LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Eastwood's talk made his day

9/12/2012

I cannot understand why so many political commentators criticized Clint Eastwood's clever remarks at the Republican National Convention ("Dirty Harry takes a cue from 'Doonesbury' to poke fun at a president," op-ed, Sept. 6). What did these folks expect, an Oscar-worthy performance?

Mr. Eastwood put into a nutshell what the nation's electorate should do, Republican, Democrat, or independent, when elected officials fail: Let them go. His off-the-cuff chat with an empty chair was hilarious and in no way weakened the important speeches that followed. After three days of sometimes boring political speeches, it was the perfect time to lighten up the evening.

Humorous yet profound, Mr. Eastwood laid it out. I loved it. After all these years, Mr. Eastwood can still make our day.

Frank Miller

Monclova Township

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Eastwood ripped because he's GOP

I missed the Clint Eastwood speech, but when I read and heard the scathing reviews and insulting commentaries from the Hollywood elite, The Blade, and the mainstream media, I went to the Internet to hear for myself.

I must have heard a different speech from the one I read about. Then I realized that Mr. Eastwood is a Republican. I wonder how that speech would have been received if he had been a Democrat at that party's convention.

The empty chair would represent Mitt Romney. Then Mr. Eastwood would ask: "How did you get away with not paying taxes for 10 years?" or perhaps: "Why would you want to destroy Medicare?"

Then the praise from the mainstream media would shake the halls. Hollywood would swoon over him.

But because he is a Republican, that positive reaction didn't happen. How sad.

Robert Pflager

Wauseon

GOP convention misconstrued facts

The Republican convention was particularly strange this year. Although I know speakers at these conventions (both Democratic and Republican) are prone to exaggeration and stretching the truth at times, it was weird how much misinformation there was.

I was most disturbed by the continual play on President Obama's "you didn't build that" quote. While the President could have done a better job of phrasing what he said, it is clear that, when his remarks are not taken out of context, he was talking about the publicly funded roads and bridges that companies depend on.

There is much President Obama can be rightly criticized for. Its a shame that no real effort was made at the convention to stick to facts.

Bob Pacer

Delta, Ohio

Who's pushing whom off a cliff?

GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan has been attacked by Democrats as a man who wants to push Grandma off a cliff. President Obama's party is pushing this country off a cliff fiscally.

Let Democrats continue to attack and call names. Let Mr. Ryan explain his ideas for solving the nation's problems. If Democrats can present plans of their own, then we will have an election based on ideas. If they don't, the choice is easy.

Nick Rokicki

North Haven Avenue