Former first lady Hillary Clinton had a surprising, swift way of handling a heckler in San Diego on Sunday. When a woman interrupted her speech to the American Society of Pediatricians with a bullhorn, she made a bold joke that could rankle some in the mental health community.
“You know, there are some people who miss important developmental stages,” Clinton said.
She went on to talk about more mushy subjects like her new granddaughter, Charlotte.
Good for Clinton. She can’t control the media, but hecklers are another story. And they’re par for the course for politicians on the stump.
In July of this year, President Obama responded to a female heckler in Kansas City, who said, “Jesus is the lord of Israel!” Obama replied, “I believe in God, thanks for the prayer. Amen! Thank you.” The AP reported that the woman was forced to leave.
In May of 2013, Obama got snippy with a woman who repeatedly interrupted him during a speech at National Defense University.
“I’m about to address it ma’am, but you’ve got to let me speak,” Obama told the woman. “Why don’t you sit down and let me tell you exactly what I’d do.”
And, of course, who can forget The Daily Caller‘s own White House correspondent Neil Munro, who heckled the President in the Rose Garden in June, 2012? Munro asked, “Why’d you favor foreigners over Americans?” The President, upon being interrupted, snapped, “Excuse me sir, but it’s not time for questions.” Munro asked, “Are you going to take questions?” Obama replied, “Not while I’m speaking.”
Back in 2008, ex-presidential hopeful John McCain (R-Ariz.) was interrupted by a woman calling then-candidate Barack Obama an Arab.
“No, ma’am. No, ma’am,” he said, interrupting her. “He is a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues.