Transcript begins:
EASTWOOD: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Save a little for Mitt.
(APPLAUSE) I know what you are thinking. You are thinking, what’s a movie tradesman doing out here? You know they are all left wingers out there, left of Lenin. At least that is what people think. That is not really the case. There are a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people, Republicans, Democrats, in Hollywood. It is just that the conservative people by the nature of the word itself play closer to the vest. They do not go around hot dogging it.
(APPLAUSE)
So — but they are there, believe me, they are there. I just think, in fact, some of them around town, I saw Jon Voight, a lot of people around.
(APPLAUSE)
Jon’s here, an academy award winner. A terrific guy. These people are all like-minded, like all of us.
So I — so I’ve got Mr. Obama sitting here. And he’s — I was going to ask him a couple of questions. But — you know about — I remember three and a half years ago, when Mr. Obama won the election. And though I was not a big supporter, I was watching that night when he was having that thing and they were talking about hope and change and they were talking about, yes we can, and it was dark outdoors, and it was nice, and people were lighting candles.
They were saying, I just thought, this was great. Everybody is trying, Oprah was crying.
(LAUGHTER)
EASTWOOD: I was even crying. And then finally — and I haven’t cried that hard since I found out that there is 23 million unemployed people in this country.
(APPLAUSE)
Now that is something to cry for because that is a disgrace, a national disgrace, and we haven’t done enough, obviously — this administration hasn’t done enough to cure that. Whenever interest they have is not strong enough, and I think possibly now it may be time for somebody else to come along and solve the problem.
(APPLAUSE)
So, Mr. President, how do you handle promises that you have made when you were running for election, and how do you handle them?
I mean, what do you say to people? Do you just — you know — I know — people were wondering — you don’t — handle that OK. Well, I know even people in your own party were very disappointed when you didn’t close Gitmo. And I thought, well closing Gitmo — why close that, we spent so much money on it. But, I thought maybe as an excuse — what do you mean shut up?
(LAUGHTER)
OK, I thought maybe it was just because somebody had the stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown New York City.
(APPLAUSE)
I’ve got to to hand it to you. I have to give credit where credit is due. You did finally overrule that finally. And that’s — now we are moving onward. I know you were against the war in Iraq, and that’s okay. But you thought the war in Afghanistan was OK. You know, I mean — you thought that was something worth doing. We didn’t check with the Russians to see how did it — they did there for 10 years.
(APPLAUSE)
But we did it, and it is something to be thought about, and I think that, when we get to maybe — I think you’ve mentioned something about having a target date for bringing everybody home. You gave that target date, and I think Mr. Romney asked the only sensible question, you know, he says, “Why are you giving the date out now? Why don’t you just bring them home tomorrow morning?”
(APPLAUSE)
And I thought — I thought, yeah — I am not going to shut up, it is my turn.
(LAUGHTER)
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.
(APPLAUSE)
You’re crazy, you’re absolutely crazy. You’re getting as bad as Biden.
(APPLAUSE)
Of course we all now Biden is the intellect of the Democratic party.
(LAUGHTER)
Kind of a grin with a body behind it.
(LAUGHTER)
But I just think that there is so much to be done, and I think that Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan are two guys that can come along. See, I never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to the president, anyway.
(APPLAUSE)
I think attorneys are so busy — you know they’re always taught to argue everything, and always weight everything — weigh both sides…
MORE
(INSERT ZACH)
XXX I think attorneys are so busy — you know they’re always taught to argue everything, always weigh everything, weigh both sides.
EASTWOOD: They are always devil’s advocating this and bifurcating this and bifurcating that. You know all that stuff. But, I think it is maybe time — what do you think — for maybe a businessman. How about that?
(APPLAUSE)
A stellar businessman. Quote, unquote, “a stellar businessman.”
And I think it’s that time. And I think if you just step aside and Mr. Romney can kind of take over. You can maybe still use a plane.
(APPLAUSE)
Though maybe a smaller one. Not that big gas guzzler you are going around to colleges and talking about student loans and stuff like that.
(APPLAUSE)
You are an — an ecological man. Why would you want to drive that around?
OK, well anyway. All right, I’m sorry. I can’t do that to myself either.
(APPLAUSE)
I would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen. Something that I think is very important. It is that, you, we — we own this country.
(APPLAUSE)
We — we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours.
(APPLAUSE)
And — so — they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. It is the same old deal. But I just think it is important that you realize , that you’re the best in the world. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican or whether you’re libertarian or whatever, you are the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.
(APPLAUSE)
Okay, just remember that. And I’m speaking out for everybody out there. It doesn’t hurt, we don’t have to be
(AUDIENCE MEMBER): (inaudible)
(LAUGHTER)
I do not say that word anymore. Well, maybe one last time.
