Maliki Interrupted By Code Pink Leader (Video)

During his address to a joint session of Congress today, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was interrupted by Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin. Here’s the video:

Earlier today, Michelle Malkin wondered which member of Congress gave Benjamin a pass to get into the address and then later updates that, according to Daniel Freedman of It Shines For All, the culprit was New York Congressman Major Owens who, not surprisingly, had no immediate comment. Freedman quips, “What did Owen’s office think Benjamin would do? Throw petals at the democratically elected leader of Iraq?”

This is not the first time that Code Pink has infiltrated an event with the aid of Democrats in Congress in order to protest. As Michelle notes, 16 tickets to President Bush’s 2004 inauguration were given to Code Pink by Democrats from New York and California. Then there was President Bush’s 2006 State of the Union address, in which California Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey invited Cindy Sheehan whom just happened to wear an anti-war T-shirt to the event. Fortunately, Sheehan was removed before she was able to interrupt the President’s address.

I raise these examples only to make the point that there’s no way that Congressman Owens didn’t know that something like this was going to happen. He did. And if possible, Owens’s privilege to invite guests to events such as this should be revoked or, at the very least, suspended. This isn’t about free speech, it’s about respect. And when the leader of another country visits the United States and takes the time to address a joint session of Congress, he should be able to do so without fear of being heckled by political activists invited by members of Congress.

(video via Think Progress)

UPDATE: Meanwhile, RCP has a transcript of Maliki’s full address here. I especially enjoyed this:

I know that some of you here question whether Iraq is part of the war on terror. Let me be very clear: This is a battle between true Islam, for which a person’s liberty and rights constitute essential cornerstones, and terrorism, which wraps itself in a fake Islamic cloak; in reality, waging a war on Islam and Muslims and values.

And spreads hatred between humanity, contrary to what come in our Koran, which says, “We have created you of male and female and made you tribes and families that you know each other.” Surely (inaudible) of you in the sight of God is the best concept.

The truth is that terrorism has no religion. Our faith says that who kills an innocent, as if they have killed all mankind.

Thousands of lives were tragically lost on September 11th when these impostors of Islam reared their ugly head. Thousands more continue to die in Iraq today at the hands of the same terrorists who show complete disregard for human life.

Your loss on that day was the loss of all mankind, and our loss today is lost for all free people.

And wherever humankind suffers a loss at the hands of terrorists, it is a loss of all of humanity.

FILED UNDER: Congress, Iraq War, Religion, Terrorism, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Greg Tinti
About Greg Tinti
Greg started the blog The Political Pit Bull in August 2005. He was OTB's Breaking News Editor from June through August 2006 before deciding to return to his own blog. His blogging career eventually ended altogether. He has a B.A. in Anthropology from The George Washington University,

Comments

  1. dr. jeff says:

    Congressman Owens should be put in jail for encouraging subversive activity in the Halls of Congress.

  2. legion says:

    Respect on the floor of Congress. From the party of Dick “f-u” Cheney. From the party of George “Congress can’t make laws I don’t like” Bush. Of Alberto “The Executive will decide what powers the Congress has” Gonzales and John “ratified treaties aren’t law, and we don’t have to follow the law anyway” Yoo. Right.

    We’ll give respect when we have a reasonable expectation of it’s being returned in a professional manner (which means not until at least ’08). Until then, cry me a river, Greg.

  3. Weâ??ll give respect when we have a reasonable expectation of itâ??s being returned in a professional manner (which means not until at least â??08).

    Mhm. And if you keep using that excuse to justify whackjob behavior and support of terrorists like Medea Benjamin portrays, that “at least” will become 2080.

    Really, Owens did the Republican Party a favor with that one; the message can now be, “This behavior is what Democrats support”.

  4. Carl says:

    Well legion (appropriate nick from a Biblical perspective?), your response exemplifies the leftist lack of substance. Thank you for further proving conservatives correct when we point out the fact that liberals engage in ad hominem when they run out of truth.

  5. Herb says:

    Every day we see another case of the Democrats doing everything possible to “Divide” our country. Every day the Democrats think only of themselves and their lust for “Power”.

    Of all the people who “Just Don’t Get It”, the Democrats are the worst. They either don’t care or are just stupid about the GWOT and the importance of being “United” in the fight. They offer nothing, no plans, no good words, and worst of all they only preach division of all of America. The Democrats have to be only thinking of themselves by demonstrating to all of America that are “Selfish and Self Centered” We see it examples of it here every day on OTB. We see people like Legion who demonstrates his “Hate” towards Bush, but is really showing his Hate towards America. We see others who have the same philosophy of “Hate Mongering” that Only serves the enemy’s of America and their quest to “Kill All Americans”, Men, Women and Children. Their stupidity and ignorance shows their real agenda of “Keeping America Divided” in order to satisfy their Lust for Attention. They are like “spoiled Children”, kicking, screaming and throwing temper tantrums to get their message across in hopes of “getting Their Way”.

