Clint Eastwood’s Chair Finds A New Home

clint-eastwood-invisible-obama

The chair used by Clint Eastwood in his bizarre speech at the Republican National Convention has found a new home:

The chair, perhaps the most famous chair in political history, stands in the office of a large, nondescript cement building just a stone’s throw away from the U.S. Capitol.

That’s right, the chair Clint Eastwood used as a prop in his rambling and at times incoherent critique of President Barack Obama at the Republican National Convention is now one of the many pieces of political memorabilia in Reince Priebus’ spacious office on First Street in Washington.

The chairman of the Republican National Committee gets the joke; the chair is the first thing he points out to a reporter before sitting down behind his desk to discuss how his party must dramatically rethink its strategy and message in hopes of recovering from the national drubbing of 2012.

I would have thought they would have tossed that thing right in the incinerator.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Ernieyeball says:

    “This is the most powerful chair in the world! When you sit in it your brain will fly right off!
    So do you feel lucky Mr. Romney? Do you really want to sit in it?…Do ya?”

  2. Ron Beasley says:

    Reince Priebus- failed politician and full time moron. Nothing to see here, move on!

  3. Just 'nutha ig'rant cracker says:

    @Ron Beasley: Well, maybe not complete moron. After all, he seems to get what the chair is a symbol of.

  4. bill says:

    speaking of empty things, looks like the media frenzy about ar-15’s being used to kill all those kids in conn. was a sham- he used handguns. don’t you folks get sick of the media purposely trying to make you think one way or the other?
    time for another 200+ comment thread!?

  5. Peterh says:

    Well….for those that have been rather dismal in the hard lessons of history, it’s not a bad prop to look at as a reminder going forward, but who am I kidding…..with their propensity for rewriting history, that chair will somehow make a showing in 2016 with elevated status….

  6. sam says:

    Priebus probably talks to it after hours — wondering why he wasn’t considered for a role in The Hobbit as a Hobbit.

  7. Jenos Idanian #13 says:

    Sigh… the ignorance, it burns.

    The one-sided conversation is a legendary comic bit. Bob Newhart, of course, is considered the master, but others have used it as well. Ray Stevens’ classic hit “Shriner’s Convention” is another — it’s all conversations between the singer “Bubba,” and the never-heard-but-clearly-understood “Coy.”

    “Hello, Noble Lumpkin?
    This here is the illustrious Potentate. I said it’s the illustrious Potentate.
    The illustrious…Coy! Dad blame it! This here’s Bubba! Coy, why an’t you at
    the parade?! What?! Well, how’d you get that big Harley up there in your room?
    What?! I can’t hear ya’ Coy! Quit revvin’ it up, son!”

  8. Ernieyeball says:

    @Jenos Idanian #13: …one-sided conversation is a legendary comic bit.

    Personally I thought Mittens pre-convention stand up “Empty Suit” routine was a lot more hilarious!
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/18/mitt-romney-47-percent-full-video-_n_1893615.html

  9. @Jenos Idanian #13:

    “The one-sided conversation is a legendary comic bit.”

    Indeed, so is the modern GOP.

  10. mantis says:

    @Jenos Idanian #13:

    Sigh… the ignorance, it burns.

    So stop being so ignorant.

    The one-sided conversation is a legendary comic bit.

    It’s classic, not legendary, and as with all comedy, it’s all in the execution. Eastwood was neither funny nor insightful in his performance, so it flopped as comedy and failed as criticism, and ended up coming off as a sad, rambling old man who shouldn’t have been up there. In other words, a perfect metaphor for the modern GOP.

  11. OzarkHillbilly says:

    The chair, perhaps the most famous chair in political history,

    THE chair, not just ANY chair, but the most famous chair in political history,….. A totally nondescript chair grabbed off a stack of totally nondescript chairs. But he got THE chair.

    Right. sure. I got a bridge to sell too. And some waterfront property in Florida. All I need now is a Republican to dupe.

  12. Reince Priebus says:

    With these new glasses I can see who’s been sitting in this chair!

  13. al-Ameda says:

    That chair belongs in Mitt Romney’s car elevator

  14. anjin-san says:

    Sigh… the ignorance, it burns.

    So sayeth the cinder…

    As mantis has already pointed out, comedy has necessary elements. Without them, you have simple hackery – and hackery is very sad coming from a legendary performer. In the arena of presidential politics, Romney seemed to make everything he touched smaller.

  15. anjin-san says:

    Indeed, so is the modern GOP.

    Game, set, match.