Obama Heckles His Heckler At Boxer Fundraiser

Making a second fundraising appearance for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Cali) on Tuesday evening, President Barack Obama got heckled by a protester demanding quicker action on Don't Ask Don't Tell. And then he heckled the heckler.

From the pool report:

Speaking to a larger crowd and this time from teleprompters, Obama was in the middle of, as he called it, a trip down memory lane about the economy, when a man yelled out: "Move faster on 'don't ask, don't tell.'"

"It's good to see ya," Obama said to the man as the crowd started to boo, and the man continued to shout something your pooler couldn't hear amid all the noise

"I have to say, you know what? I saw this guy down in LA," Obama said. (POTUS was also heckled about DADT at the last Boxer fundraiser he headlined in Los Angeles.)

"Two points I want to make," Obama said of the heckler, "he really should like buy a ticket to, if he wants to demonstrate, buy a ticket to a guy who doesn't support his point of view."

The other point, Obama said, "is maybe he didn't read the newspapers because we are working with congress as we speak to roll back 'don't ask, don't tell.'"

POTUS further dinged the man: "I actually think he does read the newspapers because he wasn't as - his heart wasn't in it - he said 'Do it faster.' C'mon man..."

This is a tad more aggressive than Obama has really ever been with the progressive protesters who occasionally interrupt his speeches. It may be because, as he notes, it's tough to take heat for slow-footing Don't Ask Don't Tell one day after endorsing a path forward for its repeal.

That said, these types of demonstrations won't necessarily cease in the near future -- certainly not if (as possible) the votes for a DADT repeal don't materialize in the Senate or it's perceived that the White House is not lifting a finger to move it legislatively.

One more interesting, albeit unrelated, note from Tuesday night's remarks. Reflecting on his meeting with Senate Republicans earlier in the day, the President seemed to offer his most sober-minded reflection about the state of bipartisan cooperation. Again, from the pool:

He said he told Senate Republicans "I'll be with you, but you've got to meet me on solving the problem long term. It's not enough just to talk about national guard down at the border."

He also said he told them: "You don't even have to meet me half way. I'll bring most Democrats on these issues. I'm just looking for eight or ten of you."

He added: "The day has passed when I expected this to be a full partnership."

He said he understands the GOP "sitting on the sidelines."

"Politically it hasn't been bad for them," he said.

UPDATE: A spokesperson for GetEQUAL, which describes itself as "new, national direct action lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization," claims that the heckler was Kip Williams, one of the group's co-founders. GetEQUAL is affiliated with Lt. Dan Choi, a prominent figure in the movement to repeal DADT and noted recently for chaining himself to a fence outside the White House.

Comments

[Artemis34]

01:14 AM on 06/03/2010

"Let us be dissatisfied until from every city hall, justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Dr. King

Yes, let us be dissatisfied...

[nameduser]

08:27 PM on 05/28/2010

I support repealing DADT. I think the hysteria surrounding supposed problems it might create with certain members, are not only ridiculously shallow, but are intellectually dishonest.

However, the gay community needs a serious reality check. There is a process that must be maintained, regardless of how desperate you are to get your issues addressed. More importantly, DADT is not the most important legislative issue we are facing right now.

You may not want to hear that, but it's the truth. The wishes of such a small minority, while just, do not qualify for this level of invective, considering the myriad of other issues that are on the table. The President's open disgust was justifiable, and if such reactions become commonplace, the gay community risks wasting whatever goodwill they have developed from concerned Liberals on this issue.

If you don't understand the limits of the political process, then keep quiet. Simply thrusting noise into the debate because you didn't get a pony right of the gate, is not only politically unproductive, but it risks forcing the pendulum in the other direction.

Our country is incredibly stressed right now. We have an ecological disaster on our hands, the economy is poor, the European crisis is haunting us daily, and the illegal immigration is proving to be an albatross around our necks.

Please forgive us for not being just as outraged that the Obama magic wand doesn't have enough fairy dust on it to change the world whenever you wish.

[Artemis34]

04:44 PM on 05/29/2010

Equality, justice and the national defense are always "important" issues.

No one thinks he has "fairy dust," but he does have The Commander-in-Chief’s authority to halt discharges under DADT
http://www.palmcenter.org/press/dadt/releases/New+Study+Says+Obama+Can+Halt+Gay+Discharges+With+Executive+Order

“Rights aren't given to those who wait, they're won by those who agitate.” ~Andrew Young

[electra10]

05:27 PM on 05/29/2010

i already told you, nice 'sound byte'. i have another for you -

"PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE"...

do you really thing OBAMA FORCING thru legislation w/o winning people over to his - nay, to 'YOUR' side is wise? especially when he's already catching UNFAIR, UNPRECIDENTED CRITICISM from his detractors on theconservative 'fright'...?

if you do, you're an incredibly selfish, unthinking, dim-wit.

after reading your "I-WANT-WHAT-I-WANT-&-I-WANT-IT-NOW!" stance w/no regard for anything or anyone else... i personally couldn't care less about you or what you want.

way to win over support for the cause.

