HBO's political talk star Bill Maher (the million-dollar Obama super-PAC backer) took to his blog to trash black Rep. Allen West in the same article in which he called the GOP the “Party of the Apes.” Don’t think Maher isn’t trying to draw attention to himself by being edgy. Last November, he used the same "rise of the apes" language on ABC in reference to Mitt Romney and Herman Cain.
Maher asserted “the idea that the blame for our government’s dysfunction is equally shared by the parties just is a giant, steaming mound of horse---t and anyone who has paid attention to politics over the last 20 years knows it. Or as I like to call it, ‘The Rise of the Party of the Apes.’” Naturally, Maher is honoring the alleged centrists Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann: “they basically say, flat out, what I say every week: it’s the Republicans who are crazy.” Maher pounded away:
But it reminded me of something Barney Frank recently said: “…people have said to me, well, why can't you work things out with the Republicans, and my answer to my friends has been: Exactly on what issues do you think Michele Bachmann and I can compromise?” Basically Barney is saying, look, how do you expect me to work on the 2+2=4 bill when their side believes math is a liberal plot to turn your kid queer?
Take Dick Lugar. Who was always a staunch conservative, just not the modern-day insane variety. He was just throttled in the Republican Senate primary in Indiana by a Tea Party guy named Richard Mourdock. And after Mourdock won he said this about working with the other side: “I certainly think bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view.” Which is sort of like saying to your girlfriend, “I think both our sexual needs will best be fulfilled by you blowing me.”
Or take Allen West. Seriously, take him to the padded cell and give him 20 CCs of the high test. Ornstein and Mann start off their Post op-ed by noting that recently Rep. Allen West said that there are “78 to 81” Democrats in Congress who are members of the Communist Party. And not one Republican said, “Allen, come on. You’re making us look dumb.” Not one of the Republican candidates for president said anything. Because in today’s Republican Party, that’s not even edgy anymore. They probably saw him later on and were like, “Word, Allen. Word.” Because that’s how they think black people talk.
There were some on the right who denounced West’s remarks (like Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune). West’s remarks did make conservatives look intellectually shoddy, which is when liberal bloggers like it best. But for Maher to denounce Republican candidates for failing to speak up would be like expecting Obama and other Democrats to distance themselves from Bill Maher after a million-dollar donation to an Obama super PAC. Maher’s outrage looks a little silly.
Apparently, every time Maher smears a Republican, Obama says “Word, Bill, word.” Because that’s how Maher thinks conservatives think blacks talk.
