Clint Eastwood addresses the 2012 Republican National Convention.
Ed Timperlake calls it “The Greatest Piece of Performance Art in American Political History”
Mr. Timperlake writes: Americans have a firm appreciation for sports metaphors. So if one looks at our political process to select the President as the "Super Bowl" then it could be implied that the two conventions are the first and second quarters respectively.
Mr. Timperlake writes: Americans have a firm appreciation for sports metaphors. So if one looks at our political process to select the President as the "Super Bowl" then it could be implied that the two conventions are the first and second quarters respectively.
The second half, with both conventions gaveled to a close, will show how each competing team R and D adjusts to address what plays happened in the first half. The Republican's just had a spectacular first quarter, in my opinion, their best Convention ever, and it is soon time for the Ds to run their game plan.
However, something uniquely American happened during the Republican convention -- a new, never seen before play was run. An iconic and extremely successful artist created an original, entirely unique moments in our political history. Clint Eastwood gave one of the greatest pieces of performance art ever seen.
Clint Eastwood knew exactly what he was doing -- as both an actor AND director he knows full well how to deliver a message that resonates. As a simple, practical matter his speech will be discussed for a very very long time and that will bring positive focus back to a very successful GOP convention again and again.
But Clint's true artistic genius was provoking the ready, fire, aim, liberal Obama Administration supporters, and was reflective of how the "take him down at all costs" pack journalism thinks. It was pathetic when they focused on his age as their attack line. So go ahead you fools insult the elderly, use getting old as a weapon to discredit an extremely powerful message done with fantastic humor. That will turn out to be very, very stupid media attack line in the run up to the election. Not to mention, how off the mark it is because Clint Eastwood was out-thinking everyone and was intellectually miles ahead of all of you.
It gets better. In this age of ubiquitous social media -- especially YouTube -- every observation and attack segment that Clint Eastwood articulated will be proliferated nationwide by his countless fans. His performance was, at times, filled with nuance and droll asides, but always combined with the underlying principle a direct no BS statement of what it means to be an American citizen.
Going into their Convention and the second half there is nothing the Obama Administration can do about it. As a successful actor and director Clint Eastwood knows how to make a point and he made a politically historic point using his artistic gifts.
Finally, President Obama and his wife claimed to not be watching the RNC--actually their best PR strategy. Yet, according to the New York Post, the President of the United States just engaged against a surrogate.
Our current President AKA "Mr Cool" was provoked enough to blow-up his own strategy and make his original position a lie. Not a bad nights performance all around Mr Eastwood!
Thomas Lifson adds:
I agree with Ed that Clint Eastwood's approach was an example of thinking outside the box, and despite what amounts to a firestorm of criticism, may well do the job in a way that no politician's speech could have accomplished.
Simply put, Eastwood's job was to make it OK to laugh at President Obama, and to vote against him without worrying that one might be a racist for firing the first black president. There were two principal themes:
1. President Obama has failed the nation.
2. He presents an image as a nice guy, but maybe he isn't really so nice.
The key to delivering these messages is to somehow escape being labeled as "mean" or "racist."
Clint Eastwood occupies a special place in the modern American mind. His long career embodies, persistence (the spaghetti western exile during which he created an archetype, "the man with no name" despite being shunned by Hollywood as a failed star of a defunct Western TV show - Rawhide), fearlessness (Dirty Harry - a masterpiece that was immediately recognized by fans, and which took most critics years to appreciate because of its politically incorrect message), and only later, after decades of producing and directing, truth-telling master artist.
Americans can hear hard messages coming from Clint. He has a certain immunity that comes with being old and beloved. Yes, some of his sentences did not complete themselves. Yes, he was a bit doddering. And yes, his F yourself jokes were crude. Grandpa sometimes embarrasses the family at birthdays and anniversaries by bringing up uncomfortable topics. But everyone also loves Grandpa, and realizes he tells the truth because he hasn't got that much longer with us, and doesn't give a damn anymore what people think. The one thing everyone remembers about the party afterward is when Grandpa mentioned the adultery, the grandkid who did drugs, or the other secrets that everyone prefers to keep their mouths shut about.
There are lots of truths about President Obama -- including that he really isn't such a nice guy -- that the media will not allow consideration of. Except from Grandpa.
So yes, MSNBC pundits, go on and on about "senile old Clint" or his "bizarre" presentation. Keep people thinking about the un-pc message he delivered.
This is going to be one interesting campaign.
The pundit class has no imagination, apparently, no understanding of real art. No understanding of how people process what they see and hear.
Thank God, Mitt has people who get it. I wonder who proposed this startegy? I bet it was Clint, and the Romney image makers had the wit to recognize the right way to deliver the message.
Clint going over into 10 PM was no accident. Everyone who tuned in at the appointed hour saw Clint. Then they watched him again on YouTube. And told their friends about the YouTube.
This makes it the only thing people are talking about, instead of knocking Mitt. The more they beat up on Clint, the better. That Grandpa sure is outrageous.
The Greatest Piece of Performance Art in American Political History, by Ed Timperlake
