Clint Eastwood's Super Bowl "halftime in America"

Director, actor and producer Clint Eastwood poses for a portrait during an interview Monday, Oct. 11, 2010, in New York.

/ AP Photo/Victoria Will

(Commentary) One of the biggest surprises of the Super Bowl was Clint Eastwood surfacing at halftime in an ad for Chrysler, although he never had to utter the car maker's name. 

It was the the Clint Eastwood of his movie "Gran Torino," in which he played a Motor City retired Ford factory worker, not the Clint from "Every Which Way but Loose," in which he played a truck driver with a pet orangutan named Clyde.

In the Chrysler ad, Eastwood offers a message in his "Dirty Harry," "Unforgiven," "Gran Torino," "Million Dollar Baby" gruff voice about the gritty, tough America, embodied in Detroit's car comeback, an industry that "finds a way through tough times."

In 2008, Chrysler was bailed out with $12.5 billion from the U.S. government, and following bankruptcy restructuring is majority owned by Fiat SpA. In 2011, Chrysler earned $183 million, compared with a loss of $652 million in 2010.

Eastwood seems to also be sending a political message in the ad, saying the "fog, division, discord and blame make it hard to see what lies ahead," but America (and presumably Chrysler with the help of the U.S. government) "knows how to come from behind to win."

"This country can't be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again, and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Ya, it's halftime in America, and our second half is about to begin," Eastwood says as he drifts off camera and the Chyrsler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram logos appear.

Those are some good lines for the politicians vying for the presidency. Obama will certainly use the success of the auto company bailouts as he campaigns this year. If Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee, he won't be able to crow about the bailouts much since he was not in favor of lending money from U.S. citizens to Detroit.

Watch the ad below:

[justmeishere]

I don't understand why people are making this add that Clint did to be anything other than what it was. it was a car add, and Clint gave us a good pep talk, something we all need to hear more of now days with all the bad talk that is going around. I say if any of the presidental hopefulls want to make it to the white house, maybe they should hire Clint to write their speech.

[heyder84]

I completely agree with the ad, at least it start opening the conscience of big number of Americans. We need to wake up, Obama deserve a second option, a second half, a second term to continuing fixing the big mess created by bush-it and the republicans during 8 years. Now we can not tolerate another republican to do the same, romney is not good for America, better Obama than nothing.
Good for GM, good for Eastwood, good for the reasonable people of America. It is prove now that republicans hate this Country, romney does not care of poor or middle class people, so vote but please, don't waste it on republicans.

[heyder84]

I completely agree with the ad, at least it start opening the conscience of big number of Americans. We need to wake up, Obama deserve a second option, a second half, a second term to continuing fixing the big mess created by bush-it and the republicans during 8 years. Now we can not tolerate another republican to do the same, romney is not good for America, better Obama than nothing.
Good for GM, good for Eastwood, good for the reasonable people of America. It is prove now that republicans hate this Country, romney does not care of poor or middle class people, so vote but please, don't waste it on republicans.

[hudsonblvdbeauty]

Thanks for the support. Isn't it "pathetic" when such a small minded and miserable person starts with spelling ! Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa--let's hope a little latin doesn't upset Kavalair which is a bastardisation of cavalier which has as one of its meanings disdain or haughty. This individuual needs to get off the high horse--pun absolutely intended. Judging from some of the political shows, there has been much discussion regarding this commercial, most of it from people who understood all that I heard in the not so subtle subtext. To Kavalair's issue with spelling- Barak is an alternate spelling of Hebrew origin to Barack which is African. One meaning is Blessed the other Lighning.Both of these please me. Thanks for helping to unbundle and unburden the headmaster or mistress. Hope my spelling wasn't noteworthy in an egregious way.

