And the moral of the story, from the bartender who taped Romney, be kind to those who serve you

[dsc]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/12/how-bill-clinton-47-percent-filmmaker_n_2864711.html

WASHINGTON -- Bill Clinton won the presidential election for Barack Obama. But it wasn't his masterful Democratic National Convention speech or the advice he offered the president's reelection campaign. Clinton, it turns out, inspired the man who filmed Mitt Romney's infamous and game-changing 47 percent comments.

HuffPost has agreed to withhold the name of the surreptitious filmmaker until he breaks his silence on MSNBC's "The Ed Show" Wednesday evening, followed by an appearance on HuffPost Live Thursday morning. In interviews over the last several months, he laid out his thinking before and after Romney's speech.

The man, who tended bar for a company that catered to a high-end clientele, had previously worked at a fundraiser at a home where Clinton spoke. After Clinton addressed guests, the man recalled, the former president came back to the kitchen and thanked the staff, the waiters, the bartenders, the busboys, and everyone else involved in putting the event together. He shook hands, took photos, signed autographs, and praised the meal -- all characteristic of the former president.

When the bartender learned he would be working at Romney's fundraiser, his first thought was to bring his camera, in case he had a chance to get a photo with the presidential candidate.

[Hekate]

1. I just knew it was one of the staff!

Thank you, sir. I'll be sure to tune in to The Ed Show tomorrow.

[dsc]

2. I can't wait either

That is one bartender who will never have to buy another drink in his life.

[busterbrown]

11. Just think Mitt, if you or one of your staff went up to thank the bartender and gave him

a hundred as a tip. He might not have been so anxious to screw you...Well he did and no matter what his reason, the gods were with us.....

[Whisp]

3. Bill Clinton won the presidential election for Barack Obama??

wow. He should have used it for his wife in '08, no?

[dsc]

4. um no

First, the tape was 2012, not 2008, and the paragraphs give the reason why the guy brought a camera, which was one aspect of the story I wondered about.

[Cha]

9. To be accurate it should read..

he helped win it immeasurably!

Without that tape mittLies with the help of the corporatemedia would perpetuate the BIG LIE that mitt was FOR anybody he said he was for. It stopped him from being such a shapeshifter. Although, he still attempted it.

Something about that tape in his own words.

[Whisp]

19. That is much better wording.

[Life Long Dem]

10. Yep

Clinton must have won it for Obama in 08 too.

[PearliePoo2]

5. I'm kind of nervous for this man

His actions took out the GOP and they don't play nice or fair.
Stay safe Mr. Bartender/Hero!

[lonestarnot]

6. He can count on richie rich after his ass in some form or fashion.

[freshwest]

16. So am I. They'll try to make sure he never gets another gig bartending.

But they can't take the skill away from him, I'm sure he'll stay employed. Just not at GOP meets, not that anyone would want to wait on those blow hards anyway.

[amuse bouche]

7. Here's a teaser

@WegotEd #47percent videographer reveal: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/45755822/ns/msnbc-the_ed_show/vp/51155614 …

[PearliePoo2]

8. Big Ed sure scored an interview!

Right on ol' red-headed one!
Way to land one!

[DirtyDawg]

12. I've said...

...that the moral of the '47% bit' for Romney is that 'you should have taken the lesson from 'The Help'...namely, that these folks have eyes, ears and feelings...only now they've got iPhones too.'

[Morning Dew]

13. That bartender should have been Time's Person Of The Year. n/t

[dsc]

14. well in fairness no one knew who he was at the time

[Morning Dew]

17. True.

He did us all a great service. I expect that recording motivated a lot of people to vote who might have otherwise let it slide.

Especially satisfying for me is the "turnabout is fair play" aspect. The powerful (employers, government, etc.) think it's fine to record everything the "liitle" people do.

[Paul E Ester]

15. That was incredibly brave and awesome...nt

[reflection]

18. Very proud of this guy.

I hope he doesn't catch any blowback. There is a lot of rudderless anger out there on the right, and now they'll have a nice new target for their ire. I also don't know what the ramifications are of taping someone at a private dinner. Hopefully nothing. But obviously Romney and Friends could make this guy's life an absolute nightmare. Pissed-off rich people with time on their hands can make a lot of waves.