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By Melanie Jones: Subscribe to Melanie's RSS feed
November 22, 2011 8:25 PM EST
Occupy Wall Street went straight for Washington, D.C. on Nov. 22, as a group of protesters from "the 99 percent" interrupted President Obama's speech in Manchester, N.H. on the American Jobs Act.
Speaking on the financial crisis at a New Hampshire high school, Obama had planned to go after Republicans for their inaction on the economy's breakdown, and to outline his jobs bill. A man in the crowd however, interrupted the President's speech by employing the "People's Microphone," a method of human echoing that has become widespread in Occupy protests across the country.
"It's Okay, It's Okay."
"Mic check!" the man yelled, his cry echoed by Occupy supporters in the auditorium. "Mr. President," the group chanted. "Over 4,000 peaceful protesters have been arrested while banksters continue to destroy the economy..."
Audience members, mostly high school students, began to boo the interruption, but President Obama quieted them. "It's okay, it's okay," he repeated as the group made a somewhat disjointed call for greater D.C. accountability.
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"You must stop the assault on our First Amendment rights," the Occupy group chanted. "Your silence sends a message that police brutality is acceptable."
Obama waited until the protesters were done, then took to the microphone once more. "We'll be talking about a whole range of things today," the President told the crowd. "I appreciate you guys making your point. Let me go ahead and make mine, alright? And I’ll listen to you and you listen to me.”
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Obama Reaction at Odds with GOP
Obama's reaction to the OWS interruption on Nov. 22 stands in contrast to some of his GOP rivals for the 2012 presidential nomination, many of whom have also had their speeches temporarily taken over by Occupy demonstrators over the past few weeks.
Michele Bachmann had perhaps the most infamous reaction at a Nov. 10 rally in Charleston, S.C. Bachmann stood frozen at the podium as Occupy demonstrators began to chant.
"This will only take a minute," protesters said, shouting over boos and angry yells from the crowd. "You capitalize on dividing Americans, claiming people that disagree with you are unpatriotic socialists, and you promote discrimination."
Bachmann responded by leaving the stage with a police escort. She only reappeared when the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators had exited the rally. "Don't you just love the First Amendment?" she quipped.
Bachmann has been criticized for her reaction to the OWS interruption, and for her downplaying of a Constitutional amendment she has very vocally upheld in the past.
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