Eastwood may be Republican mystery speaker

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

You've got to ask yourself one question, Republican delegates, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?

Speculation is rampant in Tampa and across the country that Clint Eastwood — the gun-toting, brash-speaking, Mitt Romney-supporting star — may make a surprise appearance at the Republican National Convention tonight.

Convention organizers scheduled a "to be announced" speaker at the big GOP gathering following American Idol star Taylor Hicks and some Olympians who are expected to tout Romney's work to rescue the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Convention officials are mum on whether the actor-cum-director-cum-politician will mosey onto the stage to whip up enthusiasm for Romney in the final night of the confab.

U.S. News and World Report says a friend of Eastwood confirmed he is the speaker.

"It's him," Paul Gilbert, an Arizona delegate, told the news magazine. "I can confirm that, 100 percent."

While a few celebrities have shown up at the Republican convention, such as Jon Voight and Janine Turner, the Hollywood scene in Tampa has been rather bleak with news media stars seemingly the ones being asked for autographs.

— Thomas Burr

Twitter.com/thomaswburr