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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What he had at the start was the mess created by the failure of Fanny and Freddie, a mess that W tried to control on at least 10 occassions but was blocked by Frank and Dodd and the democratic congress. He is impotent as a leader.
Eastwood has established himself as a legitimate actor (type-casted as the "tough guy") & a talented director over decades of his successful career. It is sad to see him going public in this doddering, frail representation of his former self. He deserves to pass away with dignity & respect and is ill-advised to take the public stage in such a pathetic way.
Glad to see Clint is out there with his message. Time to take a stand and change the direction of the country.
Gee, Clint- how do you feel now that Ryan describes Mr. Romney as a "community activist" (well an insanely rich one with servants anyway)?
These guys are a scream- there isn't an issue, a policy, a trend, or a buzzword they don't want to be on all sides of.
Let's see the donor list for American Crossroads. I'm betting it include not just the Koch brothers and other American billionaires wanting to destroy the middle class, but foreign governments and other entities intent on destroying our country from within.
Obama/Biden 2012 = The only sane choice
Grew up loving this guy, guess he has lost his mind. Feel sorry for him.
Clint Eastwood's fictional characters are typical of the REpublican perception of self – testosterone overload, a giant phallus and an overwhelming urge to kill something.
Republicans continue to ignore the fact that our economic recovery was deliberately slowed by Republicans in the Congress. Mitch McConnell's senators filibustered every bill or debate – even those they created! They filibustered over 130 times – three time the previous record for obstruction. Nothing got past the Senate and since 2010 nothing but Tea Party nonsense came out of the House. Republicans wanted failure and worked only towards that goal.
@jorge washinsen – It does not matter my message is hitting exactly where it is suppose to.
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It's a darn shame that your grammar and spelling are about as on target as Willard's 5-point plan. Have a nice day.
Well, clearly Clint's not doing this for the money. He's doing it because he's got conviction. We need Romney in the White House.
Glenn Beck said it best. If your a Tea Party Republican why vote for Romney when he agree's with Obama on all topics at the debate on Monday. Its best to vote for Obama and Gear up for 2016 with the Tea Party's own candidate
I find it ironic that the gov't blaims banks and Wall Street for all of the current economic woes because they over lent money and over invested in stocks, but apprently it's just fine for the gov't to spend and spend and spend money that we just don' have.
If I did that I would consider myself to be responsible and st*p*d all at the same time.
If I can balance a budget for my famil without help, why can't the gov't balance our budget with the massive resources at it disposal??
Simple answer, because the Dems and Libs want to buy all the things that the base wants and put off paing the price for a President and my children somewhere down the road when it's not their problem anymore.
Obama asked for the job - begged for the job - paid for the job - but it was harder than he thought?
Gee, sorry, Obama! That's life. It woulda helped if you had actually put an honest day's work in, rather than spending the past 4 years on the campaign trail non stop, plus blabbing nonsense on talk shows and "celebrity" junkets.
Clint's character acting used to be what set him apart from others. His empty chair routine at the RNC was a complete PR disaster. It's a shame that the Grand Obstructionist Party needs to have another senile white man touting their failed policies of the last 30 yrs and attacking the POTUS.
Perhaps Clint's Super PAC spot should be directed at the senile white men at the top of many of America's Corporations who are sitting on the largest stash of cash in history and ask them WHY they are off-shoring, "cutting costs and employees" and profiting the profits into their pockets. Ask them where are the missing 23 million jobs.
Larry L - Republicans continue to ignore the fact that our economic recovery was deliberately slowed by Republicans in the Congress.
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The REALITY is that there was NO recovery UNTIL the Republicans took control of the House and put the brakes on an out of control Obama, Reid and Pelosi. If they had not stopped these far left loons, we'd be at 25% unemployment right now and $20 TRILLION in debt.
I just love how the GOP spews hatred for Hollywood types that make political statements.......right up until they find one that is willing to speak on their behalf. Then suddenly, almost magically, Hollywood stars have relevance.
Time is running out. Hope and Change has morphed into Hope and Snark.
I'll bet that Romney's endorsement of President Obama's foreign policies left a look on the teabagger's faces that was priceless.
How can anyone feel that Romney looks "presidential." He is a jokester who has no substance or morals. I warned when Bush was running for a second time that he was not smart and would be a bad president. It happened.
If Romney gets in, he will be worse. During the last Debate, Romney agreed with President Obama. If that is the case, then why do we need a change.
He sends his money to anywhere else but America. Why is that? He sends jobs which Americans could have to China, etc. They send us junk. Romney is only concerned about his pockets and those of big business.
Trust me, he will be the worse president yet, if he is voted in. Also, about the votes. I do believe they will be tampered with, because the Republicans cannot win, unless they cheat. It is a sad state of affairs.
The "get off my lawn" guy. The senile old fool really should be wondering why unpatriotic Willard keeps hiding his 2009 tax returns.
Good for Clint! He has my support!
Obama needs to go.....He has damaged this country. We can still recover under a Romney/Ryan ticket!
Strange, Clint had no problem doing a Super Bowl ad that claimed Deteroit was back: now, who told Detroit to go bankrupt? It would seem that Clint is like Mitt, changing his positions in a matter of months as long as there is money to be made, so I'm not really surprised.
Do young voters even know who this guy is?
CLINT EASTWOOD read the following: "I struggled with it myself for a long time, and I realized that life is a gift from God, and I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something God intended to happen," Mourdock said, explaining that he would allow for exceptions to an abortion ban when a mother's life is in danger.
Endorsed by Romney!
Wow! Billy Graham and now Clint Eastwood. If this keeps up I won't have anyone left from my childhood to respect. Just like I walked away from Mel Gibson when I found out it was a racist, sexist piece of work ... goodbye Clint. I doubt I'll miss you since I haven't watch one of your movies in a very long time.