Obama was half-way through delivering an address about civil rights for lesbian, gay and transsexual Americans at a reception in the presidential mansion Wednesday night when he was interrupted by one of his guests.
Jennicet Gutiérrez, a transsexual Mexican woman and campaigner, started yelling at him to close deportation centers until she was escorted out by security.
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| Transsexual Jennicet Gutiérrez at the White house. |
Gutiérrez shouted out that she was an illegal immigrant and a trans woman and was 'tired of the abuse' she claims immigration officials are carrying out on minorities.
Obama tried to ask her to stop, but turned sour when she wouldn't stop shouting.
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| Jennicet Gutiérrez. |
He said: 'Hold on a second I - OK, you know what? No no no no no. You're in my house.'
The President tried to start another sentence, but was interrupted twice more. The crowd started booing in response.
Obama said:
'You know what? It's not respectful when you get invited to somebody... [interruption] You're not gonna get a good response from me by interrupting me like this. I'm sorry.
'Shame on you! You shouldn't be doing this... Can we escort this person out? Come on. You can either stay and be quiet, or we'll have to take you out.'
'As a general rule, I am just fine with a few hecklers... But not when I'm up in the White House. My attitude is, if you're eating the hors d'oeuvres... and drinkin' the booze... anyway, where was I?'
Gutiérrez began by saying: 'President Obama! Release all LGBTQ detention centers, but a chorus of shushing drowned out her next words.
According to the woman who invited heckler Jennicet Gutiérrez as her plus-one, the heckle was pre-planned to raise awareness.