[nameduser]

07:34 PM on 05/29/2010

The deal was to let the military do assessments. Halting such charges at this point would be breaking the deal that he already agreed to, and would only inflame already tentative supporters. Again, people like you have trouble seeing beyond their noses.

While DADT is wrong, gay people can still join the military. You need to get some priorities, as does our country. We have more important things to worry about than Obama refusing to go against his initial agreement, for the wishes of a fairly small minority, on a fairly low priority issue.

You need a better understanding of how the political process works.

We're not fighting Jim Crow laws here.

[electra10]

07:25 PM on 05/28/2010

some of you seem to expect unrealistic over-night results...

you want gay-americans to have never before had rights? OBAMA already gave you that in the healthcare bill - he is NOT the enemy. it's CONGRESS that has to approve this. the real enemy is the gop which has a large 'fright' wing base that does NOT approve of homosexuality.

furthermore OPEN YOUR EYES. in case you haven't noticed, civil rights liberties for latinos are actively being slowly stripped away! the goal is to extend this LIBERTARIAN, TEA-BAGGER *bigotry* to blacks & gays next.

LEAVE THE POTUS TO DO HIS JOB. stop blaming him for the inaction of congress, and even worse, the obstructionsim of the GOP. constantly attacking him when

a) he is on your side &
b) he's already getting enough unfair attacks from both the gop & everyday bigots

only makes *YOU* look unintelligent & irrational.

[Sequoia Hughes]

07:37 PM on 05/28/2010

Fanned and faved. Liberals like me pride themselves on being independent-minded, but we need to give credit where credit's due.

[electra10]

08:11 PM on 05/28/2010

oh! why, thank you, thank you very much! *elvis voice*

[Artemis34]

10:53 PM on 05/28/2010

“Rights aren't given to those who wait, they're won by those who agitate.” ~Andrew Young

[electra10]

04:38 PM on 05/29/2010

cute sound byte.

now try taking into consideration all that's going on in the world. there is a time & place for everything - as well as a 'PROPER' way of doing things.

do you honestly think disrespecting the potus by yelling at him, & openly criticizing him when he is indeed in favor of gay rights & done more for the cause than any other potus before him, is going to get you anywhere?

are you seriously this block-headed?

if you're still confused on the matter, read the post immediately above mine which will hopefully drive the point home. *shaking head*

[CheckYourSources]

05:43 PM on 05/28/2010

OMGosh...this man has told one story after another for a couple of years. When he said his daughter came in while he was shaving and said "did you plug the hole yet, daddy?"... I mean, really? Didn't that make you throw up just a little in your mouth? LOL What a stretch, even for a seasoned liar like this back room Chicago politician. Even the far left were laughing about that line on the news channels last night. Do any of you guys ever get out much?? LOL

[DeloresT]

06:21 PM on 05/28/2010

Trolls should check their sources. Most people (with kids) could associate with the president mentioning his daughter's concern about the environment......but you don't and can't understand that. Check YOUR sources (Glenn Beck & Limbaugh ) again. Even Beck apologized for mocking Malia.

[jad31]

07:04 PM on 05/28/2010

Yeah, and Bush and Cheney were such fine examples of upstanding citizens. Love you Bushwackers... you have absolutely no memory at all.

[NoelGreco]

05:34 PM on 05/28/2010

When considering Obama's skin, I think we should start becoming more concerned with its thickness than its color.

[Sequoia Hughes]

07:41 PM on 05/28/2010

Nice. Obama has very thick skin. I remember feeling outraged with the way Tom Brokaw treated him during the debates, but Obama was as unaffected as Superman to bullets.

[EpicSarcastic]

12:14 AM on 05/29/2010

Or Stephonopoppoloos..

[rantnraven]

03:13 PM on 05/28/2010

I love our president. Love him.

[CheckYourSources]

05:39 PM on 05/28/2010

You should really get out more...

[rantnraven]

05:42 PM on 05/28/2010

You can sit there with your arms crossed if you want, but I choose to be happy that we have a man with the country's best interests at heart. Not his family & tycoon friends.

[DeloresT]

06:25 PM on 05/28/2010

"Get out more"? I got out (of the country) quite a bit during the Bush presidency. The WORLD hated this country for having a dunce for a president. I am truly grateful to have an intelligent man leading us and you should be too.

[cartunes]

06:19 PM on 05/28/2010

PRESIDENT ? IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL HIM. HAHAHAHA

[airmikee99]

02:24 PM on 05/30/2010

Yeah, some of us call him President. Just because you call him daddy doesn't mean the rest of us do.

