100 percent class. Obama "huge" Eastwood fan

[warrior1]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-09-02/obama-clint-eastwood-skit/57520284/1?csp=34news

DES MOINES – President Obama wants to make it clear that, in his own words, "I am a huge Clint Eastwood fan."

snip

Was he offended?

"One thing about being president or running for president — if you're easily offended, you should probably choose another profession." Obama said with a smile. He said there would be no effort to counter with a similar stunt at the Democratic National Convention, which opens in Charlotte Tuesday.

"I think we'll be playing this pretty straight," he said.

[ananda]

1. Y knot.

The Obamas are classy like the Kennedys but in their own way too.

[leveymg]

2. Check.

Just one thing to add to that: Clint shouldn't quit his day job as a Director in order to do that standup thing.

[tavalon]

18. Clint clearly has early signs of Alzheimers.

He's done. This was his final bow. And it sucked. I feel so sorry for the man.

I don't feel sorry for Romney/Ryan.

[BOG PERSON]

21. nice ageism (n/t)

[tavalon]

24. Yo, Bog

It's a kinder characterization than that he turned into a flaming asshole for his final performance. I'm giving him a reasonable out for what he did.

That I have expertise in the area of which I spoke doesn't count for much, I'll admit. I don't want to be accused of being Fristian.

That said, I was raised by my grandparents. I don't think people are fully human until they have a few years on 'em. I've seen Alzheimers rob many an older person of their humanity. Ageism? I think not.

[BOG PERSON]

25. how is it kind to invalidate somebody as being mentally deficient ?

it's a lot nicer to call them assholes instead .

[Sirveri]

57. One is a conscious choice, the other is not.

If it's not his fault it's forgivable, it's explainable, it's easier to accept.

[BOG PERSON]

59. one acknowledges a person's moral agency, the other denies it?

[Sirveri]

85. I don't think so. Moral agency isn't involved unless one is an active participant.

If he's just a crazy old coot then that's not his fault, so morality doesn't really apply. I suppose on some level it would because it's at the base of all actions, but part of morality is making a conscious choice to do something.

[kardonb]

72. gedneral ...

when they knowingly act like an asshole , they ARE an asshole , period .

[tavalon]

74. Does he have a history of that?

Otherwise, this was a painful anomaly. Granted an anomaly that ended any chance, slim though it might have been, of a RMoney win.

I disagree. Calling someone an asshole is much meaner than saying they are clearly not in their right mind.

[JDPriestly]

33. Actually, that is just how Republicans talk amongst themselves.

They just repeat slogans to the void and sneer.

Then they chuckle to themselves as if they were thinking, "Now wasn't I brilliant?" That's who they are. That is how they think.

That is why our country is in such a mess. Because every once in a while they take over. And we get that thoughtlessness, that vapidity, that stupidity, that self-satisfaction at the top.

[Cosmocat]

36. Right

he is as bad as Biden drew some of the biggest applause ...

that is all you need to do with republicans.

Obamawama ...

HAAAHAAA HAAHAAA!

[JDPriestly]

58. What Republicans laugh at is a mystery to me.

And that mystery makes me think that those who claim that the brains of Democrats and Republicans are very different in some ways is true.

I wonder whether Republicans find Jon Stewart's humor and satire as bewildering as I find their attempts at humor and satire. I just don't get their jokes.

Jokes rely on an agreed assumption about cause and effect. If a chicken crosses the road, what will happen? We pretty much know the possible outcomes in real life. So the joke is to surprise the listener with some outcome they would never think of that is laughable.

Republicans have different assumptions about outcomes so they laugh at different things than we do.

Sorry that my explanation is so unclear, but . . . .

[sulphurdunn]

66. Their jokes?

What jokes? Conservative humor is an oxymoron with emphasis on the moron.

[Cosmocat]

84. It just is bizarre

Stewart makes an EASY living simply by overtly showing their hypocrasy.

Take a clip of them saying something all definitive about a democrat then show three or four clips of them excusing it for a republican.

Simple reality.

They just get off on the dismissive attitude toward the evil liberal that they have come to think exists - Stewart was right, what the simple truth of the Eastwood thing is that they truly see an Obama (and insert anything relative to the evil liberal boogeyman) that does not exist in reality.

[juajen]

41. Actually, I thought Clint was quite brilliant!

I believe he is a closet Democrat. We could have never scripted a better way to destroy that already floundering convention. Their brightest day was when the lady in red took the podium. I have not liked any of her interviews, and do not personally like her. Way too much "Queen Anne" for me, but her portion of the convention could not have gone better. But, Clint managed to get on stage, with no scripted words, and literally make the Republicans look like assholes. Brilliant acting? Honestly, I think so. If not, God was guiding him. Goodness, I love him even more. Let's all begin praising him, not tearing him down. Still, no one's talking about Mitt Romney. Who else has been able to do that. Kisses to you Mr. Eastwood, and thank you for many wonderful years.