[magicbeans2]

They still owe the American taxpayer money. Also they paid us back part of the money with more money from the American taxpayers. Also we subsidize their cars that catch fire at something like 250,000 a crack. And don't forget the losers in the bailout. What did the car czar do to the dealerships? They closed hundreds of healthy dealerships (businesses). Oh and they totally broke contract law and gave the bond holders the shaft while bailing out the UAW pension fund and leaving the white collar workers to fend for themselves. That is what you call success? I call it a political payback to the unions. Oh btw the UAW got a waiver from Obamacare. Why, if its such awesome legislation?

[offthefence]

Bought a Chrysler last month. Best car I've ever driven.

Buy USA, boycott Apple until they bring jobs home, and stop blaming others.

Obama '12

[mikebutler]

0bama OUT in '12!

[USIsrael]

The bailout was not well done and should be review, checking all the banks and how they distributed the profits made from the toxic assets (subline morgages).

As for Clint and the commerical, I am a big fan of Clint and he is right...the USA has been knocked down by our banks, but we (hopefully) will recover.

[kavalair]

Just a couple of points. Don't both GM and Chrysler still owe the American taxpayers billions they have not yet paid back? Yes they do.

Secondly, how much did GM and Chrysler spend not only to make the ads but buy ad time for the Super Bowl. Last I heard it cost $3 million per slot. As for me, advertize all you want, I will NEVER buy a GM or Chrysler as long as they are under government or union control. Ford? Definitely.

[bobnjersey]

[As for me, advertize all you want, I will NEVER buy a GM or Chrysler as long as they are under government or union control.]
----------------------------------
ford is under the same control ... as they have unions ... and stockholders that work for the government ... which are owners of the company.

maybe a bicycle is a better option for you.

[Joe_in_Nebraska]

Bicycle? Not while Honda, Toyota, and Nissan are in business.

[Rafterman11]

Its obvious that the far right wing nut bags re confused. Clint, a conservative, indirectly giving support to an Obama accomplishment? That's because Clint is a true conservative American, of which I have no problems with, and not a far right wing screeching airbag who would rather see America fail than give Obama one ounce of credit - directly or indirectly.

But the saddest thing of all is all the right wing nut bags who think that because we've elected a Democrat, the country is on the verge of failing - almost like they are hoping it does, just so the GOP can regain power. That is sick beyond words and anyone who thinks the country is about to collapse or is in such bad shape that we are the next Greece, is free to find a more stable country to your liking. I hated Bush, but at no time did I ever think we were a disaster in waiting. Things aren't perfect, but we are still a strong and powerful nation, we just have a few problems. All you flag wavers under Bush, who are now doomsday cultist simply because we changed presidents, are really beyond any sort of help. Its beyond ridiculous.

[kavalair]

Just a FEW problems? Really? Millions losing their homes, tens of millions out of work (with millions not even being counted in the unemployment numbers,) school systems putting out kids who are ignorant, gas and heating oil prices once again going through the roof and the media not even reporting it(it might hurt Obama--can't have THAT,) food prices going out of sight and the Obama media remains mute, he vilifies Wall Street yet bails them out right along with his crony bundlers by giving OUR money to failing businesses like Solyndra. He condemns Romney (and I am not a fan of him) for his stint at Bain as a "vulture capitalist" but unlike Obama, Romney didn't use one dime of taxpayer money. Obama played venture capitalist risking OUR money. And let us not forget Obama has increased the National debt by over $5 TRILLION in three years. Add his deficit for this year and it will be well over $6 TRILLION. When he took office it was under $10 TRILLION. He has been the most devisive President in my recollection (back to JFK). For someone who was supposed to unite the country and make the world "love" us once again, he has failed miserably. Racial tensions are as bad as they were in the 60's thank to Obama. Just a "few" problems--right.

[Rafterman11]

One, your numbers are false, parroted from right wing biased web sites. And two, yes, some problems, but the US is in no danger of collapsing any time soon. People losing their homes and unemployment have been constants throughout our history. If the US survived the great depression, with a LOT worse numbers than what we got now, we will survive these hiccups in prosperity. Stop the sky is falling nonsense.

[dzaffina]

i'm really starting to hate these rightwing unamerican bas#ards.