Keith Olbermann criticized for tweet targeting Romney family

Sports and political commentator Keith Olbermann drew backlash on Wednesday after tweeting about Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-Utah) family.

Romney, who with his wife Ann has five sons and 25 grandchildren as well as one great-grandchild, tweeted a photo over the holidays showing himself gathered with his family. The 2012 GOP presidential nominee and former Massachusetts governor regularly shares about his family on social media.

Olbermann shared the latest Romney family photo on Wednesday, adding, “Somebody gift these people some vasectomies.”

Somebody gift these people some vasectomies pic.twitter.com/hp5RAUF3pk

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) December 29, 2021

Olbermann’s tweet drew swift pushback, with Twitter users calling it rude and inappropriate while others expressed confusion as to why the seemingly innocuous photo elicited such a response from Olbermann.

Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer for The Atlantic, wrote, “Keith have you ever seen family sizes in developing countries, do you think they need to stop reproducing too[?]”

keith have you ever seen family sizes in developing countries, do you think they need to stop reproducing too

— christmas cheer liz bruenig (@ebruenig) December 29, 2021

“Why do western elites hate fruitful families?” wrote pro-life Nigerian activist and scientist Obianuju Ekeocha in response to Olbermann’s tweet. “They probably prefer some some sterile cohabiting adults and perhaps some cool neutered pets, but hate to see beautiful fruitful families. Shame on you Keith.”

Why do western elites hate fruitful families? They probably prefer some some sterile cohabiting adults and perhaps some cool neutered pets, but hate to see beautiful fruitful families. Shame on you Keith. https://t.co/aJA5zJ0S8I

— Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) December 29, 2021

In response to the backlash, Olbermann continued to go after the GOP senator. He shared a statement that Romney released last October in which the senator mentioned Olbermann by name in criticizing the state of U.S. politics during former President Trump’s administration.

In the statement, Romney lamented the “vile, vituperative, hate-filled morass” that U.S. politics had become, pointing to inflammatory statements that Trump had made as well as “blistering attacks” from figures across the aisle. In the statement, Romney noted that Olbermann had called Trump a “terrorist.”

“While we’re on the subject of @MittRomney a reminder that on October 13, 2020, just 86 days before the Terrorist Donald Trump engineered the worst act of domestic terrorism in our history, Mittens got mad at me for…calling Trump a terrorist,” Olbermann tweeted.

While we’re on the subject of @MittRomney a reminder that on October 13, 2020, just 86 days before the Terrorist Donald Trump engineered the worst act of domestic terrorism in our history, Mittens got mad at me for…calling Trump a terrorist. pic.twitter.com/GM1xiK3jiC

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) December 29, 2021

The Hill has reached out to Romney’s office for comment.