Michelle Obama confronts heckler at DNC fund-raiser: "Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I'm leaving" UPDATED

WASHINGTON–First Lady Michelle Obama, at a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee here on Tuesday told a heckler, “One of the things I don’t do well is this,” Mrs. Obama said, according to the pool report.

“She left the lectern and moved over to the protester, saying they could “listen to me or you can take the mic, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice,” the pool report said.

Click below for complete report…. UPDATED AT THE BOTTOM

Pool was ushered in as FLOTUS began speaking at 6:07 under a white tent in the backyard of the residence of Karen Dixon and Nan Schaffer in NW DC. FLOTUS was introduced by Dixon. Debbie Wasserman Schultz also in attendance.

FLOTUS was wearing a dark blue sleeveless shirt dress, with a black belt and pumps.

Please check quotes with official transcript.

Most notable part of the event was an interruption from a protester about 12 minutes into the 20-minute speech. A pro-LGBT rights individual standing at the front began shouting for an executive order on gay rights. (Pool did not hear exactly what.)

“One of the things I don’t do well is this,” replied FLOTUS to loud applause. She left the lectern and moved over to the protester, saying they could “listen to me or you can take the mic, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice.”

Crowd started shouting that they wanted FLOTUS to stay.

“You need to go!” said one woman near the protester.

The protester was then escorted out, shouting “…lesbian looking for federal equality before I die.” (First part of the quote was inaudible.) Pool could not get their name before they were taken out.

“So let me make the point that I was making before,” continued FLOTUS. “We are here for our kids. So we must recapture that passion. That same urgency and energy that we felt back in 2008, 2012. Understand this — this is what I want you all to understand. This is not about us. No one back here. It’s not about you or you or your issue or your thing. This is about our children.”

Loud applause in response to this comment.

Main takeaway from her speech was to stay engaged in off-presidential election years.

“We cannot wait for the next presidential election to get fired up and ready to go. We cannot wait. Right now, today, we have an obligation to stand up for those kids.”

Cited the administration’s work taking on climate change, gun violence, comprehensive immigration reform, student loans, gay rights.

Railed against the failure of background checks legislation, sequestration, and the budget stalemate.

FLOTUS finished speaking at 6:27, then shook hands and took pictures with attendees. Pool was ushered out immediately after the speech.

POOL REPORT BY

Amanda Terkel

Senior Political Reporter

Politics Managing Editor

Huffington Post, Washington, DC

UPDATE

Heather Cronk, co-director of the pro-LGBT rights group GetEQUAL, contacted the pool and identified the protester as one of their activists, Ellen Sturtz.

Sturtz was calling for an executive order to bar discrimination by federal contractors based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Cronk said there were three other GetEQUAL activists at the event as well — two of them are college students. They are from OH, NC, and NM.

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Amanda Terkel

Senior Political Reporter

Politics Managing Editor

Huffington Post, Washington, DC