    When they are confronted, they usually act like the French and throw their hands up in surrender, or spout off their usual choice names at everyone.

    My only question of the Democrats is:

    WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GROW UP, and start “Being Real Americans” ?

  6. Mark says:

    I believe Owens is retiring after this term anyway, so he probably does not care one bit what people think about this stunt he pulled.

  7. Steven Plunk says:

    In a way it is a free speech issue. Shouting and disrupting a speech such as this violates the free speech rights of the speaker. I would hope we could extend the courtesy to guests of the congress and administration.

    More and more I find the left using the argument of free speech to stifle the speech of opponents. Throw in the chicken-hawk argument as well into that tactic of shouting down contrary views.

    Child like behavior makes your ideas look childish.

  8. anjin-san says:

    Yea, God forbid Cindy Sheehan should wear a t-shirt that Bush does not approve of. Maybe some people in America don’t think Iraq’s government deserves all that much respect.

    A world full of problems and the GOP is focused on trying to maintain a bubble of fantasy around Bush where no one is allowed to voice disagreement with his policies.

  9. Gollum says:

    The picture of Owens is not complete until one contemplates his self-penned rap lyrics, which he rather proudly posts on his website:

    SHOCK AND AWE

    See the devil�s claw�
    Thunder lightning death!
    American Satan certified,
    Fiery werewolf�s paw,
    Welcome the witch�s law.
    Shock and Awe!
    God gave Lucifer
    The outrage sign�
    No more floods,
    Generals in charge this time.
    Military hi-tech games
    Smoke and flames
    Tomahawks never error
    Now the screech of terror!
    O say can you hear
    Like hysterical chickens
    Enemy families scrambling
    With their foreign fear.
    . . .

    Hmmm. Just so we understand things correctly, in Owens’ world: (1) the US is Satan; (2) our troops are terrorists; and (3) we should feel sorry for the enemy “families.”

    Oh, and (4) it’s totally cool to disrupt an address by a foreign head of state by playing a sophomoric prank and then not even having the f*ing balls to own up to it.

    Got it.

  10. Jim says:

    Gollum,

    Remember the refrain: “Don’t question his patriotism.”

  11. Gollum says:

    God forbid Cindy Sheehan should wear a t-shirt that Bush does not approve of.

    Anjin-san, Cindy Sheehan didn’t just “wear a t-shirt that Bush does not approve of.” She wore a t-shirt with a conspicuous political slogan on it to the state of the union address, which is attended by everyone who’s anyone in Washington and is televised live around the world.

    It is a misdemeanor to demonstrate inside the capitol building. Do you think Sheehan wore the shirt for the color? Of course not. She wore it to get her message out, which is pretty much the definition of a political demonstration.

    So if you want to defend Sheehan’s t-shirt stunt you must either deny that she was trying to send a message, which would require you to consider the words on her shirt to be meaningless, or you must admit that you are advocating criminal conduct.

  12. ken says:

    That is funny.

    Political speech in the capital during the presidents speech is now illegal, ’cause, you know, the whole world is watching.

    What will conservatives think of next?

  13. Herb says:

    Disagreement is one thing, but outright ignorance is another. Those “Free Speech” advocates are usually the first to cry like the baby’s they are, when there is disagreement with their words.

    DIVIDE THE COUNTRY is the norm for Democrats of today, and they don’t care or give a damn how they do it. There can be “No Doubt” that the “Divide The Country” people will cause the downfall of the USA. Then watch them cry. Only when there are several thousand people killed or the country falls, will they recognize the error of their stupidity.

  14. Gollum says:

    It’s been illegal since at least 1946, Ken, and no, it’s not funny.

  15. anjin-san says:

    Oh golly gee, I am advocating criminal conduct! War profiteering, innocent people in Iraq blown to bits, domestic spying, US torture chambers and you are worried about a F_____g tshirt.

  16. madmatt says:

    But you do not address the comments benjamin made…if iraqi’s want us out, why don’t we leave?

  17. LJD says:

    Because Matt, we don’t do foreign policy on the advice of code pink nutjobs, that’s why.

    When did Maliki ask us to leave Iraq, anyway?