Did Singing Protesters at Obama's Fundraiser Get Paid to Heckle the President?

With the 2012 presidential campaign nearly begun, President Barack Obama has been on the fundraising circuit. Today, he held a Bay Area fundraiser of 200 donors at San Francisco's St. Regis hotel.

But a bizarre thing happened there. A group of 10 protesters, manning a table, got up in the middle of the president's remarks and---started singing a protest song.

Via Drudge is this description of what happened at the breakfast fundraiser from a reporter on the scene:

Mr. Obama was in the middle of his remarks when a woman in a white suit stood up and said, Mr. President we wrote you a song. POTUS tried to get her to wait until later, but she persisted and the table of 10 broke into a song that pointed out they'd just spent $5,000 donating to his campaign and went on to protest the treatment of Pfc. Bradley Manning. The woman stayed standing as they sang. Mr. Obama looked to Ms. Pelosi and asked, Nancy did you do this? Ms. Pelosi had a look on her face, as she stared at the singing group, that definitely said she did not. The song - will send quotes after transcribe - talked about Bradley Manning and how he is "alone in a cell..."

The 10 singers then passed around 8.5x11 signs that said "Free Bradley Manning" or had a photo of him.Then the woman in the white suit stripped off her jacket to reveal a black T-shirt that said Free Bradley Manning, with an image of him. "We paid our dues. Where's our change?" they sang. USSS and WH staff had moved near the table at this point. The woman was escorted out. Two others left on their own. (The rest stayed and applauded at the end of POTUS's speech.)

"That was a nice song," a displeased Mr. Obama said. "Now where was I?" POTUS asked. As was indicated by that song, "Over the last 2 and a half years, change turned out to be tougher than we expected," POTUS said.

Here are the lyrics of the song:

Dear Mr. President we honor you today sir

Each of us brought you $5,000

It takes a lot of Benjamins to run a campaign

I paid my dues, where's our change?

We'll vote for you in 2012, yes that's true

Look at the Republicans - what else can we do

Even though we don't know if we'll retain our liberties

In what you seem content to call a free society

Yes it's true that Terry Jones is legally free

To burn a people's holy book in shameful effigy

But at another location in this country

Alone in a 6x12 cell sits Bradley

23 hours a day is night

The 5th and 8th Amendments say this kind of thing ain't right

We paid our dues, where's our change?

Apparently, one of the singers gave the reporter these lyrics--which were written on the back of the menu. So was the website: freshjuiceparty.com.

Voila:

When I visited this website, from which the above screenshot was taken, I found that the group "Fresh Juice Party" is trying to encourage disenchanted liberals to sing the mentioned song at as many venues as possible. For money.

From the website:

FRESH JUICE PARTY is pleased to annouce our newest public service, Loose The Juice! It's your opportunity to make some quick cash and make a difference!

All you have to do is:

1. Sing the song "Where's Our Change?" (Lyrics and sound file posted to the right) in a PUBLIC forum. Singing means projecting your voice - whisper singing doesn't count. Public forum means any public place where it is legal to sing and video yourself: maybe a mall, college campus, a public rally, perhaps on the sidewalk in front of your local governmental offices, steps of your State Capitol Building or the White House. FOLLOW ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. We do not condone illegal behavior and your video will be ineligible if it depicts or suggests illegal activity.

2. Make a video of yourself publicly singing the song AND handing out our Fresh Juice Party Bucks (PDF download here). Just print a bunch of these and hand them out to your audience. Document this part on video, as well.

3. Upload your video to youtube. Make it shareable and public. If you delete your video or change the privacy setting of your video before the contest is over, you will not receive your payment. Email us your link and we will post eligible videos on this website.

How much money could these singers make?

$50 in a public forum showing at least 20 people in surrounding areas within earshot of the song. Clearly show us your audience and venue in the video.

$75 for singing in a costume in a public forum showing at least 20 people in surrounding areas within earshot of the song. Clearly show us your audience and venue in the video.

$100 for singing the song in a Bradley Manning mask and t-shirt in a public forum showing at least 20 people in surrounding areas within earshot of the song. Clearly show us your audience and venue in the video.

$100 for singing within the legal peramaters of the steps of your State Capitol Building, the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House.

How much for following the guidelines above---AND doing it in front the president? That's got to be priceless.

UPDATE: Footage of the singers via Gateway Pundit: