Clint Eastwood: 'We own this country'
bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19432723
robinince Robin Ince
"Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups..." that's Nietzsche, here's Eastwoodhttp://t.co/FEnml2nIClint Eastwood: 'We own this country'
Clint Eastwood has delivered a speech at the Republican Party convention in Florida.
The Hollywood star told the audience that he is backing Mitt Romney for president.
Referring to President Barack Obama, Eastwood said: "When somebody does not do the job you've got to let 'em go."
(CNSNews.com) - He's 82, he's a Hollywood legend, and he spoke to an empty chair with an imaginary President Obama sitting in it. He ad-libbed, he rambled at times, but the Republicans gathered at their national convention in Tampa cheered Clint Eastwood on -- one convention-goer even interrupting the actor, shouting something about "Make my day."
"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," Eastwood said toward the end of his speech.
"We — we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours.
"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're the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we gotta let 'em go."
Eastwood's comment drew sustained applause.
"Okay, just remember that. And I’m speaking out for everybody out there," Eastwood said. "We don’t have to be — what I’m saying, we do not have to be mental 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."
Then, as he ended his speech, Eastwood responded to the woman who wanted Eastwood to "make my day," the famous line from one of his movies.
"OK. You want to make my day, huh?" Eastwood asked, drawing applause. "All right. I started, you finish it."
"Go ahead --" Eastwood said:
"Make my day!" the audience responded.
Eastwood: 'When Somebody Does Not Do the Job, We Gotta Let 'Em Go'
Actor Clint Eastwood addresses the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
"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," Eastwood said toward the end of his speech.
"We — we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours.
"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're the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we gotta let 'em go."
Eastwood's comment drew sustained applause.
"Okay, just remember that. And I’m speaking out for everybody out there," Eastwood said. "We don’t have to be — what I’m saying, we do not have to be mental 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."
Then, as he ended his speech, Eastwood responded to the woman who wanted Eastwood to "make my day," the famous line from one of his movies.
"OK. You want to make my day, huh?" Eastwood asked, drawing applause. "All right. I started, you finish it."
"Go ahead --" Eastwood said:
"Make my day!" the audience responded.
