Biden heckled by climate activist in Arizona during speech honoring McCain

President Biden was heckled Thursday during a speech in Arizona by a climate activist who was calling for the president to declare a climate emergency.

“Why have you yet to declare a climate emergency?” the person shouted from the crowd at the Tempe Center For The Arts. “Arizonians have died.”

The crowd booed the heckler and Biden stepped in, telling him he would meet with him after the speech.

“Why don’t you wait — hang on a second, I’d be happy to meet with you after I speak, OK?” the president said from the podium.

“If you shush up, I’ll meet with you immediately after this, OK?” Biden added while the heckler kept yelling.

The president continued his speech, which was about democracy and bipartisanship, once the heckler was removed and he noted the incident.

“Democracy’s never easy, as we just demonstrated,” Biden said.

Climate activists have called for Biden to declare a national emergency on climate change, which is a specific tool the president has at his disposal that would unlock other powers related to climate change. Biden last month said that he has “in practice” declared one during an interview with The Weather Channel.

The president’s speech in Arizona, a critical swing state for the 2024 election, honored his late friend Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and he argued during his remarks that preserving democracy is not a partisan issue.

Updated at 3:56 p.m.