Clint Eastwood speaks about the chair: 'I'm Joe Citizen'

(Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Clint Eastwood is standing by his infamous conversation with an empty chair, saying he made all his points.

In an exclusive interview with The Pine Cone from his home in Pebble Beach, Eastwood maintained he conveyed his three points: "that not everybody in Hollywood is on the left, that Obama has broken a lot of promises...and that people should feel free to get rid of any politician who's not doing a good job."

Eastwood said he didn't know what he was going to say until the last minute, after a "quick nap in his hotel room." He decided to use the chair after arriving at the convention centre "just 15 or 20 minutes" before being scheduled to go on.

"President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people," the 82-year-old Oscar-winner told the newspaper.

Key quotes from the article:

“They vett most of the people, but I told them, ‘You can’t do that with me, because I don’t know what I’m going to say.'"

“It was supposed to be a contrast with all the scripted speeches, because I’m Joe Citizen...I’m a movie maker, but I have the same feelings as the average guy out there.”

“There was a stool there, and some fella kept asking me if I wanted to sit down... When I saw the stool sitting there, it gave me the idea. I’ll just put the stool out there and I’ll talk to Mr. Obama and ask him why he didn’t keep all of the promises he made to everybody.”

“They’ve got this crazy actor who’s 82 years old up there in a suit...I was a mayor, and they’re probably thinking I know how to give a speech, but even when I was mayor I never gave speeches. I gave talks.”

PHOTOS: Preparing for the big night

Actress Eva Longoria is interviewed on the floor of the Democratic National Convention. (Charles Dharapak/AP Photo)

Musican Dave Grohl (C) of the Foo Fighters performs for a soundcheck during the final day of the DNC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Vice President Joe Biden smiles during a soundcheck. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

Singer James Tayler performs with his band during a soundcheck. (Lynne Sladky/AP Photo)

Sheriff Michael Johnson of Clayton County, Georgia directs traffic near the Time Warner Cable Arena. Johnson and his fellow sheriffs use humour in their moves as they direct traffic and pedestrians. (Stan HONDASTAN/GettyImages)

Renee Watson of San Antonio, TX wears a cowboy hat decorated with campaign buttons during the final day of the DNC. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

 

Michelle's clothing, nail polish flying off shelves

(Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

There hasn't been this much interest in a cosmetic product since Monica Lewinsky wore Club Monaco's "Glaze" lipstick for her 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters.

Following Michelle Obama's speech Tuesday, every item in her outfit is being snapped up by consumers.

This includes her Artistic "Grey Lilac" nailpolish, "rhubarb"-coloured J-Crew everly suede pumps, and Tracy Reese dress.

Reese, an African American designer born in Detriot, says she is rushing into production, telling NBC's "Today" show that the hot pink silk jaquard dress with pale blue trim at the hem will cost under $500.

Kim Kardashian, Scarlett Johansson coming to DNC

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images)

Kim Kardashian is coming to the DNC.

Not sure if this is the kind of celebrity endorsement Barack Obama is looking for, but given her high profile — she is just 3 million shy of the president's 19 milion followers on Twitter — perhaps it doesn't hurt to lend a little more (reality) star power to the convention.

No word on if her current squeeze, Kanye, will also be attending.

Other stars include "surprise guests" Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Kerry Washington. Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria is expected to speak and the Foo Fighters, are also reportedly in the roster.

At 8 p.m. actor Kal Penn, will be hosting an online panel featuring tinsel-town stars Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Zack Braff, Marc Anthony and Alexis Bledel.

The cutest campaigner of 2012?

Julian Castro’s daughter, Carina Victoria, is in the running for cutest 2012 campaigner and pulling a strong lead.

When the cameras panned to the three-year-old during her father's speech, she stole the show by primping and preening.

 

 

Why the role of first lady hasn't changed since Jackie

People went wild for Michelle's outfit, hair and choice of nail colour at the convention. But some are asking why the FLOTUS can't identify herself as a working woman as opposed to a "mom-in-chief." (Eric Thayer/REUTERS)

People loved Michelle Obama's speech. And her dress, purple-grey manicure, and hair. Her curl has its own Twitter account.

Michelle is a Harvard-educated lawyer, yet last night you wouldn't know it. Last night, she went by "mom-in-chief."

That she has to downplay (ignore) her professional credentials is an indication of how, despite women being more important to winning the vote than ever before, the role of the FLOTUS is trapped in the 50's:

"At a time when powerful career women are showcased at each convention — former secretaries of state, senators, governors, activists — the role of the president’s wife, or an aspiring president’s wife, seems pretty much frozen in the template set by Jacqueline Kennedy and Pat Nixon," says the New York Times.

