The pressure is on Barack Obama - and it is starting to show.
The famously-cool President lost his temper in Connecticut today after hecklers interrupted a speech he was giving at a rally, reports Daily Mail, London.
Astonished attendees watched as Mr Obama interrupted his own speech as the hecklers - believed to be activists seeking more global Aids funding - began chanting at him.
'Excuse me, excuse me,' he said repeatedly, trying to speak over the hecklers. When they kept chanting, he fell silent for several seconds, looking visibly angry and raising one hand in frustration as the crowd began to boo around him.
'Let me just say this,' he said, addressing the hecklers. 'You've been appearing at every rally we've been doing.'We're funding global Aids,' he continued defensively. 'And the other [Republican] side is not.'So I don't know why you think this is a useful strategy to take,' he finished, jabbing his finger angrily in the direction of the hecklers.
The crowds boos turned to cheers as Mr Obama - who was in the state campaigning for Democrat Richard Blumenthal - spoke.
'So, what we would suggest,' he added, 'I think it would make a lot more sense for you guys to go to the folks who aren't interested in funding global Aids and shout at that rally. Because we're trying to focus on figuring out how to finance the things that you want financed.'Then he turned to another group of hecklers on his other side, adding: 'You guys same thing.'As more chants filled the rally, he said: 'Alright, you guys have made your point, now let's go.'Fighting to regain the momentum of the rally, he held his hands up saying: 'Everybody - we're alright.'Come on guys,' he said.
He then fell silent again, watching with pursed lips as the crowd booed the hecklers once more.
The President waited nearly 20 seconds for the noise to stop, then attempted again to continue with his speech.
But he was forced to wait in silence for another 20 seconds before finally saying: 'Hey! Listen up everybody!'
'So, what we would suggest,' he added, 'I think it would make a lot more sense for you guys to go to the folks who aren't interested in funding global Aids and shout at that rally. Because we're trying to focus on figuring out how to finance the things that you want financed.'Then he turned to another group of hecklers on his other side, adding: 'You guys same thing.'As more chants filled the rally, he said: 'Alright, you guys have made your point, now let's go.'
Fighting to regain the momentum of the rally, he held his hands up saying: 'Everybody - we're alright.
'Come on guys,' he said.
He then fell silent again, watching with pursed lips as the crowd booed the hecklers once more.The President waited nearly 20 seconds for the noise to stop, then attempted again to continue with his speech.
But he was forced to wait in silence for another 20 seconds before finally saying: 'Hey! Listen up everybody!'
The AP-KN poll has tracked a group of people and their views since the beginning of the 2008 presidential campaign.
Among all 2008 voters, 51 per cent say he deserves to be defeated in November 2012 while 47 per cent support his re-election - essentially a tie.
Among Democrats, 47 per cent say Obama should be challenged for the 2012 nomination and 51 per cent say he should not be opposed.
Those favouring a contest include most who backed Hillary Rodham Clinton's unsuccessful faceoff against Mr Obama for the 2008 nomination. The poll did not ask if Democrats would support particular challengers.
Political operatives and polling experts caution that Mr Obama's poll standings say more about people's frustrations today with the economy and other conditions than they do about his re-election prospects.
With the next presidential election two years away - an eon in politics - the public's view of Mr Obama could easily improve if the economy revives or if he outmaneuvers Republicans in Congress or in the presidentiusa, hal campaign. PTI
