Clint Eastwood endorses Romney

Actor and director Clint Eastwood speaks with reporters during the opening of the Warner Bros. Theater at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. / AP Photo/Cliff Owen

(AP) SUN VALLEY, Idaho - Clint Eastwood just made Mitt Romney's day.

The Oscar-winning director and longtime movie star says he's endorsing the Republican presidential candidate.

Eastwood tells The Associated Press that he's backing Romney because, in Eastwood's words, "I think the country needs a boost."

Eastwood was among those attending a Romney fundraiser Friday night in Sun Valley, Idaho.

In February, Eastwood told Fox News that he wasn't supporting any politician at that time. Some saw the "halftime in America" ad he made for the Super Bowl as a nod toward President Barack Obama. Eastwood responded then by saying he was not "politically affiliated" with the president.

Eastwood won Academy Awards for directing and producing "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby" and starred in those films as well as the Dirty Harry movies.

Full Coverage: Romney's vice presidential selection

[eccl55]

Funny, but something tells me that if Clint had endorsed Obama, CBS would've found a more flattering picture of him to include in the story... Just sayin'.

[johnthomasdouglas]

view UNFORSAKEN @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvjZeBTQA1I&feature=channel&list=UL

[marychgo]

Clint Eastwood is a fine actor, going back to his days as "Rowdy Yates" on "Rawhide." He's also a quite talented director. He even knows a bit about politics, having served briefly as mayor of the very rich community of Carmel, California. But anyone who would vote for Mitt Romney because Eastwood has endorsed him is a dam fool!

NO Democrat actually supports Obama because he has endorsements from George Clooney or Sarah Jessica Parker; people support Obama because they support his policies (or they hate Romney's policies.

Taking advice on tax policy from Clint Eastwood is a profoundly bad idea!

[Bush-cheney-R-Terrorists]

Let's see, An elite multimillionaire endorsing an elite multimillionaire. Didn't see that one coming.

[mjvwsr]

Didn't see it coming either since 99% of the Hollywood elite multimillionaires support your boy.

[jmn122736]

Other posters here have pointed out that one should not connect Eastwood's politics with his movies.

That may seem logical in one respect, but actually an actor's movies are the only connection between him his fans and are basically responsible for how those fans view him and their opinions on what kind of person he is. When the actor does something out of character for the person they thought him to be, they naturally have to reevaluate their opinions. Sadly, as in the case of Clint Eastwood, this will also diminish the enjoyment of watching his movies too.

I remember Charlton Heston as being an active supporter of Democratic policies early in his career, before turning to a more republican stance. His support, as head of the national rifle association, for G W Bush in the 2000 election was the final turning point in my respect for him. He was obviously more concerned with pushing the NRA's position than he was for what was best for America.

I have several movies with Heston either as the star or supporting actor, and I cannot watch any of them without remembering that, with the election as close as it was, bush would, almost certainly, NOT have been elected without the support of Heston and the NRA and we definitely would have been spared the Iraqi fiasco, and very likely 911 as well, and the national debt may well be under $5 trillion today.

I still watch those Heston movies, but not with the same enthusiasm.

Thankfully, Eastwood will not have the same political clout in this election that Heston and the NRA had in 2000.

I also have several Eastwood movies, which I will continue to watch but, hopefully, without the same sad memories as with the Heston movies.

[Molly-Pchr]

So?

[Justins003]

Mitt Romney is a Trojan horse that the rich are trying to give the middle class and the poor.

[doubleecho-2009]

IN another article here on this news site, Romney is preparing a campaign to "win over" middle-class voters! That should be quite interesting!
From ALL that is known of Romney & his finances, he certainly has NO respect for the "middle class", and even less for the "poor"! He has most likely never even been in the same room with a "poor" person!
Of course the rich like this guy, but anyone who is NOT independently wealthy should cast a VERY wary eye on him!

[Justins003]

Hi, doubleecho....People need to wake up. Romney is just a Trojan horse that the "rich" want to give the middle class and the poor.

[Justins003]

Clint,
I love you as an actor, but supporting politics is not a role you should play. It does not suit you. Please stay at what your good at, which is acting and producing.
Paul

[doubleecho-2009]

A lot of actors & comedians use their "status" to promote or denigrate political candidates. What they say gets put on the airwaves, as they well know.
BUT, they are just people with a preference, just like any other people. Choose to listen to them or not using your own brain - not some "idol" status that you may have for them (false idol, by the way).

[Justins003]

Clint,
I love you as an actor, but your supporting politics is not a role you should play. It does not suit you. Please stay at what your good at—acting and producing.
Paul