Clint Eastwood's Empty Obama Chair Has New Home in DC Office

The empty chair that Clint Eastwood used to controversial, widely-mocked effect at the recent Republican National Convention is now part of the decor in the office of Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, CNN reports.

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The chair, which Eastwood had meant to represent an invisible President Obama, sits among other artifacts of political history at Priebus' headquarters on 1st Street in Washington.

STORY: Matt Damon Addresses Clint Eastwood's Chair

"The chairman of the Republican National Committee gets the joke. It’s the first thing he points out to a reporter before sitting down behind his desk to discuss how his party must dramatically rethink its strategy and message in hopes of recovering from the presidential drubbing of 2012," observed CNN's Mark Preston and Michelle Jaconi.

In an interview last month in Playboy, Matt Damon -- directed by Eastwood in the 2010 film Hereafter -- defended the acclaimed director following criticism of his rambling speech from some Republicans as well as Democrats.

"Look, his knowledge of filmmaking is so vast and deep that he can wing it beautifully on the set," said Damon. "What he did at the RNC was an unrehearsed bit he decided to do at the last minute. You can’t go onstage and do 12 minutes of stand-up completely unrehearsed. But I agree with what Bill Maher said: Clint killed at the convention for 12 minutes, and the audience loved him. I wouldn’t do that unless I spent a month rehearsing."