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Scarborough jokes about Fred Thompson's wife

June 05, 2007 12:07 PM

Via the Palmetto Scoop (LINK) comes this odd exchange from Friday morning between MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough, a former Florida Republican congressman, and political analyst Craig Crawford. They're discussing Jeri Thompson, the 40-year-old second wife of former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.

You can watch the moment here via youtube (LINK)

SCARBOROUGH: Have you seen Fred Thompson’s wife?

CRAWFORD: Oh, yeah.

SCARBOROUGH: You think she thinks she works the pole?

CRAWFORD: That’s what a Hollywood career will do for you, I guess.

SCARBOROUGH: What do you mean?

CRAWFORD: You get wives like that.

SCARBOROUGH: I mean, look at that guy. God bless him, I love his voice. But I mean, you know. He ain’t Robert Redford in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

CRAWFORD: Well I would like to see him back into politics because I think he’s a lousy actor.

Um….Can someone elaborate as to what "works the pole" means?

Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin is offended (LINK) and suggests that Scarborough was implying that Jeri Thompson was a stripper.

But the New Republic's Chris Orr says (LINK) that "before the comment, Scarborough had been talking to Tracy Burgess, the WFAN news anchor and, evidently, a bit of a fitness freak. (She apparently also used to appear as a guest on Imus.) Burgess explained that 'I am taking vertical pole.... It's a pole and you exercise on it.' There was a little minimally risque banter on the subject before Scarborough declared, 'Housewives across America taking to the pole... for health and fitness. Hey, have you seen Fred Thompson's wife?... You think she works the pole?'"

What say you?

Off to New Hampshire to the GOP debate! More later --

-- jake

June 5, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (22)

User Comments

How old is Malkins husband?

Posted by: Frank | Sep 9, 2007 4:17:45 PM

gee, chuck...thanks for the mental image (SHUDDER)

Posted by: phillygirl64 | Jun 7, 2007 1:48:56 PM

I do not know who you are calling cons, and one of our own I think you mean the most liberal of all liberal channels. Now yes Lib is a scary word.

So why don't you guys just vote for Soros then, if you have no problem with what he wants done. But there will be a day that you do not agree with him.

And who said my boy George, he in my opinion has become a Democrat. (Maybe not a lib yet, but getting there)

There is a difference between Libs and Democrats (Though a Slim line lately, since all the good Dems are leaving the party) and between Conservatives and Republicans (The line there is becoming wider)

Now please let me know what this comment has to do with a candidate? NOTHING!!

Posted by: spock | Jun 7, 2007 10:15:22 AM

be afraid, be very afraid.
so the "libs" (such a scarey term) meet every morning to talk about things.
it's about time they are on the same page.
for years the cons each speak to the media and use the same exact words and terms.
i guess you feel better when there is a boogie man around every corner.
btw, the TB scare guy outpolled your boy george in approval by the people.
does that mean more people would rather sit in a airplane for 4 hours next to a guy with TB than even look at bush?
lol.

Posted by: exile | Jun 6, 2007 5:57:37 PM

you cons never take a break from spewing all kinds of bs about anyone you feel good in bashing.
you don't draw the line saying a woman is ugly, mean, unhinged, or simply she surrounds herself with smart people so she is insecure and all your other crap.
so old fred married a really young girl, and one of your own(ed) comments on her. that really made you sad. you feel picked on.
you're funny.

Posted by: exile | Jun 6, 2007 5:48:41 PM

bones - Like I said the New York Times reported that the Democrats conference with the Lib organizations every morning not FOX.

He controls Media Matters also, where olberman gets his so called news.

Should I go on?

Look up Soros on a Web Search Engine.

Your right he doenot have all Dems in his pocket, Lieberman is not, oh thats right he funded Lamont to get Lieberman out of the Democrat Party, So I guess he does own them all. Hilary may be the exception, because he is funding Edwards and Obama.

Posted by: spock | Jun 6, 2007 2:48:52 PM

spock, there's a legal precept that he who asserts must prove. You've made comments so many comments about George Soros, but haven't proven one of them. He's funded moveon.org, but for you to argue that he's got all Democrats and liberals in his pocket is just plain silly. Your "facts"--Fox News "facts"--don't match real-world facts.

Posted by: bones | Jun 6, 2007 1:30:53 PM

bones - Who do think the Libs in Congress talk to every morning as reported by the NY Times (A lib paper), Moveon.org, mediamatters and other left wing orgs all of which are paid for and owned by George Soros. All the Libs in Congress were even told by moveon that moveon owns them. (stated on their website)

If God forbid one of these libs get into office they will be like the Manchurain Candiate (I think I got the movie correct, it been a while since I saw it) but anyhow, the lib pres would not be able to do anything without Soro's ok.

