New (3rd) update on KO's Twitter account

[highplainsdem]

http://twitter.com/keitholbermann

The "WATCH______THIS______SPACE" comment in the Bio section has just been replaced by this:

You might very well think so; I could not possibly comment.

?????

[AsahinaKimi]

1. Is it possible that

MSNBC has a "gag order" on him as well?

[elleng]

3. I suspect their agreement is something lik a 'gag order,'

certainly what he may talk about in public.

[itsrobert]

4. Very Possible

yup

[northoftheborder]

2. Isn't that a quote from Thurber?

[Kurovski]

5. "House of cards"

"I couldn't possibly comment"
The drama also introduced and popularised<4> the phrase: "You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment." It was used by Urquhart whenever he could not be seen to agree with a question, with the emphasis on either the 'I' or the 'possibly' depending on the situation. The phrase was even quoted in the House of Commons following the series.<4> A variation on the phrase was written into Terry Pratchett's Hogfather for Death, voiced by Richardson. A further variation was used by Nicola Murray, a fictional government minister, in the third series finale of The Thick of It.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards

[highplainsdem]

6. No, but it is a quote. I just googled enough to find the source, which

KO referred to at least once:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30109453/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann/

OLBERMANN: On this date in 1934 was born one of the most underrated actors of our time, Ian Richardson was not only a Shakespearean stage actor to the highest order, but his range was such that he could play Sherlock Holmes and the real life inspiration for Holmes, and the man in the Rolls Royce asking, “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?”

But on television, he gave two startling performances, as the traitor inside British intelligence in “Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy” and as a modern British prime minister more murderous than Macbeth and able to convincingly talk to the audience in the middle of scene after scene in the “House of Cards” trilogy. In it, he offered the same unimprovable answer to every difficult question, “You might very well think so; I could not possibly comment.”

Ian Richardson died in 2007.

Wikipedia on House of Cards -- this page also mentions the quote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards

[dkf]

8. Wow that is pretty impressive research and recall.

[northoftheborder]

13. Thanks for that excellent research, and tying it to KO!

[thrift_store_angel]

7. Watch This Space =

Gag on tweeting, but updating your bio is not tweeting? LOL

[barbiegeek]

9. I still don't get it. I'm tired. Will someone kind enough spoon feed me

an easier explanation

[Tx4obama]

12. See comment #10 n/t

[Tx4obama]

10. Someone on Twitter said: it's a line from Francis ''F.U.'' Urquhart

Francis Ewan Urquhart (1937 –– 29 July, 2003) is a fictional character created by Michael Dobbs (the entire concept came from the initials, 'F.U.'). A Conservative politician, he appeared in a trilogy of novels: House of Cards in 1989, To Play the King in 1992 and The Final Cut in 1995. He was portrayed in television versions by Ian Richardson.

The "epitome of elegant evil", in the series Urquhart addressed the audience in asides, often quoting Shakespeare, or giving a knowing look to the camera. He used the catchphrase, "You might well think that; I couldn't possibly comment", or a variation thereon, as a deniable way of agreeing with people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Urquhart

p.s. Interesting indeed!

[highplainsdem]

11. Interesting. Keith used that quote once after Andrea Mitchell told him, "They're coming after you,

Keith."

This was during MSNBC's coverage of the GOP candidate debate at the Reagan Library in May 2007, the pre-debate coverage, and they were joking about the GOP "coming after" KO:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18488960/ns/msnbc_tv-hardball_with_chris_matthews/

OLBERMANN: And, Andrea, as we watch live pictures of the candidates and staff following through on this tour of this extraordinary facility, once again, I‘m not sure this is exactly how they would have planned it, but they seem to be swarming our location in both directions. They went past us one way and now come back the other...

MITCHELL: They‘re coming after you, Keith.

OLBERMANN: And that‘s...

(LAUGHTER)

OLBERMANN: Well, you might very well think so. I could not possibly comment.