On Friday night's Real Time, HBO host Bill Maher called out Democrats like former Vice President Kamala Harris and Bill and Hillary Clinton for refusing to appear on his show despite the fact that he voted for them. Just before the scolding he was making fun of how Donald Trump had an employee nicknamed "Big Balls," and said it's like Gov. Gavin Newsom had an aide named "Perfect Hair."
Then he added: "Hey, at least Gavin comes here. People ask me all the time: Why haven't you ever had Hillary or Bill Clinton on? Why didn't you have Kamala on during the last campaign? You think we don't ask? We ask these people every week. They say no," he said. "It took eight years and a petition to get Obama on." Maher gave $1 million to support Obama's re-election in 2012.
"And these are people — all people I voted for. Think about that. They're afraid to come on the show of a guy who voted for them," he jeered. "The Republicans, they show up and when they do, they take their beating like a man."
The late-night host then played a montage of conservatives appearing on Real Time and taking his rhetorical beating. He showed none of their answers, just the beatdowns. He displayed former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, former Attorney General Bill Barr, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Ted Cruz, and MAGA podcaster Steve Bannon.
Maher also showed pictures of Republican Reps. Nancy Mace and Dan Crenshaw.
After this clip package, he returned to the Democrats. "Look, I would love to have AOC on the show, and [Zohran] Mamdani and Elizabeth Warren, but I can't subpoena the guests and I can't fix that," Maher lamented. Then he joked: "What the Democrats are scared of more than anything else. I mean, obviously, besides gluten, is being primaried from the far left, even though most Democrats are not far left, they're mild-mannered and moderate. At least at my bath house."
Maher concluded with a lecture:
If there is one practical thing that Democrats can do right now that would help them regain power it's never speak to Donald Trump in person -- no, I'm kidding, that's stupid -- no, it's this: Inspire your moderates to vote in the primaries. Get that base excited -- you have the numbers. After Congressman [Seth] Moulton made his comment about his daughter not getting run over [competing with male athletes], he added "but as a Democrat I'm supposed to be afraid to say that." Well then, change what you're supposed to be afraid of.
