Clint Eastwood jokes at Republican convention, says it's OK to let Obama go

TAMPA, Fla. — Actor Clint Eastwood joked with an empty chair he said stood for President Barack Obama as he told the Republican National Convention that it was time for someone else to come in and fix the problems of the United States.

Eastwood started off by remembering when Obama was elected, saying, "Everybody was crying. Oprah was crying. I was even crying."

He went on to say, "I haven't cried that hard since I found out that there's 23 million unemployed people in this country. That is something to cry for because that is a disgrace — a national disgrace — and we haven't done enough obviously, and this administration hasn't done enough, and whatever interest they have is not strong enough."

Eastwood hit Obama for his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and for the "stupid idea" of trying terrorists in a Manhattan federal courtroom.

Americans don't have to vote for somebody just because he's a nice guy, Eastwood said.

"I never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to be president anyway," he said. "I think it's maybe time for a businessman — a stellar businessman."

Eastwood offered the empty chair "President Obama" the use of a smaller version of Air Force One in return for stepping aside and letting Romney take over.

"We own this country," Eastwood told the audience at the Republican National Convention. "It's not you owning and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours."

It's important for Americans to realize that they're the best in the world, Eastwood concluded.

"Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican or a Libertarian or whatever, you're the best and we should not every forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we gotta let him go."