Rove: I'm 'offended' by Eastwood's inspiring Super Bowl commercial

Republican strategist Karl Rove says the he was personally "offended" by an inspiring Chrysler advertisement starring Clint Eastwood that aired during halftime of Super Bowl XLVI.

In the ad, Eastwood talks about how the the auto companies in Detroit -- and Americans in general -- are rebounding after the 2008 economic collapse.

"They almost lost everything," Eastwood says. "But we all pulled together. Now Motor City is fighting again."

"How do we come from behind? How do we come together? And how do we win?" the actor asks. "Detroit's showing us it can be done. And what's true about them, is true about all of us. This country can't be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do, the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it's halftime, America, and our second half is about to begin."

Fox News host Jon Scott on Monday told Rove that Democrats were celebrating the ad as evidence of the effectiveness of President Barack Obama's bold decision to bailout the auto companies instead of letting them go under.

"This is a sign of what happens when you have government getting in bed with big business like the bailout of the auto companies," Rove complained. "The leadership of the auto companies feel they need to do something to repay their political patrons."

"I was, frankly, offended by it," he added. "I'm a huge fan of Clint Eastwood. I thought it was an extremely well-done ad, but it is a sign of what happens when you have Chicago-style politics. And the president of the United States and his political minions are, in essence, using our tax dollars to buy corporate advertising."

Although Obama did sign off on $85 billion in aid to the auto industry after taking office, Rove's former boss, President George W. Bush, also provided over $17 billions in loans in 2008.

Rove's objection to the commercial is a clear sign that Republicans are worried that the auto bailout will benefit the president's re-election effort.

"But the best way to sum up the job the president has done --- if you need a real shorthand -- Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive," Vice President Joe Biden said last week.

Watch the full Chrysler ad narrated by Clint Eastwood here.

Watch this video from Fox News' Happening Now, broadcast Feb. 6, 2012.

(H/T: The Washington Post)