Bill Maher Pushes For ObamaCare; Bashes ‘Stupid’ U.S.

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[Update, 2:15 pm Eastern: Audio and video clips from the segment added.]

HBO’s Bill Maher, after being asked during a segment on Monday’s Situation Room on CNN to explain his recent “soulless vampire bastards” moniker of the current health care system, pushed for President Obama’s “reform” plan, paraphrasing the Democrat’s own words: “We can’t do nothing- doing nothing is actually worse.” He also stood by his consistent labeling of the U.S. as a “stupid country” [audio clips available here].

Anchor Wolf Blitzer interviewed Maher for two segments starting at the bottom of the 5 pm Eastern hour. Towards the end of the first segment, Blitzer prompted the HBO host for his take on the health care debate. After playing a clip from his “Real Time” program where he used the “vampire bastards” label, Blitzer complimented Maher for the “very funny stuff” as well as the “serious element” on his program and asked, “What would you want to see emerge from this whole health care debate in Washington?” Maher echoed the Democrats’s talking points on the issue:

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BILL MAHER (from HBO’s ‘Real Time’): As conservatives get to call universal health care ‘socialized medicine,’ I get to call private for-profit healthcare ‘soulless vampire bastards making money off human pain.’ The more people who get sick and stay sick, the higher their profit margins, which is why they’re always pushing the Jell-O.

WOLF BLITZER: All right. It was very funny stuff, your commentary. I know you- you had a very serious element in there, as well. But what’s the point? What would you want to see emerge from this whole health care debate in Washington?

MAHER (live): ...I think everybody in Washington and most people in the country agree that- at least a starting point. Maybe this won’t be the most perfect bill, but obviously, this is something that presidents going back to FDR have been trying to accomplish in America, and as the president says every time he broaches the subject, to do nothing is a disaster. We can’t do nothing- doing nothing is actually worse. So, you know, hopefully he’ll get the Blue Dog Democrats on board and they’ll have something.
The “Real Time” host then expanded his comments to a critique of capitalism’s apparent expansion in American society:
Wolf Blitzer, CNN Anchor; & Bill Maher, HBO Host | NewsBusters.orgMAHER: But if I just may address the bigger topic, you played the clips about health care. What that editorial was really about was the idea that there used to be some things in America that were not for-profit. Health care was one of them- not that doctors didn’t make money, but certainly, insurance companies weren’t in the mix like they used to be. I also mentioned prisons. Prisons were not something that we ever farmed out to private corporations, but now the correction- I forget the name of the company, but is a correctional institution- company, rather, that’s on the New York Stock Exchange. There’s a reason why the number of prisons and prisoners in this country has skyrocketed, and that we have more prisoners per capita than anywhere else in the world- because it helps the bottom line of corporations.
Also, I mentioned war contractors. We have more private contractors in Iraq than we do soldiers. They’re paid a lot more than the soldiers- they do things soldiers used to do for themselves, like laundry and cooking meals. And the fourth one I mentioned was television news, something you’re very familiar with. That used to be a loss leader- that used to be non-profit.
You know, a generation or two ago, not everything in this country had to be for-profit. Some areas were roped off and we said, that’s just too important to put the profit motive in because the profit motive always poisons everything to a degree, but we’ve changed- we’ve become a different society. Everything has to be for-profit now and some things shouldn’t be.
Blitzer followed-up by asking, “I know you feel strongly about that, as well- although you’re not saying that there should be no room for capitalism in our country. Capitalism has been good.” Maher’s reply included his standard bashing of American Christians. “Of course, capitalism is good. I am not a communist....But as a society, we used to understand that it didn’t have to go everywhere. You know, when capitalism becomes this religion- and it’s ironic, because usually it’s the- the people who are most religious in this country who believe- or at least treat capitalism like it is truly their God- unfettered- I would say capitalism is the correct economic system....But there have to be some dams and locks on the river.”

Earlier in this first segment, the CNN anchor began by asking about the resignation of Sarah Palin, and whether she had a future as a presidential candidate. Maher answered the she might have a future as such, but also took the opportunity to return to something he did during an appearance several months earlier on CNN- mocking the intelligence of the American people: “I don’t know about a presidential candidate, but I would never put anything past this stupid country- possibly. I think she certainly could get the nomination, considering what the Republican Party has become and where they are right now.”