[Frank Cannon]

48. I'm still not convinced he wasn't trolling.

He actually did the President a big favor with that crazy stunt.

[Raven]

3. That was Clint's "Wilson" moment and

he failed miserably at it.

[PSPS]

6. I didn't see it, but it sounds more like it was Clint's "Stockdale" moment.

[Quantess]

7. Here is a video of the event:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101753199

IMO, you need to see the entire 12 minutes to fully appreciate the performance.

[tavalon]

17. I don't

I need Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow between me and that sad, sad, man. Without a laugh track, that was brutal to watch. This is what Clint Eastwood will be remembered for. Forever. Sad.

[pscot]

26. I had a similar reaction

It would be interesting to know what the conversation is like in the Eastwood household these days.

[onenote]

38. It may be what you remember Eastwood for, but for most people, it won't be.

Far more people have watched Eastwood's movies than watched his wacky performance at the RNC and while many more have heard about, seen clips on line or on the news, it will be one of many things he is remembered for, but not the only thing.

[tavalon]

75. I hope so.

It's not like he's Mel Gibson, snuff film maker and generally useless person. I won't watch anything with Mel Gibson but it hasn't been the same with Clint Eastwood, especially since he started directing. But seeing him on that stage, it was obvious that he won't be making any more movies. Not because of this, this just clarified it. It's time for a gentle retirement.

[ZombieHorde]

51. I'll remember him for his movies.

The Republican performance is mostly memorable because of its cringe factor, in my opinion. No one thing was really memorable for me, the whole thing just felt awkward and made me cringe.

[obxhead]

35. Updated link:

It appears the video in that thread was removed by the youtube poster.

[tridim]

4. Pretty crazy that Obama is now the catalyst for this strange event jumping the shark.

[Cha]

70. HAHAHAHA! Also VEry In-Ter-Resting..

Dig It!

[Cha]

71. It was also a Body Slam to mr and mrs mitt who are

always pissing, moaning, and WHINING that everyone is so mean to them for telling the truth about them..WAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAH..

[bluedigger]

5. He's just afraid of Betty White.

He knows she wants him.

[TalkingDog]

8. Not only the smartest man in the room, but seemingly the only adult there too.

[dballance]

9. Probably the wisest course of action to acknowledge...

and make light of Eastwood's psychotic performance. The Obama folks have a much better set of advisors and strategists than Romney. I continue to be in shock and awe at the ineptitude of the Romney campaign.

I think it's stroke of genius to complement Eastwood and just be sanguine about the whole thing. The real empty chair and empty suits at the convention were Romney and Ryan.

[Heather MC]

10. I loved Clints Performance,

Honestly I thought it was cute the comedy was well timed and he was hilarious. I loved it even better better that he totally upstaged Mitt Romney.

My husband and I watched it together and we were cracking up laughing we thought he was very very entertaining. True he did say and do some things that were a bit off the pale but overall his performance was awesome.

and because of that remarkable performance all weekend long all my right wing nut friends have been talking about is, Clint Eastwood no 1 is talking about Mitt Romney.

Brilliant!

[marmar]

11. That's the best way to handle all of that foolishness.

nt

[perdita9]

12. Obama showing us all what it means to have manners and class

See "Republicans" for a counter example.

[ailsagirl]

39. It's who he is. His grace and dignity are awesome.

As James Lipton noted, "...Obama is incapable of saying 'shut up and go blank yourself' in any normal circumstance and is capable, in fact, of uttering much more eloquent and I think proper replies."

Lipton really nailed it!

[freshwest]

56. +1,000

[lunatica]

13. Maybe he's implying with just a little bit of a hint that he got a kick out of

being portrayed as the empty chair telling Mitt to go fuck himself.

[loyalsister]

49. I bet you're right

I bet he and Joe laugh at a lot of the attacks, too.

[AlbertCat]

14. "I think we'll be playing this pretty straight,

As a gay man, I am completely offended by this insensitive comment!!!!


I'M KIDDING!






Just getting into that "Be offended by anything Obama does or says" mode...



It's easy pretending to be a Teabagger.... just act like a poor put upon 2 to 4 year old.

[ArnoldLayne]

65. As a straight man I am offended too.

[Cass]

15. Perfect! I love this response. nt

[tavalon]

16. Class act, that one

It's not his to make fun of Eastwood and really, the man is going senile, so it's kind of hard to laugh too much though Jon Stewart had me rolling. It's a sad denouement for a passable actor and a good director.

Besides, Clint did so much to derail the RNC message that I almost wonder if he wasn't a planted mole. But no, I actually believe he's that addled, the poor man.

