Clint Eastwood, 2012 Presidential Election | featured news

Fox News Channel’s 10 to 11-ish p.m. coverage of Clint Eastwood’s debate with a chair — followed by Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech — was the country’s second-most-watched TV program last week. Romney, Eastwood & Chair finished the week trailing only Howard Stern & “America’s Got Talent” on NBC; the telecasts averaged 9.1 million viewers and 9.9 million viewers, respectively.

President Obama's aides also have nothing but nice things to say about Clint Eastwood -- though they suggested he may be a problem for Mitt Romney. "We're all Clint Eastwood fans here in the White House," said senior adviser David Plouffe on ABC's This Week. Obama himself told USA TODAY that he is a"hug" fan of Eastwood, calling him "a great actor, and an even better director."

Ratings for the final night of the Republican National Convention, which featured Mitt Romney and Clint Eastwood, weren't a blockbuster. An estimated 30.3 million viewers watched Thursday's coverage over 11 networks, Nielsen Co. said Friday. The event included presidential candidate Romney's acceptance speech and Eastwood's faux interview with an absent President Barack Obama.

Clint Eastwood earned plenty of bad reviews for his latest performance: a bizarre, rambling endorsement of Mitt Romney. "Clint, my hero, is coming across as sad and pathetic," tweeted film critic Roger Ebert as Eastwood ad-libbed Thursday night to an audience of millions - and one empty chair - on stage at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. "He didn't need to do this to himself. It's unworthy of him."

Ann Romney says she appreciates the support Clint Eastwood gave her husband's presidential bid, even if the actor's bizarre monologue at the GOP convention isn't earning rave reviews.