The Washington Post WASHINGTON – Michelle Obama experienced a rare face-to-face encounter with a protester late Tuesday — approaching the activist and threatening to leave a fundraiser if the person did not stop interrupting her speech.
Obama was addressing a Democratic Party fundraiser in a private home in the Kalorama neighborhood of Northwest Washington when Ellen Sturtz, 56, a lesbian activist, interrupted her remarks to demand that President Barack Obama sign an anti-discrimination executive order.
The first lady showed her displeasure — pausing to confront Sturtz eye to eye, according to witnesses.
“One of the things that I don’t do well is this,” she said to applause from most of the guests, according to a White House transcript. “Do you understand?”
A pool report from a reporter in the room said Obama “left the lectern and moved over to the protester.” The pool report quoted Obama as saying: “Listen to me or you can take the mike, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice.”
Obama’s suggestion that she would leave was not included in the official White House transcript.
The audience responded by asking her to remain, according to the pool report, which quoted a woman nearby telling Sturtz, “You need to go.”
Sturtz was escorted out of the room. She said in an interview later that she was stunned by Obama’s response.
“She came right down in my face,” Sturtz said. “I was taken aback.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.