Ex-MSNBC host Keith Olbermann claims he used to date Sen. Kyrsten Sinema

Former liberal MSNBC host and sports reporter Keith Olbermann revealed on Monday that he was in a relationship with Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona more than a decade ago.

Olbermann, who currently hosts a podcast, did not spare his disappointment with the moderate senator, claiming she was even more liberal than him before.

The former SportsCenter and Countdown host responded to Sinema’s speech in Kentucky, where she was hailed as Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell, where she expressed her support for restoring the 60-vote threshold for all nominations and judicial nominees.

Olbermann wrote: ‘When we dated, in 2010 to 11, Kyrsten was a legitimate progressive, far left of me. Now she has embraced the political industry where there is only process, no police and never people.’

He then snidely suggested that Sinema replace Chuck Todd — another frequent target of the former MLB over Fox host’s wrath — as host of Meet the Press.

Seeing the backlash and uproar at the revelation that he was dating the senator, he promised in a later tweet to “answer” people’s questions on his podcast, also known as Countdown, on Tuesday’s show.

Sinema — who participated in the 2000 presidential campaign of Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, was a staunch protester against the war in Iraq and a critic of capitalism long before she was elected to the Senate — has yet to comment on the claims. .

Olbermann — who last made regular television appearances when he resigned from ESPN in October 2020 — has historically been associated with several high-profile women across the political spectrum, including MSNBC’s Katy Tur and conservative firefighters Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham.

His life has been mined in the past by TV mega producer Aaron Sorkin, who based characters on his shows SportsNight and Olbermann’s The Newsroom.

The former Current TV anchor’s Twitter account regularly features a mix of belligerent arguments, Trump criticism and attempts to rescue homeless dogs in danger of being put to sleep.

Sinema, the first openly LGBTQ+ senator, even made the comment as a significant number Democrats hope to roll back the filibuster, or at least make abortion exceptions after Supreme Court falls Roe to Wade.

That’s because some strategists are hoping for a wave of outcry over the 6-3 Conservative Supreme Court decision in November’s election, which faces headwinds.

“Not only am I committed to the 60-vote threshold, I have an incredibly unpopular stance,” Sinema said during a performance at the University of Louisville’s McConnell Center, named for the senator, 80, who was elected in 1984.

“I actually think we should restore the 60 vote threshold for the areas where it has already been abolished. We have to fix it,’ she said. That was a reference to the areas where the filibuster isn’t in effect – judicial and executive appointments.

The line received weak applause, which led to a quip from Sinema.

“Not everyone likes that,” she said, “because it would make it harder for us to confirm judges and it would make it harder for us to confirm board appointments in any government. But I believe that if we fixed it, we would actually see more of that middle ground in all parts of our governance, and that’s what my ancestors meant, I believe.”

Sinema made the statement during a question-and-answer interview after telling a well-worn tale about the Senate acting as the “saucer” to cool the House’s “passions,” a body she described as occasional bowing to the passions of the moment.

“While it’s frustrating being a minority member in the United States Senate — and just as frustrating in the majority because you need 60 votes to get ahead — that frustration only represents the short-term fear of not getting what you want.” ,’ she said. “We shouldn’t get everything we want in the moment, because later, in cooler reflection, you realize it’s probably gone too far.”

She compared the sometimes frustrated majority to children. “Those of you who are parents in the room know that the best thing you can do for your child is not to give them everything they want, right?” she said.

She argued against legislation intended to “feed our short-term desires.”

Sinema also spoke about Congressional political control, which is up for grabs in November.

“As you all know, control alternates between the House and Senate every few years. It will probably change again in a few weeks,” she said.

McConnell introduced her to an event at the self-proclaimed center where she was given a bottle of bourbon, praising Sinema for resisting pressure to change the filibuster.

“It took a lot of guts for Kyrsten Sinema to stand up and say I won’t break the institution to achieve a short-term goal,” he said, and protect the institution “from some sort of crowd.” .’

“I can’t tell you how important it has been to the Senate as an institution,” McConnell said.

He called her “the most effective first-term senator I’ve seen in my time in the Senate,” referring to his 37-year Senate career.

“She’s what we lack in the Democratic Party today, a real moderate and a dealmaker,” McConnell said.

Her speech was entitled: ‘The Future of Political Discourse and the Importance of Bipartisanship.