How Medea Benjamin got to heckle Obama

By Rachel Weiner, Published: May 24, 2013 

Madea Benjamin before she was escorted out of Obama’s speech. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

How did Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin, a well-known anti-war protester, get into President Obama’s speech Thursday at the National Defense University?

By listing herself as press. In a statement, the university explained that Benjamin “was given access via the list of media attendees expected.”

After repeatedly interrupting Obama’s speech on counterterrorism policy, Benjamin was escorted out of the room and questioned by police.

Benjamin told the Huffington Post Thursday that she got an invitation to the event from someone whose name she could not disclose and was surprised herself that she was able to get in so easily.

The speech was not open to the general public. “Attendance for non-media was limited to invited guests from the National Defense University faculty, staff, and student body,
along with those invited by the White House,” the university said.