Scott Prouty Describes Why He Made Public the Romney 47 Percent Video

Governor Mitt Romney certainly has a legacy of his own making in the video clip made by Scott Prouty, when his blatant disclosure cemented the fate of the 2012 election, turning the tide for President Obama's re-election. 

All the 2012 presidential election antics, the mega millions spent on dueling campaign ads and the hyped candidate debates, boiled down to the candid video tape recorded by Scott Prouty, a videographer, who captured Romney's marginalizing 47 percent comments.  Romney told his audience that he didn't expect to win the votes of 47 percent of Americans because they were people who, he said, had a sense of entitlement. In fact, the video revealed Romney's core beliefs, whereby Americans saw for themselves how "vulture capitalism" drove the candidate's values. 

Prouty, a Midwest native, took his Canon camera to the fundraiser, thinking Romney might pose for photos with the event staff. Instead, he captured Romney speaking about "the 47 percent who are not with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."

Now, Prouty is going public with how he was able to tape the remarks and why he's going public with the behind the scenes story.  Prouty tells Ed Shultz that he is going public with his story after seeing Romney blame the media for his loss to President Obama.  

When Prouty released the video, he was every bit as brave and ethical as the revelation of the Watergate information, disclosing the corruption of the President Nixon administration.  Unfortunately, Prouty didn't have the Woodward and Bernstein Washington Post behind him, when he released the video. Nonetheless, Prouty certainly deserves a Profile in Courage award.

Perhaps Prouty can use his courage to pursue ethics in journalism or for noble causes, whereby his sense of fair play can be applied to improve our human condition.  His actions were certainly a God send to the Obama campaign. He disclosed himself to be a rare human being who boldly exposed the hypocrisy of the Romney candidacy at a critical point in the campaign.  

Prouty's bold honesty prevented the nation from the experience of a right wing Romney presidency.  Moreover, Prouty's video is now Romney's unflattering legacy.