HBO's Bill Maher on Friday – like so many liberal media members before him – made the case for disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) to be forgiven for his sins and allowed to re-enter politics.
At the conclusion of his Real Time program, Maher said, "In the not too distant future, we will elect a president whose penis we have all seen" (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
To make his case, Maher brought up former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R).
“And finally, New Rule: If South Carolina country folk can forgive Mark Sanford for a cheatin' and a lyin' on the Appalachian Trail, then Manhattan intellectuals can forgive Anthony Weiner for basically masturbating online,” Maher proclaimed.
There’s only one problem with this: South Carolinians haven’t yet forgiven Sanford. That would only be the case if he defeats Elizabeth Colbert Busch in the upcoming special election.
Colbert Busch is currently ahead by nine points. So, Sanford being forgiven isn't looking good.
Of course, as readers know, Maher’s never bothered by facts.
Instead, as his defense of Weiner continued, Maher said, “Mark Sanford was having weeklong, international f--k-fiestas with the girl from Ipanema and he's already been forgiven. He won the primary for his old seat. But Weiner, who was really doing nothing more than asking Facebook people to 'like' a picture of his junk, has a future that's still very much in doubt.”
And then came maybe the funniest joke of the night made funnier by the fact that Maher was being serious: "Why is redemption so much easier for Republicans than Democrats?”
Yeah, he really said that.
Conservatives know full well that typically when a Republican is involved in a sex scandal, that’s the end of his career. Ask former Idaho Senator Larry Craig or former Florida Congressman Mark Foley.
By contrast, Bill Clinton proved that a Democrat can have extramarital sex in the White House and become the hero of his Party.
But Maher continued with the absurdity mocking Sanford for having asked Jesus for forgiveness.
“Jesus said, ‘Okay,’” joked Maher, “which wasn't a surprise, because as far as I can tell, Jesus has never turned anyone down. I have yet to hear a Christian say they asked Jesus for forgiveness and Jesus said, ‘No, I'm still really mad at you right now.’"
After the laughter died down – including from guest Jimmy Kimmel who really seemed to be eating this up! – Maher disgracefully said, “Yes, Jesus is like Rihanna: no matter how bad you treat him, he still loves you.”
This was in such bad taste that members of the studio audience groaned.
But Maher pressed on saying, “That’s the great thing about being in the Christian Party: when you screw up, you get to point to the sky and say there's only one perfect person who ever lived and his name was Ronald Reagan. Oh, and also Jesus, who hates sin but loves sinners, so he gave me a mulligan.”
“But Anthony Weiner?” Maher asked. “No Jesus mulligan for him. He's a Jew. He can't receive forgiveness from an almighty father. He's got an almighty mother. You see, liberals don't get the religious do-over because their base doesn't buy that s--t the way the Republican base does.”
No, Democrats don’t get the religious do-over because they don’t need the religious do-over. They get a free pass from their supporters in the media, and whatever sin they committed gets quickly forgiven that way.
Just ask Bill Clinton.
If he's not available, talk to disgraced former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer who after resigning from office for using taxpayer funds to perform truly disgraceful sexual acts with a hooker was actually given his own television show on the supposedly most trusted name in news.
How's that for a do-over, Bill?
But Maher still wasn’t done, for he finished his program saying, “This is the no-privacy age people, and in the not too distant future, we will elect a president whose penis we have all seen. Please God, just let it not be Chris Christie."
No. Please God, let Maher be wrong again!
