Declaring “I'm not that convinced that that's her baby,” far-left comedian Bill Maher, Friday night on his HBO show Real Time, forwarded left-wing blog rumors about how Trig Palin, born in April, is really the son of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter Bristol who is now pregnant. Maher raised his theory during a one-on-one interview with CNN's Jeffrey Toobin, who didn't accept Maher's belief in such deceit, leading Maher to concede “it could be her baby,” but he still insisted “it is a little suspicious” because “the daughter -- who we know is fertile because she's knocked up again, or maybe for the first time” had taken:
...a five-month leave from high school because she had [uses fingers to make quote marks] “mononucleosis” right around the time the baby was being born. And the mother, the so-called, you know, okay, maybe it is the mother, but, you know, she was back to work three days later. You don't smell something?
Toobin remained unconvinced: “You know what, I don't.” Maher then turned to the old left-wing stand-by argument: all Republicans and conservatives are liars. To applause and laughter from the audience, Maher quipped: “Yeah, but look who we're talking about....it's not like they're not willing to lie about everything else.”
Audio: MP3 clip which matches the video above (1:55, 650 Kb)
Toobin appeared on the Los Angeles-produced show via satellite from New York City to plug the paperback release of his book, The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court.
From the Friday, September 5 Real Time with Bill Maher which aired live at 11 PM EDT on HBO, picking up as Toobin denies any media but MSNBC and FNC are biased:
JEFFREY TOOBIN: We're not talking about MSNBC or Fox, which are separate cases. But I don't think most of the news media -- the major news networks, CNN -- are biased in favor of one party or the other. There are certain kinds of stories we like. Say, you know, pregnant people. But we don't, I don't think there is a lot of sort of bias in favor of one party or the other.
BILL MAHER: Well, I'm glad you brought that up, tawdry as it is, because I'm not that convinced that that's her baby.
TOOBIN: You know, I'm willing to take their word for it on that, take their word for it that that is her baby.
[Audience laughter]
MAHER: It could be her baby, but it is a little suspicious -- if what I read in US magazine has any weight. I mean-
TOOBIN: I am actually convinced it is her baby.
MAHER: -the daughter -- who we know is fertile because she's knocked up again, or maybe for the first time–
TOOBIN: Yeah, I think for the first time.
MAHER: Okay, but she did like take a five-month leave from high school because she had [uses fingers to make quote marks] “mononucleosis” right around the time the baby was being born. And the mother, the so-called, you know, okay, maybe it is the mother, but, you know, she was back to work three days later. You don't smell something?
TOOBIN: You know what, I don't. I have to say I'm willing to take their word for it on that part of the story. And frankly, I have never been involved in a journalism story where someone who claimed to have a baby, that was ever in dispute. I mean, that's just sort of something we usually take people's word for and I think that's appropriate in this case.
MAHER: Yeah, but look who we're talking about.
[laughter and applause]
TOOBIN: That may be.
MAHER: I mean, but it's not like they're not willing to lie about everything else. You know, this is the party of character.
TOOBIN: Put me down as a believer.