[Jerry Jacques]

03:11 PM on 05/28/2010

Seems that many are calling for a society in which legislators don't see and discuss a proposed legislation (including, as Robert Gates said, getting feed-back from members of the military itself). Instead, we want to rush through everything as if the Obama administration had been tackling this issue for a long time. They have not. Since they started dealing with it, we have seen much progress in terms of bringing the issue to light and having an actual chance of getting it voted.

I think Americans need to start thinking and acting like adults, unless they yearn for a chaotic and lawless society.

[katzundjammer]

02:51 PM on 05/28/2010

Our guy Obama is so interesting! I love it that while all those people are scratching their heads in Louisiana (my two daughters included) about how to live with no jobs, and the young marines in the "Wounded Warrior" area of Camp Legeune, he likes to tell jokes that he can't pitch like Sandy Kofax did(In his time)-Your'e a riot, man!

[JonB2057]

09:22 PM on 06/20/2010

@katzundjammer

"I love it that while all those people are scratching their heads in Louisiana (my two daughters included) about how to live with no jobs, and the young marines in the "Wounded Warrior" area of Camp Legeune."

Curious, where in the president's job description does it state he is supposed to create jobs. As for the "Wounded Warrior's", it seems to me that since the shrub started this mess, the shrub should be in there insuring the "Wounded Warriors" are well taken care of.

[RonRutherford]

12:58 PM on 05/28/2010

Yes, he can handle hecklers well, that's fantastic. But this current DADT "repeal" is MUCH too slow and will keep the discrimination status quo for YEARS to come.

http://therationalreport.blogspot.com/

[Aesthete]

02:50 PM on 05/28/2010

You're right about that. By comparison, however, the amount of time it took for African-Americans to get from slavery to freedom or some semblance thereof, can be measured in centuries. I certainly didn't expect DADT to make a 180-degree turn overnight.

[Artemis34]

03:01 PM on 05/28/2010

We didn't just start this struggle yesterday.

[JuanPaul9]

12:17 PM on 05/28/2010

But if he doesn't drag his feet and DADT is repealed now, Obama won't be able to re-use the issue in the next re-election campaign.

[RJPCambridge]

12:35 PM on 05/28/2010

Or if it moves too quickly then the quite evil members of the GOP can use the hatred of a minority group to regain Congress and run the country deeper into a ditch than they accomplished in the last decade (and all previous decades since Nixon).

[Artemis34]

01:47 PM on 05/28/2010

If they don't have actual "reasons" to attack the president, they just make them up. Death panels ring a bell?

Look, they are on a full scale 24/7 lie campaign and the bad thing about propaganda is that IT WORKS!

Hey, Democrats lost Kennedy's seat in MASS b/c they don't understand it is a knife fight with these guys. They know packaging works. Brown is a Ken doll package, and just like the Ken doll, empty on the inside. He is a corporate suit repackaged as a maverick. He is a politician repackaged in a pick-up truck.

You think reality has anything to do with how elections will be won or lost in this country? And now that the supreme court has said corporations can buy elections?

This may be the last time we can put democracy in action, but that has ZERO to do with supporting equality!

[knightro]

08:05 PM on 05/28/2010

He waiting for our jaws to heal, after cramming healthcare down our throats.

[DustyDogVintage]

11:58 AM on 05/28/2010

I've read a lot of the comments here and quite frankly, I'm a bit dismayed at the attacks levied at President Obama for his peceived/alleged "foot dragging" on the repeal.

While I understand the argument that some in the LGBT community have regarding the length of time, I think some objectivity is in order with regard to the sheer amount of issues on the President's plate since day one. I understand you feel this took too long, but were it not for the President prioritizing the financial woes of our country first and foremost, perhaps many of us would be living on the street at ths point in time. Healthcare reform was one of his biggest campaign promises, and he needed to work on that right out of the gate due to the sheer amount of time and obstruction involved. The list goes on...

This President has followed through on more campaign promises than any other modern day President that I can think of. But nothing is guaranteed in life, let alone politics. He is a darn fine POTUS and while it's intellectually honest to hold him accountable and his feet to the fire on issues (which is a wonderful trait amongst us Democrats and Liberals) it is equally important to not lose sight of the big picture. He simply can't get everything done that he wants to. It just won't happen.

But the repeal of DADT IS happening. I think this is reason for celebration, not anger.

[Artemis34]

12:27 PM on 05/28/2010

The president is the one who said he is a multi-tasker and can handle ALL the things on his plate.

He could have halted discharges under DADT on day one with a stroke of a pen. If he didn't have 3 minutes to do this, it is b/c he did not WANT to have 3 minutes to do this. http://www.palmcenter.org/press/dadt/releases/New+Study+Says+Obama+Can+Halt+Gay+Discharges+With+Executive+Order

No one is saying he isn't a fine president or he hasn't done a lot. Certainly no one is "attacking" him. Just saying he needs to do this too, and NOW. He is the one who said to hold him to his word! That is what we're doing.

