Clint Eastwood's GOP convention speech: Full transcript

So, Mr. President, how do you handle promises that you have made when you were running for election, and how do you handle them?

I mean, what do you say to people? Do you just -- you know -- I know -- people were wondering -- you don't -- handle that OK.

Well, I know even people in your own party were very disappointed when you didn't close Gitmo. And I thought, well closing Gitmo -- why close that, we spent so much money on it. But, I thought maybe as an excuse -- what do you mean shut up?

(LAUGHTER)

OK, I thought maybe it was just because somebody had the stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown New York City.

(APPLAUSE)

I've got to to hand it to you. I have to give credit where credit is due. You did finally overrule that finally. And that's -- now we are moving onward. I know you were against the war in Iraq, and that's okay. But you thought the war in Afghanistan was OK.

You know, I mean -- you thought that was something worth doing. We didn't check with the Russians to see how did it -- they did there for 10 years.

(APPLAUSE)

But we did it, and it is something to be thought about, and I think that, when we get to maybe -- I think you've  mentioned something about having a target date for bringing everybody home. You gave that target date, and I think Mr. Romney asked the only sensible question, you know, he says, "Why are you giving the date out now?

Why don't you just bring them home tomorrow morning?"

(APPLAUSE)

And I thought -- I thought, yeah -- I am not going to shut up, it is my turn.

(LAUGHTER)

So anyway, we're going to have -- we're going to have to have a little chat about that. And then, I just wondered, all these promises -- I wondered about when the -- what do you want me to tell Romney? I can't tell him to do that. I can't tell him to do that to himself.

(APPLAUSE)

You're crazy, you're absolutely crazy. You're getting as bad as Biden.

(APPLAUSE)

Of course we all now Biden is the intellect of the Democratic party.

(LAUGHTER)

Kind of a grin with a body behind it.

(LAUGHTER)

But I just think that there is so much to be done, and I think that Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan are two guys that can   come along.

See, I never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to the president, anyway.

(APPLAUSE)

I think attorneys are so busy -- you know they're always taught to argue everything, and always weight everything -- weigh both sides. They are always devil's advocating this and bifurcating this and bifurcating that. You know all that stuff.

But, I think it is maybe time -- what do you think -- for maybe a businessman. How about that?

(APPLAUSE)

A stellar businessman. Quote, unquote, "a stellar businessman."

And I think it's that time. And I think if you just step aside and Mr. Romney can kind of take over. You can maybe still use a plane.

(APPLAUSE)

Though maybe a smaller one. Not that big gas guzzler you are going around to colleges and talking about student loans and stuff like that.

(APPLAUSE)

You are an -- an ecological man. Why would you want to drive that around?

OK, well anyway. All right, I'm sorry. I can't do that to myself either.

(APPLAUSE)

I would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen.

Something that I think is very important. It is that, you, we -- we own this country.

(APPLAUSE)

We -- we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours.

(APPLAUSE)

And -- so -- they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. It is the same old deal. But I just think it is important that you realize , that you're the best in the world. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican or whether you're libertarian or whatever, you are the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.

(APPLAUSE)

Okay, just remember that. And I'm speaking out for everybody out there. It doesn't hurt, we don't have to be

(AUDIENCE MEMBER): (inaudible)

(LAUGHTER)

I do not say that word anymore. Well, maybe one last time.

(LAUGHTER)

We don't have to be -- what I'm saying, we do not have to be metal (ph) masochists and vote for somebody that we don't really even want in office just because they seem to be nice guys or maybe not so nice guys, if you look at some of the recent ads going out there, I don't know.

(APPLAUSE)

But OK. You want to make my day?

(APPLAUSE)

All right. I started, you finish it. Go ahead.

AUDIENCE: Make my day!

EASTWOOD: Thank you. Thank you very much.

END

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[bobbyt1950]

Thanks Clint!! for assisting in making the Repubs look as INsignificent as they proved themselves to be...All they have left is the CHAIR you spoke to at that FANtastic convention of.....LOSERS!!!!

[bobbyt1950]

Thanks Clint!! for assisting in making the Repubs look as INsignificent as they proved themselves to be...All they have left is the CHAIR you spoke to at that FANtastic convention of.....LOSERS!!!!