So look up the facts, I know he is trying to stay in the background since he made his money by almost collapsing Britons ecnomy.

Posted by: spock | Jun 6, 2007 11:38:13 AM

There you go again with your conspiracy theories about George Soros, spock. Why does he give you such angst? Did he frighten you as a little child?

Posted by: bones | Jun 6, 2007 10:04:04 AM

Xalonm - Olberman is useless, I accidentally turned his show on the other nite, he was spewing as his own news stuff that was on Soro's other outlet mediamatters, so he is a joke.

Posted by: spock | Jun 6, 2007 9:42:08 AM

These comments were gratuituous and insulting--what does Mr. Thompson's wife's appearance have to do with his politics? If the genders were reversed, would these talking heads be discussing how a female candidate's husband looked like he was a centerfold for "Playgirl" magazine? I think not.

Posted by: chuck | Jun 6, 2007 8:16:18 AM

Have you seen the "clothes" that Mrs. Thompson wears in public? Since she choses to dress like someone from an escort service, she can hardly complain when she's treated with that level of non-respect.

Posted by: sa | Jun 6, 2007 4:15:40 AM

CRAWFORD: Well I would like to see him back into politics because I think he’s a lousy actor.

Fred Thompson is not an actor; he is an image projector. If you review all of his roles, you will note he always plays the same character...(problem solver, judge, leader, commander). never with any personality or family life/relationships.

Posted by: hoozwhoo | Jun 6, 2007 1:06:06 AM

Shame on you Mr. Scarborough. You owe Mrs. Thompson, and Mr. Thompson for that matter, an apology. I mean no disrespect here, but what would your mother and grandmother's think about your remark? I'm a female and my mother would be upset if I made a remake like that about someone. It it not how I was raised. it's not how I'm raising my boys. If you can't say something nice....

Posted by: mom2boys | Jun 6, 2007 12:29:12 AM

Pardon me for saying so, but Rita Crosby was as dumb as rocks, and it has nothing to do with her being a woman.

Posted by: Big Mitch | Jun 5, 2007 10:22:28 PM

I don't agree with Scarborough's politics but he always struck me as a decent sort. I bet he meant something like "She helps him out in his polling." i.e. she is an asset. Just my gut feeling.

Posted by: Big Mitch | Jun 5, 2007 10:20:16 PM

Great a conspiracy nutjob, brainwashed by another media nutjob that appeals to younger audiences telling them all they need to hear, that is usually laced with propaganda, as with any radio show host or tv news talk show host.

When you can siphon through the BS, we can talk.

Posted by: Allen | Jun 5, 2007 5:56:39 PM

The Olbermann bashing here is funny, considering he's the only interesting newscaster out there; one with the cohones to say it like it is. (ie: that the US populace is duped by BushCo into a war based on lies).

Anyways, you ppl are lost.

ps 911 was an inside job, you might figure that one out some day too

Posted by: Xalonm | Jun 5, 2007 4:32:08 PM

If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck...it must be a duck.

Posted by: Jim Robinson | Jun 5, 2007 2:41:36 PM

Why can't the press stay out of politicians family. The comments here about Sen. Thompsons wife was uncalled for (but I will wait to see if Scarborough apologizes, because I will give him the benefit of the doubt on the meaning), We have freedom of speech in this country, so unfortunatly we have to take the good with the bad, the people will make the decision by tuning out of commentators if they continue to insult.

As far as Olberman, he is a useless Soros puppet making false allegations and insults beyond comment.

But how come the press attacks the Republican families but not a word about the libs, remember Wallace with Romney's wife, they are a disgrace.

Posted by: spock | Jun 5, 2007 2:35:41 PM

Seems of late Joe Scarborough has moved from holding Reagan as his mentor to using a combination of Olbermann and Imus.

But, let's be realistic, the bombastic gutter provides for better ratings.

Posted by: casualobserver | Jun 5, 2007 1:56:59 PM

At worst, he's likening her to being a stripper, and at best, he's just being sexist. I find this offensive, just as I found some of Olbermann's past remarks offensive. Including, I might add, Olbermann's email in which he described Rita Crosby (Scarborough's predecessor to the 9:00 spot on MSNBC) as "dumb as rocks." Boys club much, MSNBC?

I hesitate to get too outraged because in the wake of Imus, I fear a chilling effect, where everyone becomes stilted and bland. This is the thing: I can tune out, and I do tune out. If MSNBC wants my eyeballs, it's going to have to reinstate a female to primetime.

Posted by: cordelia525 | Jun 5, 2007 1:34:42 PM

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