CodePink on Michelle Obama’s message to them in SF: “Keep up the great work”

Posted By: Carla Marinucci
Apr 04 at 12:09 pm
SF Gate:

First Lady Michelle Obama, accepting an anti-war petition at a fundraiser in San Francisco last week, told the CodePink member who presented her with 20,000 signatures, ”Keep up the great work,” the organization’s co-founders say.
CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin wrote a blogpost today about the First Lady’s visit. In it, she related what she said happened behind the scenes when Kristin Hull, a CodePink supporter – one who paid to get into the $500 a head fundraiser – personally met up with Michelle Obama at the California Academy of Sciences last Friday.
After Hull handed Mrs. Obama a petition urging peacekeeping not war with Iraq — a document signed by luminaries like Gloria Steinham, Alice Walker and Eve Ensler – ”Ms. Obama thanked Hull for her advocacy and said, “Keep up the great work,” writes Benjamin. “As Hull was walking away after her photo with the First Lady, Michelle Obama grabbed her hand, squeezed it and said, “We really need you.”

We’ve been in touch with another CodePink activist co-founder, Jodie Evans, who also related the story, via email.

San Francisco Chronicle comrade Joe Garofoli, the pool reporter for the Obama event, wrote about the presentation of the petition to Mrs. Obama during the fundraiser. But he was not allowed to shoot video and was escorted inside only to hear the First Lady’s 22-minute address.

Here’s Garofoli’s story on the fundraiser.

And here’s Medea Benjamin’s version of how it went last week in San Francisco:

“On Friday, March 30, First Lady Michelle Obama received an unusual request at her San Francisco fundraiser. Instead of “Can I have a picture with you?,” one major donor asked, “Will you use your leadership to prevent an attack on Iran?”
“Kristin Hull hand delivered to Ms. Obama a petition against war on Iran that was signed by prominent women including Gloria Steinem, Alice Walker, and Eve Ensler, and over 20,000 American women and allies.
“Hull implored the First Lady to think of the military families and veterans who have paid the price of war. Ms. Obama has championed veterans’ issues while in office and for this reason, in addition to her obvious proximity to the President, women’s groups have made her a focus
of their peace efforts.

“Ms. Obama thanked Hull for her advocacy and said, “Keep up the great work.” As Hull was walking away after her photo with the First Lady, Michelle Obama grabbed her hand, squeezed it and said, “We really need you.”
“The petition implores three powerful American female politicians—Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ambassador Susan Rice and First Lady Michelle Obama—to use their influence to push for diplomacy, not bombing, in US relations with Iran. The next step will be to hand-deliver the petition to Clinton.”
We’ve asked the White House to comment on Benjamin’s post today, and will update if we get a response.