First Round of Presidential Debates in Russia: You Disgusting Whore!

The first round of the Russian presidential debates, held on February 28 with the participation of all candidates with the exception of President Vladimir Putin, turned into a shouting match, with candidate Vladimir Zhirinovski, the leader of the LDPR, insulting some of his adversaries. "Take this whore away! Black dirt! Disgusting woman!" he shouted at Ksenia Sobchak, a TV anchor and former host of the House-2 reality show who was running independently for the presidency, and she, in response to his insults, doused him with a glass of water. The debate aired on Russia 1.

Ksenia Sobchak: "Participants in the House-2 [reality show] behave better than you!"

Vladimir Zhirinovski: "Shut up, you fool, shut up."

Unknown Person: "Stop insulting a woman!"

Ksenia Sobchak: "How can you talk to me like that?"

Vladimir Zhirinovski: "But what if she's dumb? She's an idiot, take her out of here! She's an idiot! Take her out of here!"

Ksenia Sobchak: "Behave yourself!"

Vladimir Zhirinovski: "Take this whore away! Black dirt! Disgusting woman! BEEP!"

Host: "Vladimir, you can't curse here."

Vladimir Zhirinovski: "What else can I say?"

Host: "Calm down, please."

Vladimir Zhirinovski: "Who gave her the right to splash water on me? Not me... She's a crazy crazy fool!"

Ksenia Sobchak: "Stop insulting me."

Vladimir Zhirinovski: "There's a crazy man over there, and there's this fool too!"

Host: "You are at a presidential debate. People choose their commander-in-chief here. Please act accordingly."