# Clint Eastwood voting for Romney **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 5, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469 "2012-08-05T00:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/161 "2012-08-31T21:29:54Z")
Yeah, but the smart thing would be to avoid talking further about the train wreck, and get people talking about how wonderful Mittens delivered his magnum opus to the nation and how he’ll set this wayward nation straight. To say the pig sitting at the dining room table is a beautiful woman doesn’t make it so, especially when everyone there can plainly see it’s a filthy, stinking pig. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/162 "2012-08-31T21:32:37Z")
This is why politics is what it is. People are asking them about the speech, so they have to say _something_. They can’t say it’s a mess and they can’t say no comment because that’s the same as saying it sucked. So they try to put it in a positive light even though it was a farce. They also can’t say “Hey, who cares about the speeches anyway?” when they just put on three days of speeches at their convention. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/163 "2012-08-31T22:04:41Z")
I actually felt sorry for ol’ Clint, seeing how he’s deteriorated in his dotage. And sorrier for the GOP audience, listening to him blast Obama for Gitmo and Afghanistan (yes, really), while having to find ways to applaud him for it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/164 "2012-08-31T22:07:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > That wasn’t a gaffe at all. He said they need a more diverse base of support, and he’s right- they do. The gaffe was in acknowledging publicly that yes, the GOP base \*is \*angry white men. The proper reaction is to talk up the inclusive, big-tent stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/165 "2012-08-31T22:14:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The gaffe was in acknowledging publicly that yes, the GOP base \*is \*angry white men. The proper reaction is to talk up the inclusive, big-tent stuff. So it’s a gaffe when you tell an unflattering truth in support of an argument that things need to change? His point was that they’re _not_ an inclusive big tent, they’re a party dominated by older white voters and that that state of affairs isn’t sustainable if they want to win elections in the future. Saying “It’s already a very inclusive big tent and needs to stay that way” would be bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/166 "2012-08-31T22:31:37Z")
Yes, it would be bullshit. It would also be the proper thing for a party loyalist to say _in public_. What he would say in private, in a strategy meeting among only fellow loyalists, would be what you say. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/167 "2012-08-31T22:33:14Z")
they asked him to talk about Obamacare, he thought they said Obamachair. ---
**Author:** ![moonshot925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@moonshot925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonshot925)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/168 "2012-08-31T22:46:23Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > the GOP base \*is \*angry white men. And what is the Democratic base? Welfare bums and communist union thugs who want free government cheese? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/169 "2012-08-31T22:48:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Why? It’s not like he endorsed barbecuing live puppies. (Okay, I hate dogs; let’s say live kittens.) I see no reason why Clint Eastwood or any artist needs to agree with my politics. Kinda late to the party, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/170 "2012-08-31T22:54:23Z")
> [@NineLineMan](#): > > And odd since Romney is a lawyer. Actually, I don’t think either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama are lawyers. They both graduated from Harvard Law School, but I’m not sure either ever practiced law or even got licensed to practice law. Obama became a law professor and later on a community activist Romney became a businessman. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/171 "2012-08-31T23:04:41Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Actually, I don’t think either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama are lawyers. They both graduated from Harvard Law School, but I’m not sure either ever practiced law or even got licensed to practice law. > > Obama became a law professor and later on a community activist Romney became a businessman. Obama practiced law for four years. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/172 "2012-08-31T23:09:12Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Isn’t that a GOOD thing? I’ve been saying for years that Bush wasn’t popular with Republicans precisely because they saw him as just another big-spending, big-government guy. Which he was. And I’m guessing you’re no fan of any of the above, so why is it bad that the Republicans are dumping them? Except they just nominated a big-spending, big-government guy for veep (and maybe for Prez, but who knows what Romney will be for by next year?) Ryan voted for all the big budget-busters of the Bush admin. He’s small-government when it comes to environmental regulations, or keeping big banks from doing whatever the fuck they want, but he’s big government when it comes to telling people who they should marry, and telling women to bear the child of their rapist. > [@](#): > > Oh, that’s just ridiculous. It’s a Democratic talking point that Reagan wouldn’t be welcome in today’s Republican party, or that he wouldn’t want to be in it. That’s just not true. Go back and re-watch his ‘a time for choosing’ speech that put him in the spotlight in 1964. Go listen to some of his radio addresses that he wrote himself. > > Reagan was a libertarian-oriented Republican by temperament. He could (and did) quote extensively from Hayek, Bastiat, and Friedman. He referenced the founding fathers regularly. If he were around today, he’d probably be the leader of the Tea Party. Reagan presided over the largest tax increase in US history, was a tough guy when invading Grenada but meekly withdrew when over 200 marines were killed in Lebanon, violated the Constitution with his Nicaraguan adventure, lied to Congress about it, and funded it by illegal arms sales to Iran. But you’re right, he’d probably still be leader of the Tea Party, because they don’t give a shit about facts. ---
**Author:** ![moonshot925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@moonshot925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonshot925)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/173 "2012-08-31T23:31:17Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Reagan presided over the largest tax increase in US history When Reagan took office there were 16 marginal income tax rates with the top being 70%. When Reagan left office there were 4 marginal income tax rates with the top being 28%. He was a net tax cutter. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/174 "2012-08-31T23:34:04Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Obama practiced law for four years. My mistake. Thanks for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/175 "2012-08-31T23:42:47Z")
> [@moonshot925](#): > > When Reagan took office there were 16 marginal income tax rates with the top being 70%. > > When Reagan left office there were 4 marginal income tax rates with the top being 28%. > > He was a net tax cutter. And Obama is a net jobs creator, but that’s not what I heard at the convention. And net or not, Reagan still signed the largest tax increase ever, and _ **any** _ tax increase is anathema to the Tea Party. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/176 "2012-08-31T23:43:16Z")
Just to follow up on my response to **Sam Stone** , from [maddowblog.com](http://maddowblog.com): > [@](#): > > In June, Jeb Bush said Reagan “would be criticized” by today’s GOP. In May, former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) said Reagan “would be stunned by the party today.” Mike Huckabee said a year ago, “Ronald Reagan would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time being nominated in this atmosphere of the Republican Party.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had a nearly identical take in 2010, arguing Reagan “would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today.” This is a Democratic talking point, Sam? ---
**Author:** ![moonshot925](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@moonshot925](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonshot925)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/177 "2012-09-01T00:15:40Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > And Obama is a net jobs creator Obama is actually NOT a net jobs creator. In January 2009 there were 133,561,000 Americans employed. In July 2012 there were 133,245,000 Americans employed. We have lost 316,00 jobs since he took office. > **[U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/home.htm)** > > The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/178 "2012-09-01T00:24:13Z")
I know one Tea Party Republican here in Bangkok who considers Eastwood’s speech “brilliant.” The Republicans must have taken some sort of embarrassment vaccine. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/179 "2012-09-01T00:32:18Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > IThe Republicans must have taken some sort of embarrassment vaccine. Yes, when it was first perfected, it was an injection, but these days it is an oral vaccine, administered in a brightly colored, sugary liquid. It is mass produced in packets that are simply mixed with a pitcher of water. Side effects include the ability to break through block walls. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469/180 "2012-09-01T00:35:37Z")
Does this mean Sondra Locke will speak in Charlotte? 'cause that would be fucking great. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clint-eastwood-voting-for-romney/630469.md?page=10)