You have to wonder if when she's choosing her clothes, she's thinking like Hillary Clinton was in 2010 when asked about clothing designers she likes:

MODERATOR 1: OK. Which designers do you prefer?

SECRETARY CLINTON: What designers of clothes?

MODERATOR 1: Yes.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Would you ever ask a man that question? (Laughter.) (Applause.)

MODERATOR 1: Probably not. Probably not. (Applause.)

Joseph Kony pops up in DNC platform

Remember Joseph Kony, the unwitting subject of a devastatingly controversial viral video viewed on YouTube by more than 92 million times? A video that ignited a debate on the quasi-racism of Western aid to Africa and the power of new media to circulate what some saw as blatant (and blithering) propaganda.

 

Curiously, Kony has made it into the DNC's platform statement on Africa. Should we (do we want to?) believe the DNC thinks it is the most-important contemporary Africa policy issue? Here's how it reads:

Africa. We will continue to partner with African nations to combat al-Qaeda affiliates in places like Somalia and to bring to justice those who commit mass atrocities, like Joseph Kony. We have made great efforts to reduce the violence in Darfur and built international support for a successful referendum on South Sudan’s future. And in his first visit as President to the United Nations, President Obama advanced initiatives to strengthen UN peacekeeping capabilities in Africa. This includes providing equipment, training, and logistical support for UN and African Union missions in Darfur and Somalia. The President has also worked to help African nations grow their economies, and we have opened trade and investment opportunities across the continent.

 

 

 

Betty White, the DNC wants you

(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Democrats want to one-up the Republicans. So instead of calling for an octogenarian to speak at the DNC, they want a nonagenarian. Specifically, Betty White. 

An online petition to bring Betty White to the DNC has started and has snowballed. As of Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., some 26,500 people have liked the "Bring Betty White to the DNC" Facebook page.

You have to wonder if Peter Slutsky, the man who began the petition, is engaging in a covert Republican operation to ruin the DNC.

But he looks Democrat enough, retweeting pro-Obama statements and being awfully snarky about Republicans.

"Add a Blackberry holster to Paul Ryan's hip & he is literally a biz dev guy @ a photo copier company. Polo, plaids & gingham. #dress4success," he tweeted August 28.

Romney is the 'hottest' candidate, say political scientists

(Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

A new report released by a Harvard scientist says Romney is among the best-looking politicians in the United States. Mitt is more beautiful than Paul Ryan, even more beautiful than Sarah Palin. The mama grizzly ranked in the 95 percentile of politicians. Romney is above the 99th.

"And what a face it is! We gathered the ratings of 728 candidates for Senate and Governors’ seats and Romney outscored all but four of them. The only persons to win elections that beat him are Russ Feingold (the best looking Democrat) and John Thune (the best looking overall)," said Harvard researcher Ryan Enos to The Washington Monthly.

The study was conducted on undergraduate students in California. They were shown a politicians face for one second.

There is no score on Obama, but Biden ranks in the 64th percentile.

The Republicans' Ryan, who Jon Stewart has described as a "blue-eyed dreamboat," ranks 67th. But, as Enos points out, the students are not shown abs.

Who will be the Democrats' Eastwood?

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama "fist-bumps" actor and Obama administration official Kal Penn, the associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, as she tours the stage a day before her speech to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 3. (REUTERS/Jim Young)

Bill Clinton is going to be delivering one of the most important speeches of the convention, but no one in the Democrat camp knows what he's going to say.

This is, understandably, a source of frustration for the Democrats.

"Clinton is the only major speaker yet to submit his address to the typically painstaking vetting and rewriting that typically accompanies major convention addresses, provoking a mild and growing dose of nerves among senior Democrats," said a Democratic official to BuzzFeed Monday.

Maybe it will be Kal Penn, the 35-year-old Harold & Kumar stoner star and one-time House regular, that keeps the DNC interesting.

"His starring role comes Thursday when he’s hosting a web-only convention special which will include interviews with campaign officials and Obama supporter celebs including singer Marc Anthony, film actress Elizabeth Banks, CBS’ The Talk cohost Aisha Tyler, TV/film actress Olivia Wilde, The Nanny and now TVLand sitcom star Fran Drescher, TV/film star Zach Braff, and Gilmore Girls‘ Alexis Bledel," reports Deadline Hollywood.

My bet is on Zach Braff going rogue.