All right, seriously. In MO's place, what would you have done?

[nolabear]

I've been thinking about this. I think she was gutsy as hell, not afraid of being a person, and a person who was insulted by being loudly and rudely interrupted while she was in the extremely vulnerable position of speaking in front of the whole world (because the whole world was and is watching everything she does in any public place, just waiting for an opportunity to spread this kind of story around).

I am in front of audiences more than most. Were I interrupted I think I would ask the person to please stop, and if she persisted I would do what Michelle did, but without the words. I would step away from the mic until the crowd controlled her, and then I would resume my speech. That's what she did, only she talked it through as she was doing it. "You can have the mic and I will leave. What shall it be, audience?" (paraphrasing)

So if that's not acceptable, what is?

[Sheldon Cooper]

1. I think she did just fine.

[quinnox]

2. maybe take a cue from her husband

He handled a protester recently with grace and class, he let her talk, and then answered her, and even complimented her for speaking out! Imagine that.

[geek tragedy]

4. she did

http://www.mediaite.com/online/pres-obama-to-heckler-you-can-hold-your-own-rally-youre-being-rude/

“Sir, I’m trying to talk to these people. I’ll be happy to read your book. If you wanna give me your book, I’ll be happy to read it, but don’t interrupt my conversation with these folks. Alright? Show me some courtesy, alright? [...] Okay, now where was I?”

The President also has security to whish said hecklers away.

[Marrah_G]

3. I would have told the protester I would meet with them for a few minutes afterwards

[nolabear]

5. I wouldn't. It's not a thing to encourage, in her or anyone.

I truly sympathize with the woman's cause and distress, but it's not the way. It certainly didn't do anyone any good.

[Raine]

12. Rude oboxious selfish behavior shouldn't be encouraged. Doing

that would mean everywhere public figures go dozens and dozens would heckle them at any event just so they get a private meeting.

[aquart]

6. I like what she did. Bet the Secret Service isn't happy, though.

[Fumesucker]

7. Second Amendment solution?

[Raine]

8. Myself I would've lost my temper and cussed the heckler out, Michelle is classy and

and handled it that way.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Preferably handle someone rude without also suffering the consequences.

As an example. A child is misbehaving at the beach. There are two ways to discipline the child w/o getting into trouble with authorities. Both parent and child leave and go home early. OR The child is beached until such time as the parent thinks the child has understood what they did wrong. In the first example the parent also suffers the consequence while in the second example the parent is still able to enjoy the beach.

MO provided an option that allowed the rest of the group not to suffer.

Your version would had worked just as well if time was not an issue. IMO a speaking engagement has an agenda that needs to be followed. It provides a maximum amount of work to be done in the minimum amount of time possible. Both the speaker and the audience have other obligations which allows the agenda to help them. The protester wasn't on the agenda and if she had followed protocol there might had been an opportunity to ask a question or request politely.

[TheKentuckian]

10. I'd address the concern and show some empathy for those I'm supposed to be supporting

You know face the music since I'm acting as a political proxy and move on.

[BainsBane]

11. She was awesome

I wish I could do that.

[Whisp]

13. Michelle can think on her feet very well.

Perfect response on her part to a surprise like that. Some people are bereft of that gift but Michelle got it in bounty it appears. She knows who she is and she knows when the line is crossed. then Bam.

[TreasonousBastard]

14. I remember a couple of years ago when my Congressman...

was followed around by the local teabaggers and it got so bad he had to have almost secret meetings.

Free speech, civil disobedience... good stuff we agree with, but it's always a gamble and there are times when it is just damn stupid to cause trouble-- if you piss off your natural allies and you don't get what you want anyway, what's point?

[CakeGrrl]

15. FLOTUS did fine, and was self-effacing enough

to admit that she wasn't good dealing with heckling.

You would not shout instructions at me to make my husband do something and expect me to bow and scrape and say OK. The disruptor wasn't trying to be heard on an issue, she was making an in-your-face demand.

...and then had the nerve to make herself out to be "taken aback". Rude and demanding and then angling for sympathy to boot.

[politicasista]

16. She handled it fine

She would have gotten cussed out.

[NightWatcher]

17. I'd love to see her rip into the heckler

Hey I dont come to your work and knock the broom outta your hand while you're working, so let me do my job. Do I need to speak slower, are you stupid or something?

[Brigid]

18. I think Michelle did just fine.

Once or twice, I've had to deal with adults who were acting like children, and it isn't easy.