[juajen]

44. Well, as I stated in an earlier post, I believe he's the sharpest crayon in the box.

He's a brilliant actor, and I don't believe for a minute that the disruption of the Romney bandwagon was not intentional.

[CJCRANE]

73. A lot of his later movies are about subverting and deflating the tough guy image...

so I agree with you that there may be something else going on in his performance at the RNC.

[Berlum]

19. Dignity (D)

As opposed to the ugly freaking degenerate soul-sick "Dignitude" act we got from the Republicans last time America was suckered by their corporately funded elitist bullshit: an AWOL frat boy who failed America on 9/11 and then lied us into an ugly Oil Profits (R) war while enriching his 1% fat cat Republicans cronies and shitting all over the poor.

[ismnotwasm]

20. Nice

Good on ya, President Obama

[TBF]

22. I have to admit to laughing at the chair jokes -

but our President's response is much more adult, as usual. It's kind of nice to have a grown up in the White House.

[reflection]

23. this is exactly what I said Friday

That I wish Obama would do. Makes him look bigger, Eastwood look smaller, and will help ingratiate Obama with seniors. I am so proud of my President. He is pure unadulterated class.

[karynnj]

30. You were right then and this is a very classy answer by Obama

In addition, Obama - just by walking 0out on the DNC stage and being the real OBama - not the strange invisible Eastwood version. (Talk of setting a low bar!)

BUT I think other Democrats - not allied to Obama's campaign - who are older or from areas like the midwest may want to hit Romney for saying he thought this was good.

I rarely agree with him, but Tom Brokaw spoke of some MI delegates being unsettled over this and he went on to point out that talk radio and FOX News would have been up in arms had a DNC had this against a Republican president.

As someone born in Indiana and now 62, I have learned over time that many things I think deserve alerts are within the limits here, but I wonder if there is an opposite side of the coin as well. ie There are people who will have been offended by this who would be disgusted that Romney actually said AFTER the fact that this was ok. With them, he may have undid all the time he spent trying to be seen as likable. Now, I think the rabid Republicans will not be moved to not vote for him -- but this may hurt him with older suburban women - a group he was targeting.

If this personal observation is one that others have, it would seem that making sure that people know Romney was happy with this after the fact.

Any comments?

[Cosmocat]

37. R vs D

if Kerry had Paul Newman go on stage with a chair and retort that Bush said Kerry should go fruck himself, every member of the media would have attacked every single elected D in the country to repudiate it ...

It would have been a DISGRACE and a treasonable offense against the COMMANDER IN CHIEF when there were troops in the field!

[karynnj]

60. I think you are probably right, but bot Newman and Kerry had far too much class

to even think of doing that. (Not to mention they would have faced strong arguments from Teresa and Joanne if they momentarily had lost their minds and thought that a good idea.)

The fact is that Obama has favorables above 50%. To win, Romney needs to win some people who have a favorable opinion of Obama. Kerry did this in 2004 while not winning enough of them. I would suspect that this stunt may have offended anyone with a positive opinion of Obama. The question is how many still on the fence were appalled enough at this stupidity to rule Romney out. Remember he is already facing the highest negatives of any Republican Presidential candidate including Dole.

[reflection]

52. I think you make a very salient point in your penultimate paragraph.

And I have no problem with any of Obama's surrogates pointing out that Romney endorsed that hatred and disrespect. Obama meanwhile can continue to occupy the high ground and appear to be the adult in the room. Love your idea.

[loyalsister]

50. Always the adult in the room

That is the image he has crafted. I think it will serve him well during the debates.

[Diclotican]

27. warrior1

warrior1

Another way for Obama to look classy - he might be angry out of sights - but dam he look classy out here where everyone can look at him.... You need a big man, to stay over brawling for this... And again, Obama have shown who classy he really is compared to the repulicans...

Diclotican

[GoCubsGo]

43. I can't see him getting too angry over it.

He has had to face indignities far worse than this over the past five years. I'm sure his skin is thicker than elephant hide at this point. He probably shrugged it off, or maybe even laughed his ass off, like many others are doing. Although, knowing him, he is probably feeling really sorry for Eastwood right now. It's really hard to watch someone exhibit such decline in such a public way like that without feeling a bit sorry for them.

[juajen]

46. No need to feel sorry for this great man, who singlehandedly took Romney out of prime time.

It was just fantastic. My hat is off to him and our classy President.

[GoCubsGo]

61. A big part of me has been wondering if that's the case, as well.

Some here have suggested that Clint punked 'em. I think there's a good chance he did just that. He certainly did take the spotlight of off Romney on his big day.

[xtraxritical]

67. Eastwood is a long time Republican and was a Republican mayor of Carmel California.

I really don't think he did it for the Democrats.

