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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Time to go back to the home, Clint. It's tapioca night.
To truth hurts,
"Libtard". That was all I needed to read before dismissing you as an ignorant fool. Have a great day.
He is clueless to what everyday people go through but I guess he owed them for his disaster at the RNC. I find it odd that everybody talks about the 23mil under or unemployed but how many of that number were the result of what was going on before Obama took office? Was unemployment at zero the hour before Obama was sworn into office? How many buisnesses had already laid off or had plans to lay off workers after Obama took the oath? Does anybody believe that if McCain or even Romney had won in 2008 the numbers would be any different? The 23mil is an ugly statistic but it is made up from data that spans more than just the last 4 years. I guess I should not be surprised any more that most people have the capacity to only remember 4 years of government history. Probably the reason why the adage "Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" has not passed into history itself.
"I am tired of Obama citing that he "inherited" a bad economy. " Were you just born yesterday or something? Bush fubar'ed the economy by spending all our cash on wars; did you see him at the RNC convention? Neither did I; he hid because he fubar'ed the economy. Deny it all you like, but it's true. You guys live in such a fantasy world, and I love how you peep out and call us names before hiding from the facts again.
Sad to see another former great man clearly suffering from early Alzheimer's being taken advantage of by the GOP. First Ronald Reagan, then Charleton Heston, now Clint Eastwood. Has the GOP no shame?
I love Clint! He can say what he wants and when he wants. Unlike Obama the liar.
There a lot of ignorant people on this page.How can anyone be for Obama when you look at his poor record ?
Clint has put a nail in his coffin early. He's pathetic, and his accomplishments will fade faster than you can say Willard. The first line of his obituary will not say Academy Award winning director -- but celebrity supporter of loser, Mitt Romney. He will forever be remembered for his foolish chair stunt. Really pathetic.
Clint you make great movies. At 82 your a vital man however your politics have not grown since the days of the civil rights movement. Make my day by giving it a rest.
Clint Eastwood is back...and so is his empty chair
We are tired of all of the negative ads in Iowa! Why don't the campaigns and super pac put that money to good use...like educating our children, shelter for the homeless and feeding America! Seem to make a lot more sense then watching Clint Eastwood ramble on about nothing!
Voting Obama 2012!
I love Clint Eastwood the Man, The Actor and the Director. BUT, Clint Eastwood the politician is so so so wrong. He is voting for corporations and against people. Romney is nothing but a corporation disguised as a human being. Shameful! When he said that he is not concerned with 47% of Americans...I believe him!! You should too!
Clint, I am so sorry to see that you can not keep your greatness to the end of your live. What a shame.
Poor, senile, old Clint. He's almost as pathetic as the people who listen to him, or go to his movies.
Excellant – the drunk senile Charlton Heston lookalike is back to amuse us more.
Slur out a few more words to embarass yourself again ...
Yes, Alsheimer's Disease is indeed sad ...
About Clint Eastwood, you have made a fool of yourself, after such a respectable career you just confirm that you are just like the rest of them, TWO FACE, and you also proved to humanity that before someone DIES the TRUTH will always come out. (How can you face Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman & Harry Belafonte. SHAME ON YOU. you use to be such a handsome man now I can't even look at your face.
To Jim. Stock market double? Food stamp double, poverty double, 23mil. without job, debt almost double, America lost respect in people of the world.
Wait... isn't Crossroads GPS managed by Karl Rove, the "architect" of the economic mess that began in 2005 and just got worse from there. Is Clint so dumb or senile that he doesn't realize this, or did he lose all his investments with Bernie Madoff and he just needs the cash?
Clint Eastwood is a multi-millionaire in his eighties I believe. He could give a rat's petuttie if any of you Obama leftists ever go to his movies again! And it is fine with me too. I'd prefer not to sit next you unbathed hate filled people.
And we thought that Ron Paul was the silliest old man in America. Stay classy, Clint.
and i thought methuselah was dead.
Clint's GOP convention performance mirrored the Tea Crazy Party beautifully - angry old addled white men arguing with invisible Obamas they've created in their own paranoid heads.
Well, sure, Clint's an American icon, but I'm still waiting to hear who Mary Kate supports.
Aren't republicans always yelling that those Hollywood actors ( the ones speaking for Obama) should keep their mouths shut?
So Clint is ok?
Well, sure, Clint's an American icon, but I'm still waiting to hear who Mary Kate supports.
( And I certainly don't mean to slight that Great American businessperson, MK, with the above comment.)