Gingrich Praises Clint Eastwood Superbowl Ad - East Idaho News
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Gingrich Praises Clint Eastwood Superbowl Ad

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GETTY P 111811 NewtGingrichJPG?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1328726071102NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images(CLEVELAND) — Karl Rove said he was offended by Chrysler’s Clint Eastwood halftime Super Bowl ad and other Republicans grumbled that the ad subtly promoted the interests of President Obama, who has made the bailout and the seeming resurgence of the U.S. car industry a major economic sales pitch for his re-election.

But Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker from Georgia who is running for president as a Republican, said Wednesday that he liked the ad.

“I have to confess I liked the Clint Eastwood halftime ad,” Gingrich told a crowd at Jergens Inc. during a campaign stop in Cleveland. “I mean, I liked the tone of that ad. The world has counted us down before and we’re just regrouping and I believe with your help in the primary and your help in the general election, we can, in fact, develop an approach that will put America back on the right track.”

In the ad, which ran Sunday night, Eastwood said, “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. 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.”

Amid criticism from the Right, Eastwood later issued a statement saying, “I am certainly not affiliated with Mr. Obama.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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