Former President Barack Obama momentarily lost his cool and snapped at hecklers who were trying to interrupt him during a panel discussion with President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton as part of a glitzy fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday.
According to Reuters reporter Jeff Mason, the fundraiser was punctuated by several protests inside the iconic New York auditorium. Protesters who gained entry rose at several different moments to shout over the discussion, referencing Biden’s backing of Israel in the Hamas war that has killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza.
After several interruptions, Obama, who was onstage with Biden, Clinton and comedian Stephen Colbert, told the protesters, “You can’t just talk, you have to listen.”
The event included musicians Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele performing. Some high-paying attendees, who reportedly paid as much as $500,000 per ticket, had their pictures with the three presidents taken by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz. Reuters said event organizers say the event raised more than $25 million for Biden’s U.S. reelection campaign.
Before the event, the three leaders’ motorcade passed directly in front of hundreds of protesters, another sign that some young voters and other progressives are not happy about Biden’s support for Israel.
The New York Post posted a video of the protesters assembled outside the event on YouTube. The protesters, many chanting and waving Palestinian flags, were kept away from the building by a cordon of New York City police and a barricade of heavy construction equipment.
Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other prominent Democrats have been repeatedly heckled by pro-Palestinian activists since the start of the Israel/Gaza conflict due to the Biden Administration’s support for Israel, refusal to demand an immediate ceasefire, and continued sales of weapons.
Joe Biden gets heckled by a Palestine protester in Atlanta.
Even called Joe a dictator.
It's quite amusing that one of his own supporters don't like him. 🤭pic.twitter.com/SObwsl1VZ5
— 🇺🇲 Silent Silas 🇺🇲 (@RagingKuJo1222) March 10, 2024
The Biden campaign has been increasingly worried about losing support from young voters and the growing Muslim-American community in Gaza. The recent Michigan primary election saw over 100,000 votes for “uncommitted” cast primarily by the significant Muslim population in some of the Detroit suburbs. Protest campaign organizers had only expected to receive around 10,000 votes.
