Obama heckled by gay rights activists

US President Barack Obama often clashes with Republican audiences but this week he was heckled by his own at a fundraiser for Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer.

Activists from the gay-rights group GetEQUAL heckled Obama for his administration's inaction to annul the 1993 Don't Ask, Don't Tell military policy which is said to prohibit gay and lesbian officers from serving openly.

Obama tried to calm the crowd and let him speak but instead they yelled: "Repeal 'don't ask, don't tell'!"

Obama patiently, at times smilingly, repeated his promise to let gays and lesbian soldiers serve openly, but the shouting continued. "We are going to do that; hey, hold on a second, hold on a second."

The rest of the crowd then began chanting Obama's signature campaign chant: "Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!"

During the 2008 campaign, Obama repeatedly pledged to kill the controversial policy, and in January's State of the Union address, he reiterated that vow. But progress has been slow. -