After a commercial break, Blitzer sought a clarification from the HBO host on his “stupid country” label. Unsurprisingly, Maher stood by it, even after the CNN anchor defended the intelligence of the country by invoking the election of Barack Obama:
WOLF BLITZER: Bill, a couple little clarifications, because we’re getting flooded with e-mail already. Earlier, Sarah Palin I asked does she have a future ahead and you say- said something to the effect, I don’t put anything past this stupid country. So, people are already complaining that you’re calling the United States a stupid country. I’m giving you a chance to clarify.

MAHER: I don’t need to clarify. It is.

BLITZER: Well, tell me why you think the United States is a stupid country.

MAHER: Because Sarah Palin could be president. Please, do I need to expand on that anymore? Yeah, I do- I think this is, in general- I mean, it’s a big country- that’s the great thing about it. There’s 300 million people here. So, within this large country, there are tens of millions of very bright, intelligent people- you know, the ones who are watching us, not the ones who are writing the e-mails. But, you know, in general- gosh, you know, this country just gets dumber and dumber by the day, and I don’t think I have time on your show to list all the reasons.

BLITZER: But you- but you- this country did elect Barack Obama president of the United States.

MAHER: Look who he was running against. Yes- I mean, look at the situation. I mean, this was after eight years of Bush, which was, you know, a- pretty much, a disastrous presidency. John McCain was not a very attractive candidate, and of course, he picked Sarah Palin to run beside him. And, you know, given that choice, I think Americans- you know, came to the fore on that one, but just because they elected a bright guy doesn’t mean they’re bright.

—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.


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All Change is Not Good

The American people are about to get a first hand lesson that all change is not good.

Who, What, When and Where

I've linked to your post with a quotation http://www.jeremiahf... Titled  Obama News Network

Why do liberals, who blame

Why do liberals, who blame the American government for all of the world's woes, want to enable this same government to have ever more control over people's lives?

Because they're frickin'

Because they're frickin' hypocritical idiots.

BTW - You know Maher and all the elitists who are pushing this HCBS (healthcare bs) could easily afford to go to Canada or Cuba to get their HC, so why don't they?  (see above)

I heard clips of this angry

I heard clips of this angry leftist looney-toon last night...as far as I am concerned he must be jealous of Jon Stewert being named #1 Most trusted Newscaster.

Maher needs to pack his bags and whine somewhere out of this country....see how his career does elsewhere.

Of course we all know we'll never be lucky enough for that to happen.

I don't watch Wolfie anymore...I can't take watching his pathetic show.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

...but he's calling us

...but he's calling us names - OMG WE MUST BEG FOR HIS MERCY, BT!!!! Or do you just not care anymore:(

Palin/Prejean 2012

TM... LOL...I don't care

TM...

LOL...I don't care when it comes to either of these leftist blow-hard twits.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Who, What, When and Where

I've linked to your post with a quotation http://www.jeremiahf... Titled  Obama News Network

Billy Maher

"there are tens of millions of very bright, intelligent people- you know, the ones who are watching us, not the ones who are writing the e-mails"

I get it. If you agree with him, you are intelligent, if you disagee you are stupid.  Kind of a oversimplication don't you think?  At least he admits he is not a commie.  Doesn't this bonehead understand the benefits of capitalism aren't all about profit?  It's that it creates competition and promotes efficiency......stupid.

"You cannot spend your way out of recession or borrow your way out of debt." Daniel Hannan

I wish Maher would jump off a cliff

And take every stinking liberal with him.

"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates

"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po

MAHER'S BRAIN INJURY

Just what America needs......Philosophy formulated in Hef's grotto.

Considering how much they hate capitalism

These guys sure like sucking the teat of it.

"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates

"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po

Palin's smarter than you Maher

You filthy arrogant bag of rat excrement.  I laugh when smug, self important phallus heads like him cast aspersions on a Sarah Palin when she could run rings around him intellectually, politically and in every other fashion.

Man, talk about a list of people I wouldn't care about if they died....Mahers on it.

"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates

"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po

Yes, I need advise on a

Yes, I need advise on a complex issue from someone who loves to call people names but is incapable of explaining anything.

Mahar is right, there are a lot of stupid people

Living here, with him resting right there at the bottom. He and Oberdude must share the same viewer. 

 

My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful

"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg

What does this guy have

What does this guy have that qualifies him to be discussing issues on a supposed news network like CNN?  Can't they find economists any more to debate the issue.

By the way Maher, this country thinks you're stupid too. 

Bill Maher is a certified idiot.

