Two lives, two campaigns
Posted: Thursday, November 08, 2007 10:10 AM by Domenico Montanaro
*** UPDATE *** The Clinton campaign says, "The campaign spent $157 and left a $100 tip at the Maid-Rite Restaurant."
*** UPDATE 2 *** The manager of the of the restaurant tells First Read the Clinton campaign did, in fact, tip.
"They paid their bill, and they left a tip," said Brad Crawford, manager of the Maid Rite restaurant in Toledo, Iowa. "Everybody was satisfied. No question about it."
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Clinton used in stump speeches the story of a waitress, who waited on her at a lunch stop in Iowa -- a single mother who works two jobs, one at the restaurant and one at a nursing home. But the waitress isn’t so thrilled with Clinton or her campaign.
“I don't think she understood at all what I was saying," Anita Esterday told NPR, adding, "I mean, nobody got left a tip that day."
Clinton was also never given a bill -- “her meal was on the house,” NPR reports.
“Turns out the visit hurt Esterday in another way. The local paper ran photos of her with Clinton. She said her supervisor at the nursing home isn't a big Hillary Clinton fan, and she thinks that may be related to why her hours were almost totally cut. Now, Esterday is looking for a different second job.”
"It hasn't helped me. It's made things worse," said Esterday, who added that she is still considering voting for Clinton, but might choose Obama.
NPR also tracked down Geri Puteney, a woman who, during a question-and-answer session, began crying when she told Obama the story of her brother dying from cancer. Obama walked over to comfort her and held her hand. "I know what this feels like," Obama said, adding later, "Tell your brother we're thinking of him. Maybe I'll write him a note before you leave today."
Puteney said she sought out Obama after seeing his television commercials. "I'd seen the commercials," she said. "And he just seemed sincere, like he's for people like my mom, my brother and me."
Obama never wrote that note, but Puteney seemed OK with it. “He didn't have time, I guess," she said. "I understand. You know, he was bombarded by so many people. But just knowing he knows -- that's more important than a note."