[rlpl02]

The more I have to do history research for school, the more I learn about things like why America does not just leave countries in devastation after a war (WWI lead to WWII because of that). It is so easy to give solutions to problems when you are not the one who has to make a thousand or so people, including Congress, see things your way and do it. The President has limited power, Congress has the power... another silly thing we're learning in school. It seems like the more I learn, the more politicians and their supporters sound idiotic. Maybe education is not such a good thing. Oh, someone remind Clint he did a Chrysler commercial which they are known to make big cars for people to ride around in. That was such a bad slap... my four year old nephew could have done better than that.
This is why Hollywood writes the actors words!!

[DaveintheD]

This was a very good dpeech. The DIP-LIBs pretend they didn't get it. You are stuck on stupid, but we know that most of us you did get it. Some of the real dim LIBs missed it entirely. It's right here for everyone to read...in full. And it is just as solid as a written piece as it was a spoken one. Clint, thank you for taking the time to make the obvious Nobama case....for trying to get through to the Dips, as well as the independents and moderates. The LIBs don't care about the 23,000,000 million people who are unemployed. In fact, the more misery, the better for them since their construct is based on making promises to the miserable. The more peoplewho become dependent on them, the more VOTES they can count on. It's a simple equation for them. The unemployment, the pain at the pump and grocery store, the lower wages, the DEBT...all getting WORSE on Obama's watch is secondary to their political ambition of weilding power. Never mind all of the facts. Forward! Over the cliff! I always said they were lemmings.

[bobbyt1950]

Hey DAVEINTHEDARK...Wake up you silly fool! You and all of the Repubs like you LOST!!!!!!! Get it? Prolly NOT!

[soshaljustice]

Stepped on a living cat. Cat never made a peep. Why did he never see the cat? Vascular dementia will cause that too/poor thing should get a good doctor. What was he saying?

[xcugat]

I am amazed at how many people seemed put off by Eastwood's empty-chair performance. If they had bought tickets to a play or movie, then anything imaginary of symbolic would be fine, but not in an unusual venue in which the audience had not been cued on what to think or how to act. It was refreshing to see a creative artist working in his own medium. I thought the performance was much better than his Panda-mating scene with Meyrl Streep, but then that was for money and maybe directed by someone else, I've forgotten.

[CW50]

Too many are saying Eastwood was bad and it was racist. I just watched the video again. It is right to the point, I think Eastwood did a great job. Good symbolizm, the empty chair is Obama represents what we have in the White House an empty chair. And as Eastwood said he works for us, anyone with a job would have been fired long ago for only losing a fraction of the money he has cost this country. All of you left wingers out there need to wake up. And where do you get anything close to racism? Totally unbelievable that anyone would make that comment; you who said that are most likely the racist!!!

[chromageddon]

Article: "Eastwood PR requests patience in responding to requests for invisibility" chromageddon dot tumblr dot com

[Roxy9266]

It is sad that there is no more substance to either party that we must continue to dwell on a speech presented by someone that in really has nothing to do with real issues. Clint Eastwood is a fine actor, but he is not running for office so why continue to waste so much time and energy directing personal attacks on the man. As an undecided, it only makes it appear that the democrats have nothing better. It is sad that this campaign has turned "grown-ups" into brats. The nasty comments being thrown around are so petty. Neither side has laid out a no nosense plan on how they plan to turn the current condition of this country around. They seem to dance around the question and slam each other with personal attacks. At least the Republicans don't use backstabbing sensationalists like Martin Bashir to deliver their arguments. I think we all saw what his "honesty" did for poor Micheal Jackson. Also, I thought Piers Morgan was a judge on one of those talent shows. It seems that elections have become nothing more than a popularity contest. I only hope that no matter who wins this next election, our country can survive it. Maybe we will have a better selection in 2016. They say that no matter who wins this election, the unemployment rate will go down. That's good news!

[doctorshankar]

Romneys speech on the other hand was really very inspiring. Clint Eastwood, I think was there to provide some comedy at the expense of Obama. But what really has Obama achieved?

[RollotheNorman]

Yep, Eastwood provides further evidence that listening to and believing RepubliCONs is not good mental hygiene.