOVE to watch him look obama in the eye on CNN and ask: feeling lucky punk? LMFAO
I wonder how the lefties on here would accept constant censorship in a country touted for its freedom of expression or is it just election time. Don't worry, your man will go back in because I am betting there are more than 47 percent who believe government is the answer to their problems.Big governenment has the same affect on people as dope does.
Ah...desperation is in the air! Wonder if there's a surprise gimmick in this one? Guess somebody had to take Heston's place...
It does not matter my message is hitting exactly where it is suppose to.
Let's not forget that Clint is the 1%
Adios.Some of us never get old enough to quit working.
Get Romney all the help he can get because after the monday night debate, Obama had him crapping in his pants. Romney indorsed President Obama for another term. So, not so super PAC, the best Clint Eastwood, the old geezer can do, is let Romney wear a pair of his depends. Crazy old man!
Considering the amount of derision by the Repubs for "Hollywood" types who are liberal, I'm surprised Romney would resort to this.
Considering how Clint came off as fairly senile, and even derided some of Romney's policies in his "empty chair" speech, I'm even more surprised.
But with Clint or without, Romney's going to lose, so all this is is a waste of money, and wasting the money of a Repub superpac is not a bad thing.
I really like Clint Eastwood, especially as a director, but he obviously hasn't spent much time checking out Mitt Romney's record or even his recent comments. Mr. Eastwood expects Romney to do a fast turnaround on the economy, But Romney admitted during the final debate that he wouldn't be able to balance the budget for at least 8 to 10 years. But he expected President Obama to do it in less than four, with the burden of an obstreperous Congress. Romney and Ryan intend to put hundreds of thousands of Federal workers on the unemployment rolls which, of course will result in many more state and local government employees hitting the bricks too. Outside of giving themselves jobs, Romney and Ryan have not identified a single job they would create that doesn't already exist. Though if they can start another war we can't pay for, that should make a dent in the unemployment rolls.