President Obama is giving a speech in Boston today about the Affordable Care Act, reminding everyone about what it is and why it's a good thing. Right at the beginning, he was interrupted by climate change activists who appeared to be protesting the Keystone pipeline, though it's hard to tell for sure.
After waiting for them to settle down he reminded them that they were at the wrong rally, telling them "The climate change rally was this summer. This is the health care rally!"
A pretty classy way to handle an interruption - not slamming people concerned about climate change while keeping the focus on health care.
Update: Yes, they were protesting the Keystone XL pipeline. Here's the press release:
BOSTON — Two youth climate activists today disrupted President Obama's speech at Faneuil Hall in Boston, calling on him to take on climate change by rejecting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
The activists, Sophie Robinson and Shea Riester, both of Boston, told the president, "Mr. President, Reject Keystone XL! Stop Climate Change! For our generation, Stop the pipeline!”
Rumors continue to circulate that the State Department is nearing completion of its environmental impact statement on the pipeline. The draft EIS erroneously concluded that the pipeline would have no impact on the climate, but independent analysis, including from the EPA, shows that the pipeline would meet the President’s test of having a “significant” effect on the climate.
The fight over the pipeline has become a test for President Obama’s commitment to dealing with the climate crisis and has helped to spark an international movement against the expansion of the tar sands industry.
In June, 145 former Obama staffers sent a letter to Obama, calling on him to reject Keystone XL. (1) and over 75,000 people have committed to peaceful, non violent civil disobedience to stop the pipeline from being built. (2) Activists are now working in their communities to share with the neighbors information on the climate impacts of the pipeline, preparing for another incomplete or wrong EIS.
