Reports are still swirling Thursday morning about whether Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood will address the Republican National Convention ahead of Mitt Romney’s nomination acceptance speech Thursday night, which can be viewed live, here.
Fox News reported last night that sources were confirming the rumor, backing up Human Events sources, who said Wednesday that the convention’s entertainment staff had been in talks with the actor.
But during a morning conference call, RNC organizers were coy.
If he gave away the identity of a mystery speaker, Romney strategist Russ Schriefer said, “then it wouldn’t be a mystery anymore. That’s our comment.”
Schriefer had more to share about the rest of the program, which will definitely include Gospel recording artist BeBe Winans and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks.
Also on the lineup, he said: Florida Rep. Connie Mack, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey and Jane Edmonds, former secretary of Massachusetts’ Workforce Development cabinet.
The night will center on personal anecdotes from people who have been helped or supported by Romney at different points in their lives, including members of Romney’s church, business leaders including Staples founder Tom Stemberg, and those who served with Romney during his term as governor of Massachusetts, including his former lieutenant governor, Kerry Healey. The tribute will conclude with three world-class athlete’s who can attest to Romney’s saving role during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City: gold medalist Derek Parra, five-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode, a skeet shooter, and Mike Eruzione, the hockey star of “Miracle on Ice” fame.
“We’re going to continue to talk about why Gov. Romney is uniquely qualified to be president,” Schriefer said.
But, the chatter among delegates and the media is the identity of the mystery speaker who will make an appearance on stage just prior to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s 15-minute introduction of Romney.
Audrey Hudson contributed to this report.