"There’s a reason why the number of prisons and prisoners in this country has skyrocketed, and that we have more prisoners per capita than anywhere else in the world- because it helps the bottom line of corporations." 

Folks here is a classic example of the the garbled logic that passes for wisdom by libtards like Bill Maher. Somebody better translate this logic into sensible english..and reality...as to how it is possible that privatized prisons causes more prisoners per capita in the United States.  Don"t prisoners become "inmates" because they commit a crime, break a law, and are found guilty of commiting some wrong act upon others or their property?  Bill the "rocket scientists" Maher might be able to explain how privately owned prison industry makes a person go murder somebody else, or steal from them, or rape them?  Bill?  You idiot Maher, your just like all libtards...stupid and moronic.  A first grader has more depth of thought to their logic than Maher has demonstrated in his lifetime.  personally this is all a fraud..maher is just an outright communist trying to soften his views up, even if it means inventing clearly garbage "bill facts" like he spewed here.  These liberals should be quarentined, isolated and executed... (nah, Im a bit too harsh there, deported is a better word, but visions of the mass hysteria false information like this propagandist spewing is definately a threat to our FREE society) it is a disease, 100% residing in the Libtard democrat party and quite frankly UN-AMERICAN. They can say it all they want....but they should expect virulent opposition and loss of revenue for their un-American aims for our Free country.

I don't remember Cronkite interviewing Johnney Carson

I don't remember any journalist doing a serious news interview with any of the comediens/talk-show hosts of the 60's, 70's or 80's. At least the "journalists" were smarter back then.

Why does anyone care what they think now? They are paid to ask other's questions that are written by others.

Maher is an ex-comedien who has become a political activist and happens to have his own talk-show for his vehicle of propaganda.

It matters not to him what comes out of the health care debate (if the democrats allow one) because he is worth $10's of millions and will simply buy whatever he wants or needs.

Throw 'da bums out!

no one re-elected who voted for socialism or debt

www.loyaltoliberty.com

c5then--

I understand your analogy, but Maher would never have been deemed worthy to lick Carson's shoes, much less be compared to him. 

Will Maher be queuing at his

Will Maher be queuing at his local hospital with the Great Unwashed if he ever needs treatment?

I somehow doubt it.

Bill Maher

Bill Maher acted "STUPIDLY". He always acts stupidly.

I know I'm preaching to the choir

but, someone please tell me why anyone should listen to that little troll about anything.  Other than being a standup has-been his field of expertise is in..........?

His opinion is as important as John Booger Maopimp's.

              

                    I formally challenge Bill Maher to a war of wits. I can do it beacuse he is un-armed.  I say, again, " If the govt. can't stop the fraud in the current healthcare, what makes them think they can stop the fraud in the next one?"

Deja Vu All Over Again

"We can’t do nothing- doing nothing is actually worse."

Isn't that EXACTLY what they said about the stimulus?

"Let us disappoint the Men who are raising themselves upon the ruin of this Country."-John Adams

Will someone please please please please

explain to me why anyone cares what a foul mouthed un-funny washed up comedian says? Honestly, doesn't CNN have anything better to do than interview this fool? His opinion means absolutely nothing in the scheme of things. I'd rather hear what Roseann Barr thinks of the ear-wax epidemic in outer Mongolia.

Lc... I think CNN wants

Lc...

I think CNN wants to remain in last place in the ratings.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Maher has a point ...

In reference to Maher's assertion that this is a stupid country and that the people are not very bright, the fact that he has an audience of any size at all indicates he is at least partly right. :-D

metaphorsbwithu

Maher should stick to

Maher should stick to comedy.  Unfortunately, he's not very good at that either.

Wolf boy is almost as big a

Wolf boy is almost as big a tool as Maher,

He really showed his objectivity as a journalist when he stated....

"BLITZER: But you- but you- this country did elect Barack Obama president of the United States. "


 

CAN SOMEBODY CLEAR THIS UP FOR ME?

CAN SOMEBODY CLEAR THIS UP FOR ME?

I read the washington post article that says the "non partisan" think tank that the republicans, hannity and other have been quoting as "independent" numbers on health care - The Lewin Group - is actually wholly owned by United Health Group, one of the nations largest insurers....

IS THIS TRUE? have republicans just been quoting a gigantic lobby?

I don't like this bill one bit but I hate Lobbies and each side has them. And I'd hate to support people who are spoon fed numbers from lobbyists who would benefit financially from this bill going down.  

Who cares?

