Olbermann Makes Fred Thompson 'Worst Person' for '72 Virgins' Joke

Newsbusters ^ | Jan. 13, 2008 | By Brad Wilmouth

[jdm]

Add Keith Olbermann to the list of MSNBC hosts offended by one of the best-received applause lines of Thursday's GOP debate on FNC. On Friday's Countdown, the same day that Hardball's Chris Matthews compared Mike Huckabee's words regarding the U.S. military defending itself from Iran to "talking like jihadists," Olbermann named Fred Thompson "Worst Person in the World" contending that the GOP presidential candidate had "pulled another whopper" because the former Senator joked that Iranian military members on speed boats who harassed U.S. Navy warships came close to meeting "those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing." Olbermann further mocked Thompson by suggesting that his candidacy was just part of a "Candid Camera" stunt. (Transcript follows)

Because the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which is believed to have given assistance to terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Iraqi insurgents, is technically not the same group associated with the "72 virgins" promise to suicide bombers, Olbermann used this as a rationale to impugn Thompson's intelligence. Referring to the U.S. Navy's interraction with the Iranian boats as a "supposed confrontation," Olbermann brought up a time when the former Senator mis-spoke in calling Russia the "Soviet Union." Olbermann: "Asked about the supposed confrontation between Iranian speed boats and three U.S. warships in the Gulf of Hormuz, Thompson, who last year said we couldn't count on the 'Soviet Union' to help us with Iran in the future, pulled another whopper."

After imitating Thompson's voice to read the former Senator's quote about the "72 virgins," Olbermann, ignoring the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's links to terrorism, continued: "As the crowd cheered and Thompson gave that look he used in The Hunt for Red October when he wanted to seem tough, somebody at the debate probably realized that it's terrorists and suicide bombers who have believed the crap about the 72 virgins, not the guys in the Iranian navy. Too bad the somebody wasn't Fred Thompson."

The Countdown host then quipped that Thompson would some day reveal that his run for the presidency has been part of a "Candid Camera" stunt: "With every week that goes by, the odds seem to grow that one night he's going to stop in the middle of a speech or a debate and suddenly shout at his supporters [imitating Thompson's voice]: 'Ha ha, I'm not really running. Smile, you're on candid camera.' Senator Fred 'Paying Attention is Overrated' Thompson, today's 'Worst Person in the World'!"

But during Thursday's post-debate coverage on FNC, pollster Frank Luntz informed viewers that his focus group of 28 "Republican-leaning voters" had a "very positive response" to Thompson "72 virgins" joke as the comment scored near 100 percent in terms of approval from group members.

Below is a complete transcript of Olbermann's comments from the Friday January 11 Countdown show on MSNBC, followed by relevant comments by Luntz from Thursday's post-debate coverage on FNC:

From the Friday January 11 Countdown:

KEITH OLBERMANN: But our winner, Senator Fred Thompson. Asked about the supposed confrontation between Iranian speed boats and three U.S. warships in the Gulf of Hormuz, Thompson, who last year said we couldn't count on the "Soviet Union" to help us with Iran in the future, pulled another whopper. Quote [imitating Thompson's voice]: "I think one more step, and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing." As the crowd cheered and Thompson gave that look he used in The Hunt for Red October when he wanted to seem tough, somebody at the debate probably realized that it's terrorists and suicide bombers who have believed the crap about the 72 virgins, not the guys in the Iranian navy. Too bad the somebody wasn't Fred Thompson. With every week that goes by, the odds seem to grow that one night he's going to stop in the middle of a speech or a debate and suddenly shout at his supporters [imitating Thompson's voice]: "Ha ha, I'm not really running. Smile, you're on Candid Camera." Senator Fred 'Paying Attention is Overrated' Thompson, today's "Worst Person in the World"!

From the Thursday January 10 post-debate coverage on FNC:

FRANK LUNTZ: We sat down with 28 Republican-leaning voters, and we asked them to react on a second-by-second basis to the entire debate. There were two clips in particular that scored incredibly well, and I want to show our viewers them.

After discussing the reaction to Huckabee's comment about making those who attack the U.S. military know they could see the "gates of hell," Luntz moved to Thompson.

LUNTZ: But Mike Huckabee wasn't the only one who delivered a very positive response. Fred Thompson also had his humorous line when talking about Iran and Iraq. Let's take a look at how effective Fred Thompson was in the language of foreign policy.

FRED THOMPSON: I think I agree with the governor on that. You can't take the judgment like that out of the hands of the officers on the ground there. I think one more step, you know, and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing.

[applause]

[jdm]

ping.

[indylindy]

Great news for Fred! Olberdoofus hates you!

Right on, Fred.

[DesScorp]

Keith is just another Kossite black helicopter f*cktard.

[BlueNgold]

I guess that whole state sponsor of terrorism thing just kind of missed ole Keith...

[Anti-Bubba182]

Who would know if it wasn’t on Newsbusters? Usually the worst person is O’Reilly and that is because he win the ratings game.

[Abbeville Conservative]

Hey Keith. Everyone knows your a butt pirate. Stick a bigone in that mouth of yours and shut up.

[Sue Perkick]

The talking horses behind speaks again. But as usual it’s just smelly hot air.

[Bobalu]

Everyone Olberman hates. I like.
Everyone Olberman likes. I hate.

[MOgirl]

Hello,

That “Keith the Raving Lunatic” gave the Worst Person Award to Fred is badge of honor.

MOgirl

[golfisnr1]

Apparently doofus likes terrorists.

[Free Vulcan]

Olbermann is a sissy boy prima donna drama queen. He’s so self righteous little blue-haired old ladies have nothing on him.

[Izzy Dunne]

So, at least 28 folks saw Fred's comment.

