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Barack Obama Heckled by Activists at Midtown Fundraiser

By Ben Fractenberg | September 23, 2010 10:15am | Updated on September 23, 2010 11:01am

By Ben Fractenberg

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MIDTOWN New York’s a tough crowd, even for the leader of the free world.

President Barack Obama was heckled at a Manhattan fundraiser Wednesday night by a group of activists pushing the repeal of "don’t ask don’t tell" and increased AIDS funding, WNBC-TV reported.

Protesters at the Roosevelt Hotel on East 45th Street reportedly held signs reading "Broken Promises Kill," Politico reported.

Their biggest gripe seemed to be about Obama’s pledge to repeal "don’t ask don’t tell" so gays and lesbians could start serving openly in the military.

Obama appeared irritated and deviated from his prepared remarks to address the hecklers in the ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel.

Protesters heckled President Obama at a fundraiser at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.
Protesters heckled President Obama at a fundraiser at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.
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AP/Susan Walsh

Obama pointed out that that the Republicans recently blocked legislation to repeal the military policy, according to Politico.

"And as a consequence some of those signs should be going up at the other folks’ event," said Obama. "Folks should be hollering at the other folks’ event, because the choice in November could not be clearer."

The fundraiser reportedly raised $1.4 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Senate campaign committee.

Obama's speech to the UN General Assembly Thursday morning was heckler-free, as the president laid out a comprehensive list of his administration's accomplishments since he took office.

"The global economy has been pulled back from the brink of a depression and is growing once more," Obama said, "But we cannot ­ and will not ­ rest until these seeds of progress grow into a broader prosperity for all Americans and for people around the globe."

Obama also praised his administration's efforts to draw down the number of US troops in Iraq and "wage a more effective fight" against terror groups like Al Qaeda and the Taliban.