STEPHEN BALDWIN - BALDWIN: 'OBAMA COMMENT WAS A JOKE'

BALDWIN: 'OBAMA COMMENT WAS A JOKE'

Republican actor STEPHEN BALDWIN will stay in the U.S. - he was "just joking" when he vowed to flee the country if Democratic politician BARACK OBAMA was elected president.
The star stunned fans when he appeared on U.S. TV show Fox News and made the promise, poking fun at his liberal brother Alec, who reportedly announced in 2000 he would move abroad if George W. Bush was voted into the White House.
A string of Obama-supporting stars - including Seal, Susan Sarandon, Stephen Baldwin and Michael Stipe - similarly vowed to leave the country if Republican John MCCain was the eventual victor this year (08).
But just two weeks after Obama was named the 44th U.S. President, Baldwin has backtracked on his pledge - insisting the remark was made in jest.
He tells New York gossip column PageSix, "The liberal Democrats who didn't get that I was joking need to lighten up. Obama is obviously talented and intelligent, and I have great respect for the man.
"He's got my full support, and I'm gonna be praying for him and his administration."