That's not racist!” 
 
 However, in light of Clint Eastwood's speech at the Republican National Convention, in which he had a largely one-sided conversation with an empty chair he pretended was Barack Obama, this imagery is now associated with the President.
– An Austin Republican's lawn currently features an empty chair dangling from a rope on a tree, along with a US flag. Following Clint Eastwood's RNC speech, it's not a stretch to assume the empty chair symbolizes President Obama, suggesting not-so-subtly a lynching, Burnt Orange Report notes. A similar display appeared in Virginia this weekend. When Burnt Orange called the Austin man—who in 2010 won a "Yard of the Month" award, presumably with a different display—to ask about the chair, he replied, "I don't really give a damn whether it disturbs you or not. You can take (your concerns) and go straight to hell, and take Obama with you. If you don't like it, don't come down my street."