[GoCubsGo]

83. Nobody is saying he did it for the Democrats.

If he did it, it was for what's left of his party that aren't batshit crazy tea baggers.

[Diclotican]

62. GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

If anything goes, he got a good laugh out of it all - even though it might as well be bittersweet to look a great actor making a ass off himself like Eastwood indeed did. I suspect mr Eastwood might not think about this as the best way to be remembered for a long time... And this will be known, many years from now... Maybe even long after the last movies of Eastwood is long forgotten...

If anything, we should feel pity for the man rather than be insulted by him.. He committed more or less "suicide" on stage.. He might have his millions, and wealth - but this is nothing compared to have respect from most pepole...

Diclotican

[riderinthestorm]

28. He can top even that with a "Clint always puts on a great performance!"

Implying Eastwood was really mentally sharp (which works well with seniors) AND implies that Eastwood was playing Rmoney and the rest of the RNC dupes for a fool....

[nolabear]

29. Wonderful. It's fun to snark in DU and the media, but Obama respects his own office too much.

Obama and party never cease to please me in their dedication to their offices and their cause. Refusing to be a circus shows that.

[Tom Ripley]

31. "He is a great actor, and an even better director" is very slyly done

While I think Eastwood is a pretty pedestrian director, President Obama's equation is a nice little jab at Eastwood's recent performance.
Only a fool would try to match wits with Obama.

[Jennicut]

32. Very classy, but surprises none of us on DU. That is just how President Obama is.

He has always been gracious and an good, kind man.

[Deep13]

34. perfect response from POTUS...

The public has seen the clown show. Now they can have their socks knocked off by Obama and Bill Clinton.

[Brainstormy]

40. Never petulant or pouty

what I love about the Obamas and their campaign.

[quinnox]

42. now that I wholeheartedly agree with

Eastwood has always been my favorite movie star! The guy is a god of cinema.

[kestrel91316]

45. He's showing that snotty Queen Ann just who the adult in the room is with this approach.

[rbrnmw]

47. Actually in a weird sort of way Eastwood Endorsed Obama

and told Romney to go fuck himself at the same time maybe not intentionally but he did

[Kyad06]

80. I agree

Obama had to love that chair telling Willard to go fuck himself. Clint is a lose cannon and may be paying the Pukes back for ripping him over the Chrysler ads.

[warrior1]

53. I love how he says things

with a smile.

[Kalidurga]

54. Well I just watched the Eastwood performance in it's entirety...

He said, "quote on quote stellar businessman" of Romney. I am now convinced Eastwood knew exactly what he was doing and he wasn't there to endorse Romney, but hurt him in any way he could.

[Riley18]

55. A true leader and diplomat.

[lumpy]

63. 100 percent class = Obama. "Money Don't Buy You Class" = Romney

According to the "Countess".

[dickthegrouch]

64. And to demonstrate how much of a fan

I'm going to use choice bits of the show in my campaign commercials

Of course he's a fan, Clint has done a great job in showing how gullible Mittens is. How much Mittens doesn't deserve to be within 100 miles of The Whitehouse. If he can be punk'd into allowing a speech like that he should be impeached from his existing seat and locked away somewhere for our safe keeping.

[rwsanders]

68. I've always wondered if actors/directors learn anything from their films...

or if it is just a job to them, after Clint's performance it appears at least for him, it was just a job.
I'm kind of thinking of Gran Torino, didn't he learn anything about racism
Or Flags of our fathers, didn't he realize that the greatest generation wouldn't have been so great if it hadn't been for one of our greatest presidents ever? And that years later the GOP is still trying to undo all the great things that FDR accomplished?
As a side note, I'm now reading "The Imperial Cruise" also by James Bradley. He definitely isn't a fan of the GOP at least by what I read in that book. After reading it I'll definitely have to read his others, it reads like something inspired by "Lies My Teacher Told Me" or "A People's History of the United States".

[Skittles]

69. that is class

allowing someone to be defined by their lifetime of work rather than a pathetic performance

[ailsagirl]

78. That is our President

A very wise man

[Spitfire of ATJ]

77. Fan's of Eastwood should be offended at the Republicans for shoving him out there....

....it is NOT the way they want to remember him.

[The Wizard]

79. Just wondering

if this was Eastwood's revenge for the bullshit the repubes gave him for his Super Bowl commercial praising American workers. Repubes are so insane they believe that a failed working class is good for their political ends. The crazy scum that inhabit the Repube mainstream need their asses kicked up and down every Main Street in America. At any rate, Eastwood was the icing on the cake of a crap convention.

[Kyad06]

81. thinking the same thing

He told Roomney to go fuck himself in so many words.

[LittlestStar]

82. As a longtime Eastwood fan I was gutted when he spoke at the RNC

But after watching the disastrous chair monologue I was pretty amused!