Eastwood: No political spin to my Chrysler ad
Actor Clint Eastwood insisted on Monday there was "no spin" in the Chrysler Super Bowl ad in which he starred -- and that the spot wasn't meant to reflect a message about the Obama administration's success or failure in reviving the American auto industry.
According to Fox News, Eastwood told the network he is "certainly not politically affiliated with" Mr. Obama, and that the ad was a "message" about "job growth in America."
"I just want to say that the spin stops with you guys, and there is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain," Eastwood said. "l am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK," he said, according to Fox.
Eastwood said he is "not supporting any politician at this time" and that Chrysler "didn't even have cars in the ad."
"If any Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it," he added.
Some have questioned whether or not the two minute ad, entitled "It's Halftime in America," was tinged with a political message.
In addition to cars, it features a series of American families, factory workers and downtrodden neighborhoods, while Eastwood, who narrates the ad, talks about America's chances at making a "comeback."
"It's halftime. Both teams are in their locker room discussing what they can do to win this game in the second half. It's halftime in America, too. People are out of work and they're hurting. And they're all wondering what they're going to do to make a comeback. And we're all scared, because this isn't a game," he says.
"The people of Detroit know a little something about this. They almost lost everything. But we all pulled together, now Motor City is fighting again."
Chrysler, too, has denied that the ad was pushing a message, saying in a statement that the spot had "zero political content."
Still, a number of observers - both supporters and detractors of Mr. Obama - certainly seemed to read it as political.
"I'm a huge fan of Clint Eastwood, I thought it was an extremely well-done ad, but it is a sign of what happens when you have Chicago-style politics, and the president of the United States and his political minions are, in essence, using our tax dollars to buy corporate advertising," said said Karl Rove on Monday in an appearance on Fox News.
In a mid-game Tweet, conservative blogger Michelle Malkin wrote: "Agh. WTH? Did I just see Clint Eastwood fronting an auto bailout ad???"
Supporters of the president seemed pretty pleased with the ad, if their Super Bowl Twitter activity was any indication.
"Powerful spot," wrote David Axelrod on Twitter. "Did Clint shoot that, or just narrate it?"
Added White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer in a Tweet: "Saving the America Auto Industry: Something Eminem and Clint Eastwood can agree on."