The whole bill is garbage.  Period. 

"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates

"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po

You cut-and-pasted the same

You cut-and-pasted the same weak post on two different threads?  Lame.  Instead of acting the troll by driving by talking point non-sequiturs, why don't you learn to think critically and contribute something useful next time? 

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."  -George Best

You're telling me to think

You're telling me to think critically?

You're probably one of the fake conservatives aka republicans who run around regurgitating numbers given to you from an insurance lobby without looking at the issue critically. taking whatever the republicans and fox news tell you.

my inditement of this bill comes form personal experience with health care - the good and the bad - not from republican bought and paid for talking points.  

but i'm glad you're not hostile to other opinions... oh wait.  

 

 

Oooh, you really told me! 

Oooh, you really told me!  Not a word of substance from you...just lazy, baseless accusations of employing "talking points" from big-bad insurance and Fox News (without the slightest hint of self-awareness or irony) and some non-specific anecdotal reference to your own health care experience...for whatever that was worth.  Do you want to have an honest and substantive discussion of health care policy?  Then bring it, son.  But I sense you know that you're in over your head, so you'd best consider whether you want to risk looking even more ignorant than you already do.

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."  -George Best

I have the solution to liberal idiots. It was in "The Matrix"

Neo: "Guns.  Lots of guns"

"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates

"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po

This is Just Maher

This is Just Maher projecting as usual.

I ignore this idiot a little more than I ignore anything about him.  I'll assume he used his same, tired, old wisecracks without actually supporting one of his ingnorant rants.  Someone send me a message if I'm wrong.  I'll hold my breath.

And like some other posters here, how on earth comedians and entertainers end up getting serious air time about serious subjects is just beyond me.

It's interesting how

It's interesting how intellectual lightweights like Bill Maher who carry on about how stupid Americans are can so comfortably remain here as squatters, contributing nothing of value to earn their keep.  Why doesn't he piss off to one of his pinko European utopias if he thinks people are smarter and conditions are so much better there?  Is the rohypnol here that potent?

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."  -George Best

There is no

Santa Claus. This is a video that explains Obamacare and congress' wrestling with the question.

"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'

Illegal Alien Care

Lou Dobbs just pointed out another illegal-alien related aspect of the Obamacare Bill. His researcher said the bill says: "if one member of a family qualifies for Obamacare, they thereby all do."  That's a loophole you could drive a mechanized division through.

This means that if a baby is born in the USA to illegal aliens and otherwise qualifies, her 'family' also qualifies. This could even mean people still in Mexico. Does it mean cousins, aunts, grandparents, etc?

I expect that the 'Obamacare Card' will evolve into a de facto entry visa that will allow Mexicans legal entry to the USA. If you can use it for that, why not for voter ID?

slick... Yep. I'm

slick...

Yep.

I'm watching it too....and that is exactly how they are going to cover the illegals, Lamar Smith said as such.

(hope I have his name right, I've been listening to him for years in congress...for some reason I want to say Alexander for the last name.)

Bill Cunningham has topped off my evening.

I'm sure he'll be Olbie's 'Worst Person in the World.'

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Hello...anyone out there?

Cleveland Steamer...does anyone, ANYONE, give a millionth of a speck of sh*t what this douchbag has to say?  He isn't funny, and he isn't interesting.

Billy, if you are so upset with the USA, get the f**k out and take 10,000 of your liberal friends with you.

Now, that's the definition of paridise.

I agree...

I agree this country is stupid --- stupid for voting for this neo-Hitler Obama and stupid because we are about to have a totalitarian dictatorship put upon us.

 Yes Maher, America is stupid and you make up a great part of the stupidness.

It figgers...

If it's bad for America ole Bill is all for it.

 

islam is a lie and Truth is killing it.

What a tool

What a primitive pinhead. America is stupid? No just liberals are, buddy. You and your anti American friends, who want to be enslaved by the government.  Billy Billy Billy, you have got to lighten up. Dealing with your mental disorder, liberalism, takes some humor and some backbone. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. What are we gonna do with you?

Let's add this up, shall we?

Bill dumps on people of faith, he is pro-dope, he dates kinda hootchy-looking gals for short periods of time, he goes to Hef's a lot, , he does not want kids, his looks are sort of going (sorry to be that personal), he still thinks the president is "bright" and he is the "smart" one?

Whaddaya mean his looks are going?

He never had 'em!   Bonus being an A-H, whatta catch. <shiver>