Andy Griffith and Ron Howard as Opie reunited for Obama "Sheriff Andy" and "Opie" beating the drum for Obama? Strange but true - Andy Griffith, the TV icon who passed away Tuesday, and Ron Howard, who played his son on "The Andy Griffith Show," reprised their roles from the 1960s-era sitcom in a 2008 commercial for then-presidential nominee Barack Obama. The clip, which ran on Funnyordie.com, featured Howard on a film set bemoaning how the country for the last eight years had been going down "a divisive and wrong-headed" path, inspiring him to take desperate measures to promote change and support Obama for president. Howard was shown shaving off his beard, getting his nose hairs clipped, putting on an "Opie wig" and striped shirt, grabbing a fishing pole with fake fish and joining Griffth for a homespun chat about the country at a "fishing hole." The scene was shown in black and white, like the vintage TV series, and was accompanied by the show's whistling theme song. Said Howard, "Pa, why are people so set on staying on the same road that's been messing us up for so long?" Replied Griffith, "Well, Op, people are funny. Sometimes changes scares them, and they'd rather keep doing the same old thing that keeps messing them up than change to the thing that can help them. The clip also featured Howard reprising his Richie Cunningham role from "Happy Days" and doing a scene with Henry Winkler," who re-created his "Fonz" character.