Before Talk With a Chair, Clearance From the Top
Source: new york times
TAMPA, Fla. For all the finger-pointing about Clint Eastwoods rambling conversation with an empty chair on Thursday night, the most bizarre, head-scratching 12 minutes in recent political convention history were set in motion by Mitt Romney himself and made possible by his aides, who had shrouded the actors appearance in secrecy.
Mr. Romney privately invited Mr. Eastwood, of Dirty Harry fame, to speak after the actor had given him a gravelly, full-throated endorsement at a star-studded fund-raiser at the Sun Valley Resort Lodge in Idaho this summer. He just made my day. What a guy, Mr. Romney joked with his donors that night, flanked by the fake log columns of the lodge.
Thus began an effort by Mr. Romneys campaign over several weeks to inject a Hollywood-style surprise into the highly scripted, tightly controlled convention where Mr. Romney would formally accept the nomination of the Republican Party to be president.
Behind the scenes, Mr. Eastwoods convention cameo was cleared by Mr. Romneys top message mavens, Russ Schriefer and Stuart Stevens, who drew up talking points that Mr. Eastwood included, in his own way. They gave him a time limit and flashed a blinking red light that told him his time was up. He ignored both. The actors decision to use a chair as a prop was last-minute, and his own.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/us/politics/romney-aides-scratch-their-heads-over-eastwoods-speech.html
SkyDaddy7
(6,045 posts)I never thought I would say this but Clint Eastwood "Made my day!"
I swear watching that reminded me of the days watching George Bush speak & how he made the "Cringe Meter" sky rocket...However, the big difference was George Bush pegged out the "Cringe Meter" simply due to his inability to speak English & of course his utterly simplistic to the point of stupidity world view. Clint pegged out the "Cringe Meter" by shear creepiness & the fact it made me wonder if his mind was failing due to his age.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)XemaSab
(60,212 posts)"Behind the scenes, Mr. Eastwoods convention cameo was cleared by Mr. Romneys FORMER top message mavens, Russ Schriefer and Stuart Stevens..."
AnotherDreamWeaver
(2,850 posts)A link?
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)but from a campaign standpoint, someone deserves to be fired over this.
AnotherDreamWeaver
(2,850 posts)He saw him speak in southern Calif. I think, and wanted him at the Convention. I tried to get the link, but didn't find it.
I love the Jon Stewart rant on Clint.
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)but yeah, the whole thing was epic genius.
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)rocktivity