If you don't count NewsBusters crew, Olbermann's audience drops to half that...

[NoobRep]

Keith Olbermann is a communist Canadian that has sand in his vagina.

[xtinct]

Does anyone listen to Olbermann besides the DUmmies and The Daily Caustics?

[txjeep]

Fred needs these hacks in the media talking about him (and to him). It reminds people he is still in this race. What is that they say? ‘I don’t mind bad press as long as they spell my name right.’

[Gay State Conservative]

Olberman? Doesn’t he do sports?

[HerrBlucher]

Another great endorsment for Fred.....dorky leftist Olberwomann hates him.....bwhahahahahahahaha!

[svcw]

I did not he was still on the air with only about 5 people watching the show.

[roses of sharon]

Queen of the Consprazoids!

This should give FT a bump!

[wardaddy]

man I would love to bitch slap him

you can just seeing the wolf tickets jumping out his pie hole

all hat/no cajones

[Baladas]

You have won my honorary Worst Person in the World award.

It’s a honor if you’re not a moonbat.

[Theresawithanh]

"Olberman? Doesn’t he do sports?"

The answer to that is yes, and just as badly as he does his show.

[Rosemont]

MSDNC’s Keith UberLib AKA last place Keith is to the left of Castro.

[garyhope]

Olberman is a worthless POS, lying, treasonous maroon.

[Miss Behave]

This Olbermann guy's a joke. Will he ever put on big-boy pants?

[NoobRep]

[ArrogantBustard]

Who the heck is Keith Olberman?

Is that his picture up on the article?

He looks like some brainless effeminate metrosexual blabbermouth.

[reasonisfaith]

I’m surprised Olbermann mentioned Fred. One thing’s for sure—he didn’t do it out of bravery.

The MSM is scared to death of Thompson.

[1curiousmind]

I actually thought that Huckabee would catch a ton of flack for what he said. He did say that they wouldn’t just enter the afterlife, but the “gates of hell.” I guess Keith missed the significance of that assertion.

He is a first-class, no class moron.

[hole_n_one]

Everyone Olberman hates. I like.
Everyone Olberman likes. I hate.

That's got tagline written all over it.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Olberman is a joke. He is without a doubt one of the most Immature, so called newsman, on the air. I watched him Tuesday night with Chris Matthews and other news people and the guy was so out of his depth it was embarrassing. It was a wonder Chris could keep a straight face. Matthews takes a lot of abuse on this site and rightly so a lot of the time but I must admit during an election year like this one I do enjoy his show because the guy really doesn’t like the Clinton’s at all.

[sofaman]

Keith who?

Oh! Him! There are more people watching sonograms than are watching this schmuck.

[Waco]

K. O B, snot face

[doc1019]

Once had a relatively new person here ask me what an “as$hat” was. I responded: Olbermann (Google are our friend).

About 15 minutes later, I got the following response:

Now I understand exactly what an as$hat is.

;-)

[Prophet in the wilderness]

That's because the devil demons are aware that if Fred gets elected, Roe vs Wade will be over turned.
This is a critical election because in the next 2 or 3 years 2 or more new supreme court justices will be appointed to the high court and will effect our country for decades to come.
We ( us conservatives ) must win this next election and the MSM ( the devil and his demons ) are doing everything in their power to stop us and Fred.

[Shortstop7]

I’m sure FRed wouldn’t have it any other way. Olbermann is an ignorant fool. Amazed his show is still on.

[mathurine]

Olberman is one of the 72 Virgins; he better watch his ...

[Viking2002]

If he were drowning, I'd put my boot heel in his scalp. IMO, Olbermann deserves no more attention here than the SF Gate's Mark Morford, Master Of The Skin Flute.

[apocalypto]

Olberman is sick. If that makes one “worst person” he has no concept of good or bad.

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

Olbermann brought up a time when the former Senator mis-spoke in calling Russia the "Soviet Union." Olbermann: "Asked about the supposed confrontation between Iranian speed boats and three U.S. warships in the Gulf of Hormuz, Thompson, who last year said we couldn't count on the 'Soviet Union' to help us with Iran in the future, pulled another whopper."

Dean called them the Soviet Union during a debate 4 years ago. Does Herr Olbermann think he's a dummie too?

The Russians use the Hammer and Sickle flag again. I would posit they never stopped being the soviet union. They just allow more travel now.

[Eric Blair 2084]

[RatsDawg]

Funny thing is, most smart people got the joke that Thompson was making.

Stupid liberals just find it offensive.

I tend to think more people agree with Thompson than Keith.

[Shady]

Keithey is a twerp.

[Callahan]

Olbermann once skeeved it up with some tramp in a hotel room and the girl published a blog about her experience. It was pretty funny.

[ontap]

I still Don Imus’s description of Keith Olbermann as having some real child bearing hips.

[B.O. Plenty]

Oh! for crying out loud...

who here really gives a rat's ass what bathtub boy thinks.....(bathtub boy is what John Gibson calls Olberman)

[Paleo Conservative]

What does the pink tie signify?

[ImpBill]

One of the best endorsements Fred can get - Oldbeermans ire!

[billmor]

Just read about K.O. at Wikipedia and it seems that from 1979 to 1997 his career was in Sports broadcasting- at ESPN, Fox Sports and ABC Radio and then the NFL ON NBC which continued to 2007..In 1997 he started hosting his own primetime show on MSNBC,,,so- from Sports announcer to news and political analyst.....

Looks like he’s been at the wrong end of a horse for too long..Hey Keith- what is Hillary’s lifetime batting average?
How many times did Bill Clinkstone have to punt ?...When Monica told her story was that a punch below the belt ?...Guess she knew where to aim eh ?....