There were some moments where i wondered if he was going to be able to get through it, but overall i thought it turned out well. Or perhaps i should say that it ended well, once he got away from the empty chair routine and started talking more from the heart. It also helped that the audience was with him, wanted him to do well, and were very supportive throughout.
My guess is that Eastwood will now get the Charlton Heston treatment from the left. That’s the way they are whenever someone from one of their pet groups (minorities, Hollywood) steps out of line. They feel they have to bury that person under an avalanche of never-ending smears in order to serve as a warning to others who would otherwise similarly dare to defy them and thus threaten to break up their monopoly in those areas.
They can’t give him the Charlton Heston treatment. Heston was just an actor. Eastwood is a giant of c i n e m a, a revered and serious d i r e c t o r. He did something invaluable - he turned over to us his trademark slogan to support our side. Priceless.