Heckling From AIDS Activists Irritates Obama During Boston Rally

BOSTON (AP) — With the congressional elections fast approaching, President Barack Obama acknowledged Saturday that the hope and energy he stirred during his presidential campaign may have faded in the face of a grinding economic crisis.

"We're doing the grinding, sometimes frustrating work of actually delivering change. I know it can be discouraging," Obama told a crowd of 10,000 at an energetic rally at Boston's Hynes Convention Center.

Obama came to Boston to campaign for his friend and political ally, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is struggling to overcome the anti-incumbent mood that has swept across the country during this election season.Obama said Patrick's opponent is banking on the same strategy as national Republicans.

Obama's remarks were interrupted twice by protesters demanding more funding for HIV/AIDS. Supporters in the crowd tried to drowned out the protesters by chanting, "Yes We Can," Obama's slogan during the 2008 presidential campaign.

(via HotAirPundit -- who has a second video of more heckling that can be seen here)

Obama responded directly to the protesters, saying his administration had increased AIDS funding and told them to, "take a look at what the Republican leadership has to say about AIDS funding."

Obama called on Democrats to show up on election day.

"I need all of you to be clear," he told the crowd, "over the next two weeks this election is a choice and the stakes could not be higher."

Obama also spoke at a fundraiser near Boston Saturday that was expected to raise $500,000 for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.