Many are still waiting for the promise of the Clinton presidency to be fulfilled. If we learned anything from that, you CANNOT wait b/c after 2 years, you risk losing congress. Brown's elections shows that concern is quite valid. So, yes, GO FASTER!

[DustyDogVintage]

12:42 PM on 05/28/2010

I didn't say he was incapable of multi-tasking. Clearly, he is. I was simply trying to lay out some objectivity. While I respect your fervor on the issue, I can see from all of your comments that you have made up your mind that President Obama was intentionally ignoring this particular campaign promise. You and I have very different ways of viewing this and we'll just have to agree to disagree on this point.

But the repeal is moving forward now. We can be thankful and look ahead or continue to argue and complain about why it took so long. I, for one, feel this is a victory worth celebrating, regardless.

[David Wonderly]

01:09 PM on 05/28/2010

I'm all in favor of getting rid of the DADT policy but, do you understand what all goes into that? We are talking about changing Military LAW. The UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) talks about homosexual activity. To change it would mean a change of the UCMJ and thus the laws that govern the Military.

It just a bit more then pen on paper. It's a re-write of Military Law. ART 125 would need to be taken out. If you want to read it for yourself here is a good link.

http://www.constitution.org/mil/ucmj19970615.htm#X

Art:125.

[0emissions]

01:05 PM on 05/28/2010

thanks, yes celebrating is better. too many fingers pointing at O without remembering that he only got a liitle over half the US to vote for him and if he wasn't elected. things would be WORSE.

[Artemis34]

01:33 PM on 05/28/2010

No one is forgetting that things would have been worse with McCain.

[Artemis34]

11:37 AM on 05/28/2010

Rep. John Lewis

"We cannot wait!

We cannot be patient!

We must end discrimination in the military and we must end it now!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Tf7n7MVbI&feature=player_embedded

[MisEducatedBlac]

11:33 AM on 05/28/2010

He's got to be a reluctant supporter of this law because to me its not a good idea to change it the majority of military personnel such as myself, who it will effect disagree with changing it.
http://diaryofamiseducatedblackman.com/

[Ron Phillips]

12:18 PM on 05/28/2010

You do realize there are gay people in the military today. So you just don't want them to be able to talk about it.

[Artemis34]

01:38 PM on 05/28/2010

1) the military is not a democracy

and

2) the majority of active duty service members do agree with the repeal of DADT

"73% of the troops said they were comfortable working around gays and lesbians"
http://servicemembersunited.org/?p=229

[dbeez]

10:17 AM on 05/28/2010

Good for him.

The whole idea behind DADT is so gay folks have the OPTION of telling their mates if they're gay or not, instead of being forced to silence.

I don't think the argument of "I fear for the safety of openly gay men in the very macho military" holds any water. I live in an area of town with a high number of gay men, and I can guarantee you that the men you are trying to protect most likely aren't in the military, and if they are, they truly love their country for risking their own safety and won't act "all gay" during a gun fight.

The type of gay man in the military is, I'm guessing, a Rock Hudson kind of gay.

And if you ask me would I rather have Rock Hudson or George W beside me in gunfight, I'd pick Rock any day...Cheney would win over both though, 'cause I know he can BOOMHEADSHOT.

dbeez

[sarac]

01:59 PM on 05/28/2010

Excellent post!

[lawrence of america]

02:53 PM on 05/28/2010

no cheney would send you to die while he attended to "other Priorities", I would like Sarah Palin with me ( as long as it was in a foxhole)

[JuanPaul9]

09:01 AM on 05/28/2010

SLOW FOOTING? It's been a YEAR AND A HALF since he was elected. How long does it take to issue a presidential order suspending DADT? Maybe a pen, some paper, and 3 minutes? I think he's saving this issue for the next election so that he has something additional to campaign on. "Bush has been holding me back from passing DADT, but re-elect me and we'll do it"

[calindi]

10:05 AM on 05/28/2010

If I'm not mistaken, when DADTDP was written it called for congressional action to repeal, which Nacny Pelosi and congressional democrats are taking the lead on-thank god.
President Obama is not made of sugar candy, and he can handle a little prodding from a GLBT interested person at a public event.

[DudeG]

12:50 PM on 05/28/2010

Um, you might want to look into how the legislative process works.

[Artemis34]

01:51 PM on 05/28/2010

The Commander-in-Chief’s authority to halt discharges
http://www.palmcenter.org/press/dadt/releases/New+Study+Says+Obama+Can+Halt+Gay+Discharges+With+Executive+Order

Even in reference to the legislative process, there is nothing stopping the president from LEADING reform, in fact, many would say that is why they elected him, to lead change.