Ann Romney Clearly Not Happy About The Eastwood Fiasco

August 31, 2012

Comments

Ann Romney clearly didn’t like Clint Eastwood’s bizarre performance last night:

(CBS News) The morning after actor Clint Eastwood gave an ad-libbed monologue at the Republican National Convention, Ann Romney said he did “a unique thing.”

“He’s a unique guy and he did a unique thing last night,” she said, referring to unscripted remarks during a highly-scripted event where he had a “discussion” with an empty chair, which was meant to represent President Obama.

“We appreciated Clint’s support,” she said. “I didn’t know it was coming.”

“It can never take away from the fact that this country is in trouble and people are looking for real leadership.”

You get a much better sense of what she meant by unique when you watch her body language (relevant part starts at 4:20 and there’s another discussion of Eastwood around the 2:10 mark):

12 responses to “Ann Romney Clearly Not Happy About The Eastwood Fiasco”

Michael

August 31, 2012 at 10:31 am

But boys…it was not a fiasco, no matter how much you dream it to be. This site is putting way too much fuiction these days.
al-Ameda

August 31, 2012 at 10:37 am

Ann’s right.

The fact that people are probably talking about Clint Eastwood’s strange performance more than about Mitt Romney’s solid but pedestrian performance is not good for Mitt Romney.
Markey

August 31, 2012 at 11:22 am

“I didn’t know it was coming.”

Sums up Mitt Romney´s half assed campaign pretty good me thinks.
PJ

August 31, 2012 at 11:44 am

The biggest night ever for Mitt Romney and they allow this?
I would really like to know more about any planning or rehearsals. Was there any?
Did Eastwood agree to do it on the condition that he could do whatever he wanted?
Who allowed this? Did Mitt Romney have any say?
Maybe Eastwood is a Gary Johnson plant? He gets to attack Obama while making the Romney campaign look utterly stupid. That would explain things.
Or if the Romney campaign wanted this reaction, the media isn’t talking about his lack of actual plans, is it?
Jr

August 31, 2012 at 11:53 am

She is right.

People already have low interest in Romney, Eastwood’s nonsense is just adding insult to injury.
James Joyner

August 31, 2012 at 11:57 am

@PJ: Apparently, Eastwood did a great impromptu endorsement of Romney somewhere a few weeks back and the staff loved it. They invited him thinking he’d reprise it and Eastwood apparently instead thought it would be hoot to do an homage to some obscure one-act play. None of which makes any damned sense.
Doug Mataconis

August 31, 2012 at 12:01 pm

@James Joyner:

And yet most of the commentary I’m seeing from the right side of the blogosphere is telling me what a smashing success the Eastwood thing was. Wishful thinking, much?
Gustopher

August 31, 2012 at 12:42 pm

Well, Ann Romney has no class.

Someone comes, does a favor for you, it doesn’t turn out a well as you hoped, you say “thank you.” If you’re put in a spot where you have to criticize it, you do so, but you do so in a way that makes it clear that you are still grateful for the person doing you a favor.

“Well, it worked much better for the people in the room, with the energy levels and excitement, than when played back in your living room. I want to thank him for…”

How hard is that? Not very.

Just no class in these people.
al-Ameda

August 31, 2012 at 1:19 pm

@Doug Mataconis:

@James Joyner:
And yet most of the commentary I’m seeing from the right side of the blogosphere is telling me what a smashing success the Eastwood thing was. Wishful thinking, much?

I’ tend to cut the right-wingers who were there and thought it a great success some slack – I’m sure if you were at the Convention Hall it was a great time had by all, but it sure came across as strange and uncomfortable on television. Ann Romney might agree with me on that.
James in LA

August 31, 2012 at 2:47 pm

It was excruciating to watch. It was the nightmare made manifest of anyone daring to take the stage, and worse to watch for those that have, a horrible mixture of profound empathy, along with the primal desire for a crack — any crack — to open in the floor and swallow him up. At least he would stop making that horrid clang.
Nikki

August 31, 2012 at 4:45 pm

@Michael: Baghdad Bob, is that you?
just nutha ig’rant cracker

September 2, 2012 at 1:28 am

@James Joyner: Well unfortunately, they’re still preaching to the choir, so it probably came off well for the intended audience.

Anybody want to make a speech to those of us out here who aren’t already in the bag? No? Didn’t think so.