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| Michelle Obama confronts gay rights heckler at fundraiser | Michelle Obama confronts gay rights heckler at fundraiser |
| (4 months later) | |
| Michelle Obama confronted a protester at a fundraiser on Tuesday, stepping away from the lectern where she was speaking to denounce the protester's behavior. | Michelle Obama confronted a protester at a fundraiser on Tuesday, stepping away from the lectern where she was speaking to denounce the protester's behavior. |
| Obama was midway through a speech at a Democratic party fundraiser at a private Washington home when lesbian activist Ellen Sturtz, 56, interrupted Obama's speech to demand that Barack Obama sign an anti-discrimination executive order. | Obama was midway through a speech at a Democratic party fundraiser at a private Washington home when lesbian activist Ellen Sturtz, 56, interrupted Obama's speech to demand that Barack Obama sign an anti-discrimination executive order. |
| "One of the things that I don't do well is this," said Obama, to a room full of applause. "Do you understand?" | "One of the things that I don't do well is this," said Obama, to a room full of applause. "Do you understand?" |
| A pool report said that Obama moved towards the protester and said: "Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I'm leaving. You all decide. You have one choice." The White House official transcript did not include this remark. | A pool report said that Obama moved towards the protester and said: "Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I'm leaving. You all decide. You have one choice." The White House official transcript did not include this remark. |
| "She came right down in my face," Sturtz told the Washington Post. "I was taken aback." | "She came right down in my face," Sturtz told the Washington Post. "I was taken aback." |
| Pool reports said that one woman told Sturtz to leave before the activist was escorted out of the event. Obama then continued with her speech and said: "Understand this – this is what I want you all to understand. This is not about us. No one back here. It's not about you, or your issue, or your thing. This is about our children." | Pool reports said that one woman told Sturtz to leave before the activist was escorted out of the event. Obama then continued with her speech and said: "Understand this – this is what I want you all to understand. This is not about us. No one back here. It's not about you, or your issue, or your thing. This is about our children." |
| The LGBT rights group Get Equal confirmed that Sturtz was the heckler and said that the organization had pre-planned the act. The group has interrupted the president's speeches in the past in an effort to encourage action on LGBT issues. | The LGBT rights group Get Equal confirmed that Sturtz was the heckler and said that the organization had pre-planned the act. The group has interrupted the president's speeches in the past in an effort to encourage action on LGBT issues. |
| Get Equal said the act was a call to action for the Obama administration to sign a "long-promised" executive order to prevent companies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity from contracting with the federal government. | Get Equal said the act was a call to action for the Obama administration to sign a "long-promised" executive order to prevent companies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity from contracting with the federal government. |
| "I had planned to speak tonight with DNC officials but, as the first lady was talking about our children's future and ensuring that they have everything they need to live happy and productive lives, I simply couldn't stay silent any longer," Sturtz said in a statement. "I'm looking ahead at a generation of young people who could live full, honest, and open lives with the stroke of the president's pen, and I was hoping that the first lady would share my concern for all of our young people." | "I had planned to speak tonight with DNC officials but, as the first lady was talking about our children's future and ensuring that they have everything they need to live happy and productive lives, I simply couldn't stay silent any longer," Sturtz said in a statement. "I'm looking ahead at a generation of young people who could live full, honest, and open lives with the stroke of the president's pen, and I was hoping that the first lady would share my concern for all of our young people." |
| Sturtz told the Washington Post she paid $500 to attend the fundraiser, which had three other Get Equal activists in attendance. The organization said one of the other activists, Autumn Leaf, interacted with DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. | Sturtz told the Washington Post she paid $500 to attend the fundraiser, which had three other Get Equal activists in attendance. The organization said one of the other activists, Autumn Leaf, interacted with DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. |
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