Obama remains 'huge Clint Eastwood fan'

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says he's a "huge Clint Eastwood fan," even in the aftermath of the actor's rambling "invisible Obama" monologue at the GOP convention last week.

Obama said in an interview released Sunday by USA Today that the Academy Award-winning Eastwood is "a great actor, and an even better director."

But Obama was coy when asked whether he was offended by the Thursday night performance.

Eastwood talked with an imaginary Obama in an empty chair, saying the president had failed to deliver on his promises.

Obama said, "If you're easily offended, you should probably choose another profession."

The 82-year-old actor and director also talked about Obama's unfulfilled promise to close the U.S. prison at Guantánamo, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and lawyers. At one point, he mentioned dismissing Obama.

"When somebody doesn't do the job, you gotta let 'em go," Eastwood said. The tough-guy actor of "Dirty Harry" fame then drew a finger across his throat.

Eastwood's monologue set Twitter ablaze with comments mocking the director. "Clint has now eclipsed the total word count of his last three films," tweeted film critic Richard Roeper during the speech, which was to last five minutes but went on for nearly 12.

The president joked on Twitter after Eastwood's appearance, tweeting that "this seat's taken," along with a photo of him in his chair at a cabinet meeting. -- AP