Caught On Tape: A History of Presidential Hecklers
Does pomp and circumstance necessitate call and response? Apparently at the University of Notre Dame it does. This weekend, President Obama gave the commencement address at the nation’s largest Catholic university; of course anti-abortion activists took the opportunity to act the fool voice their displeasure with Obama’s pro-choice stances.
Be real people: the right wing is down to protest Obama at the drop of a hat—if he mentioned that his sneakers had laces they’d try to call him out for being an elitist who looks down on common folk who can’t tie their shoes. Still, he’s not the first Commander-in-Chief to have (figurative!) darts thrown at him by an audience member, as you’ll see with our History of Presidential Hecklers…
GEORGE W. BUSH, 2006
• George Bush does care about black people! He just has problems hearing them sometimes.
BILL CLINTON, 1992
• “Dying of ambition?” Nope, that would be Vince Foster! *Complex’s lone right-wing conspiracist smiles*
RONALD REAGAN, 1980
• Never quip with the Gipper.
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, 2004
• Note to all would-be hecklers: if you film your own stunt, we can hear you much better.
GEORGE W. BUSH, 2008
• Dubya was later informed that Founding Fathers did not actually refer to his dad.
***BONUS “ALMOST” PRESIDENTIAL HECKLER:
HILLARY CLINTON, 2008
• She sure did mop the floor with, er, take care of that guy!
