Josh Feldman at Mediaite noted the Obama White House responded on Saturday to a petition posted in mid-January on their website begging the president for an interview with leftist HBO host Bill Maher. Since he's done interviews with comedians and YouTube stars who bathe in Froot Loops, why not this pundit?
They proclaimed "on the occasion of Bill Maher’s 60th birthday, we the people, especially viewers of Real Time with Bill Maher, respectfully request that President Obama appear on Real Time and thereby honor that particular audience (and their support for him), as he has so honored the viewers of so many other TV shows and media outlets".
The tone of the White House reply had two notes -- (1) Love you Maher fans and your passion, and (2) Don't count on Obama to honor your request. They've denied Maher for seven years. It began:
Thanks to every one of you who signed the We the People petition asking the President to appear on Real Time with Bill Maher. With more than 320,000 signatures, Bill has once again demonstrated he knows how to inspire and motivate his viewers!
Plenty of us around here watch Real Time because we admire Bill’s passion for spreading the science on climate change, asking tough questions about money in politics, and trying to burst “the bubble” where some of our politicians — and too many of our nation’s critical political debates — exist.
They said the president's communications strategists will "keep in mind Bill’s open invitation for a presidential appearance and give it the respectful consideration that Bill and his large audience deserve."
Thanks again for raising your voices (we know Bill always raises his). We hope you’ll continue to use the platform to call on the Administration to address the policies and priorities you care about.
— The We the People Team
P.S. Before we forget, happy belated 60th birthday, Bill! You haven’t lost a step, and the gray hair makes you look, dare we say it, presidential. We hope our card didn’t get lost in the mail.
Some might think Maher's $1 million donation to an Obama super PAC in 2012 might have spurred an interview. But Team Obama wasn't going to be honest and say Maher's denunciation of the "illiberal" beliefs of many Muslims make his show inhospitable for the president, not to mention his assault on the "extreme bullying" of not allowing Maher to speak on campus due to his "Islamophobic" remarks.