(LAUGHTER)
We don’t have to be — what I’m saying, we do not have to be metal (ph) masochists and vote for somebody that we don’t really even want in office just because they seem to be nice guys or maybe not so nice guys, if you look at some of the recent ads going out there, I don’t know.
(APPLAUSE)
But OK. You want to make my day?
(APPLAUSE)
All right. I started, you finish it. Go ahead.
AUDIENCE: Make my day!
EASTWOOD: Thank you. Thank you very much.
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I was able to understand all he ssaid and it made my day!
It needed some “spice”, and, he added it to the mix on the stage..
He has always done that.
I miss him on the screen. When he performs a role he REALLY makes that role!!
We’re not going to have him around forever.
One of “The Greats”!
Naw… Daniel – I’ve gotta disagree with your choice of the word ‘strange’… but, I take it ‘with a grain of proverbial salt’ too.
Lemme’ esplain (as that Montoya guy said in Princess Bride)
Here’s a pretty ‘stand up’ guy (us not having to forgive his indiscretions – let the women he loves do the forgiving – as someone else’s life is none of my business) and he at the convention he takes yet another ‘stand’ in both an intelligent (and non-pandering kinda way) and it was ‘entertaining’ to boot.
He’s an ICON (I’m not gonna dissect that word right now, but it does have me laughing) and as such – folks in America and around the Globe look to him (and his films) for inspiration – for ‘backbone’ – and that’s just what he gave them. He gave them…’backbone-light’ as it were. (I’d actually prefer HIM as President – as he seems to be a man of character – and no (please forgive the pun) empty ‘Mitt’.
Sure. It was ‘pretty much fluff’ – but, a guy like that doesn’t have to be the fall guy by bringing up ALL the issues Americans are dealing with. He was asked to speak – and he did. (And, we knew the Michael Moores (pray for him, Daniel, okay?) of this world would give nasty pot shots at him, anyway – no matter WHAT he said, right? So – no shock there. Eastwood isn’t a ‘big boy’ – he’s a MAN and men don’t worry about little boys – ‘cept to wipe their noses after a fist fight, mebbe.)
His words did show me that Clint Eastwood (by mentioning John Voight (sp?) especially – as his friend) is a man unafraid to speak his mind – with humor – and without a script. That means he was talking from his heart, Daniel. And, that’s not a bad thing to do – ever. And, very few of us are so ‘transparent’ as to be able to ‘wing it’ as he did – with hardly a stumble – but, if he had cue cards – I wouldda puked.
Keep inspired, my friend. You’ve been tackling so very many tough issues – which you are BRILLIANT at, by the way – and keep that hope that is within you – buoyant.
Clint Eastwood stood up as Mayor of that town in Southern Cali… And, he’s done MORE than what Americans have dared to do (including myself, to this day), so let’s not worry about the ‘strangeness’ of the empty chair… or about words we’d wished he might’ve said.
At the very least – by giving this ‘performance from the heart’ as Mr. Eastwood did last night – he once again has proved to me and others – that he’s not just another suit. And, that – in and of itself, is refreshing.
God bless you mightily Daniel. You do amazing work. (Come out to SA sometime and we can go surf fishing and Ian and I would put you up in the farmhouse across the road from a 90 mile stretch of beach that would invigorate you. I promise.)
So – GOD BLESS ‘ALL’ MEN who take their respective stands for TRUTH – especially that hero, Clint Eastwood. I’m thinkin’ that Jesus, Himself must’ve given some writer that line… ‘Cause I can hear Him sayin’ it. But, I guess I’ll haveta wait a while to hear about ‘that’ supposition of mine… Warm smiles to you, Daniel Noe. You are a man of courage.
Cynthia Lauren
An American gal not concerned with Actors(Empty Suits)
But, IF you’re talkin’ about guys like Voight – like (swoon) Mel Gibson – like (wowie!) Chuck Missler and like Walter Fitzpatrick – Tom Johnson (my step-dad) and ALL the zillions of other ‘un-sung heroes’ of our globe, too – then, I’ll stand with ‘em – ’cause they’ve dared to be themselves and to inspire others by doing just that – fearlessly.
‘Cause REAL MEN (like yourself, Daniel) are INSPIRING to ALL Real Women… oh gosh. I’ve run on so long that I’ve just realized ‘with my inspiration of THIS moment’ that I’ve gotta jump into the ute IF if I wanna be a gal of My Word – ’cause I promised to go feed the sheep!
Gotta run, kiddo – you are in my prayers, may GOD BLESS AMERICA (if she’d only find where she put him) AND AUSTRALIA, TOO
His Gal,
Cynthia Lauren
I didn’t find it strange. It was Hilarious!!! It was actually a good idea to add some humor to the Convention. After these Dreadful 4 yrs we need a laugh. I Love Clint even more now!!!!! I can picture OBummer whining because his poor little feelings were probably hurt. He’s so disgraceful.