Protesters disrupt Obama rally in Florida

Sen. Barack Obama was just interrupted by hecklers holding signs.

During a rally in Coral Gables, Florida, the crowd started getting rowdy and shouting down the protesters, who were waving homemade signs.

As the camera panned to the rafters in the thousands-strong crowd at the university, I couldn't make out what the hecklers - mostly young black men - were saying. Among the signs they held, I spotted a few with the phrases "KKK," "Blacks against Obama" and accusations he supports gay marriage (he doesn't).

Clearly fazed by the disturbance, Obama tried to get the crowd to settle down. He also referred to the protesters as "young people."

"It's no problem for you to put your signs up, but let me finish what I have to say," he said.

As security guards made their way to the rafters to escort the men out, Obama said, "Alright guys, see ya."

"Let's get back to work," he said, as the crowd cheered him on. "Settle down everybody, let's get back to work."

I've been to a lot of Obama rallies, and can't remember any kind of heckling to this degree, and watching on TV Obama seems pretty upset.

But he moved on with his remarks on women and the economy.

Update - a CNN viewer caught a freeze frame of the signs, which each included a Web address. On that site, there's a link to another affiliated site that portrays Obama with devil horns and also bashes Oprah Winfrey.

Here's some video.

—Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter,
The Washington Times

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