Republican Rep. Nancy Mace joined Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on Friday’s edition of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher where she tussled with the pair over her take on her Sunday interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. Mace accused Stephanopoulos of “rape shaming” her for supporting Donald Trump, which she had no patience for considering he is “a guy who covered for the Clintons.”
Mace, who was raped when she was 16, gave her take on the interview where she was asked about Trump, her support of him, and E. Jean Carroll:
So, it takes a lot of courage, but then to feel like he was weaponizing my own rape for a political hit job and it was wrong and my daughter was there, it was awful, I felt bullied, the least they could have done was ‘hey, we’re going to talk about this, but we’re going to lead with it’ and it was my ten minute interview about my own rape, it was completely, I think, wholly inappropriate. I will answer the tough questions, I have talked about it, but that video, that speech I give-- gave triggers me. I know I gave it publicly, but it’s hard.
Maher thought the question was not as unexpected, “I mean, there was a reason. It didn't come out of left field, there's a reason why he asked the question—”
Mace interjected to add, “It was a political hit job,” as Maher continued, “it was related to something with Donald Trump and Donald Trump—I mean, you went to The Citadel, right?”
After confirming that she did, Mace added, “I will say George Stephanopoulos wouldn't last 30 seconds at The Citadel, that place made me tough, I will answer all the questions—”
Earlier in the segment, Khanna expressed admiration that Mace has been willing to tell her story, but still believed Stephanopoulos’s question was fair, and he would repeat himself “I think in a time, I know we share a view of the First Amendment, I mean, journalists are supposed to ask basic questions and not just of Nancy but of any Republican -- I think here's a fair question, should you support someone as a president who has a civil conviction of sexual assault, and who didn't concede the January 6 election? Every Republican should be asked that.”
Mace felt blindsided by Stephanopoulos’s question, but beyond that, she also claimed that he was the worst possible person to ask it, “But asked by a guy, asked by George Stephanopoulos, who covered for Bill—”
That response was drowned out by Khanna’s continuing defense, “We have got to get in this country not only that we can talk to each other, but we aren't censoring people asking tough questions. You know, being a member of Congress is, like, one of the most privileged things in human history. You’re .0001 percent privileged, so you go and get asked the tough question, that's the job of journalists. That’s what we—anyway.”
Khanna’s ramblings complete, Mace was able to more clearly repeat her earlier point, “It was more than that, and you know it was, it was a political hit job, it was bullying and it was rape shaming was what it was. Asked by George Stephanopoulos, a guy who covered for the Clintons for years and called women ‘bimbos.’ Like, no, thank you. No, thank you.”
Mace’s appearance on Real Time showed she was willing to answer questions about Trump and Carroll, but it also shows why ABC hiring a former Clinton operative to be their main newsman is fraught with all sorts of problems.
Here is a transcript for the March 15 show:
HBO Real Time with Bill Maher
3/15/2024
10:36 PM ET
NANCY MACE: So, it takes a lot of courage, but then to feel like he was weaponizing my own rape for a political hit job and it was wrong and my daughter was there, it was awful, I felt bullied, the least they could have done was “hey, we’re going to talk about this, but we’re going to lead with it” and it was my ten minute interview about my own rape, it was completely, I think, wholly inappropriate. I will answer the tough questions, I have talked about it but that video, that speech I give-- gave triggers me. I know I gave it publicly, but it’s hard.
BILL MAHER: I mean, there was a reason. It didn't come out of left field, there's a reason why he asked the question—
MACE: It was a political hit job.
MAHER: -- it was related to something with Donald Trump and Donald Trump—I mean, you went to The Citadel, right?
MACE: Yeah, and I will say George Stephanopoulos wouldn't last 30 seconds at The Citadel, that place made me tough, I will answer all the questions—
MAHER: I’ll bet. Oh, I’ll
RO KHANNA: I think in a time, I know we share a view of the First Amendment, I mean, journalists are supposed to ask basic questions and not just of Nancy but of any Republican -- I think here's a fair question, should you support someone as a president who has a civil conviction of sexual assault, and who didn't concede the January 6 election? Every Republican should be asked that.
MACE: But asked by a guy, asked by George Stephanopoulos, who covered for Bill—
KHANNA: And I think whether its-- you know, I go on Fox, Nancy goes on MSNBC—
MACE: On Bill Maher.
KHANNA: -- Bill Maher.
MAHER Yeah. No, true.
KHANNA: We have got to get in this country not only that we can talk to each other, but we aren't censoring people asking tough questions. You know, being a member of Congress is, like, one of the most privileged things in human history.
MACE: It is. It is
KHANNA: You’re .0001 percent privileged, so you go and get asked the tough question, that's the job of journalists. That’s what we—anyway.
MACE: It was more than that and you know it was, it was a political hit job, it was bullying and it was rape shaming was what it was.
MAHER: Okay.
MACE: Asked by George Stephanopoulos, a guy who covered for the Clintons for years and called women “bimbos.” Like, no, thank you. No, thank you.
