President Obama gave a speech on national security Thursday that was interrupted three times by a Code Pink protester who shouted about drones and detainees in Cuba.
Obama had to pause three separate times to talk over the protester, and appeared agitated each time she interrupted his closing remarks at the National Defense University.
“I’m about to address it ma’am, but you’ve got to let me speak,” Obama shouted back at the protester. “Why don’t you sit down and let me tell you exactly what I’d do.”
Though the woman was unidentified at the time of the speech, the antiwar group Code Pink has taken credit for the speech interruption. Founder Medea Benjamin was said to be the woman at the event.
Benjamin shouted, “86 were cleared already. Release them today!” in reference to detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Code Pink frequently interrupts high-profile political events or speeches with vocal protests against out foreign policy or national security.
Although annoyed, Obama did say that he was willing to cut Benjamin “some slack, because it’s worth being passionate about.”
After another interruption, he continued:
“The voice of that woman is worth paying attention to. Obviously I do not agree with much of what she said. And obviously she wasn’t listening to me and much of what I said. But these are tough issues, and the suggestion that we can gloss over them is wrong.”
How do you think President Obama handled the Code Pink activist? Was she right to interrupt him? Watch the video below and leave us your thoughts:
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