Bill Maher Suggests President Bush Has Down's Syndrome and Is 'Gruesome Boob'

Bill Maher on HBO’s “Real Time” Friday evening had some truly disgraceful things to say about America’s president that even at times seemed to shock and offend his typically liberal audience. In his seemingly habitual need to question Bush’s intelligence, Maher stated, with a picture of the president on the screen, “Amid all the 9/11 anniversary talk about what will keep us safe, let me suggest that in a world turned hostile to America, the smartest message we can send to those beyond our shores is ‘We’re not with stupid!’” Maher punctuated this vitriolic statement with a plea to his audience: “Therefore, I maintain that ridiculing this president is now the most patriotic thing you can possibly do.”

(Update: Our good friend at GOP Video has cordially supplied us a video link of this segment.)

Later, Maher made a truly despicable reference to the president having Down syndrome: “No, it pains me to say these things because I know deep down George Bush has something extra – a chromosome.” This elicited a round of groans from the crowd. Of course, when he called the president “a rodeo clown,” the crowd erupted in laughter.

Maher concluded his vile rant: "That’s why we owe it to ourselves and to our children to never stop pointing out that George W. Bush is a gruesome boob." How disgraceful.

What follows is a full transcript of this “New Rules” segment.

New Rule: Bad presidents happen to good people. Amid all the 9/11 anniversary talk about what will keep us safe, let me suggest that in a world turned hostile to America, the smartest message we can send to those beyond our shores is “We’re not with stupid!” (said with picture of President Bush on the screen). Therefore, I maintain that ridiculing this president is now the most patriotic thing you can possibly do.

Let the word go forth to our allies and our enemies alike. Let them know there is a whole sloth of Americans desperate to distance themselves from George Bush…and that’s just Republicans running for re-election. Now, America is an easily misunderstood country these days. A lot of the time it’s hard to make out what we’re saying over the bombs we’re dropping. But the world needs to know that most Americans don’t think that putting a boot in your ass is the way to solve problems. Because even allowing that my foot lodged in your ass would feel good – which I don’t – what then? Okay, my boot is in your ass, but I can’t get it out…so I’m not happy. And, it’s in your ass, so you’re not happy. There’s no exit strategy.

If I could explain one thing about George Bush to the world, it’s this: We don’t know what the f—k he’s saying either. Trust me, there’s nothing lost in translation. It’s just as incoherent in the original English. George Bush just turned out to be one of those things that’s very popular for a few years, and then almost overnight becomes completely embarrassing like legwarmers, or white people going, “Oh no you didn’t!” Or invading Iraq.

Honestly, maybe the reason they haven’t attacked us again is they figure we’re already suffering enough. No, it pains me to say these things because I know deep down George Bush has something extra – a chromosome. (groans from the crowd). Wait, wait, you see, I did that on purpose. Was it cruel? Maybe, but it saved lives, damn it. Because by doing the extra chromosome joke, I sent a message to a young Muslim somewhere in the world who’s on a slow burn about this country, and perhaps got him to think: “Huh. Maybe the people of America aren’t so bad. Maybe it’s just that rodeo clown who leads them. Maybe the people get it.” We do, Ahmed, we do!

So, while honoring the anniversary of September 11, 2001, we must also never forget January 2000. That’s when then Governor George Bush said, “I know how hard it is to put food on your family.” The world changed on 9/11; he didn’t. That’s why we owe it to ourselves and to our children to never stop pointing out that George W. Bush is a gruesome boob.