Former United Nations ambassador John Bolton had one of the best lines on Friday's "Real Time" when after he got some scattered applause from the typically liberal audience in attendance, he said to Bill Maher, "You let Republicans in."
As the subject turned to America's military operations abroad, the HBO host told his guest, "You can't really believe that radical Muslim terrorists...need Afghanistan to launch an attack on us."
"I think there are plenty of alternative places," replied Bolton. "And I would say the bigger strategic interest going forward is keeping those nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists."
This produced some scattered applause from the crowd leading Bolton to marvelously say, "You let Republicans in" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
BILL MAHER: You can't really believe that radical Muslim terrorists, the people who we're afraid, who might get us, who got us before, need Afghanistan to launch an attack on us. It's been proven over and over again. They can do it from anywhere. They don't need Afghanistan as a training ground.
JOHN BOLTON: No, I, I think there are plenty of alternative places, but we know precisely because of the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan that a terrorist led Afghanistan endangers Pakistan. And I would say the bigger strategic interest going forward is keeping those nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists.
(Scattered applause)
BOLTON: You let Republicans in.
(Laughter)
MAHER: Okay. Alright.
BOLTON: California, no less.
MAHER: (Laughing) Touche'.
Indeed.
Exit question: How often have you seen Maher so speechless?
