Undeterred by criticism that his recent attacks on Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann have gone over the line of comedic decency even for him, HBO's Bill Maher continued his sexist assault on two of the leading conservative female politicians Friday.
As part of a joke mocking Donald Trump's recent lapse into birtherism, the "Real Time" host displayed mock birth certificates of Palin showing that she was born "Healthy, alert and pregnant" while Bachmann's read “Stupid, even for a baby” (video follows with commentary and transcript):
BILL MAHER: As you know this week Donald Trump gave forth his birth certificate to prove that he was an American. Wow, an overweight blowhard. I think we knew he was an American. And we have his birth certificate. First, he released two. First, he thought it was as easy -- it's so funny because he said, look, anyone could do it. Here's the first one he released. “Birth Certificate. This is the world-class birth certificate of top-rated author television personality and business genius Donald Trump. Signed, My Doctor.” Okay, then he had to release his real one. There it is. “Birth Certificate/Application for Bankruptcy.” And you notice: “Birth type - rectal. Complications - Head up his ass.”
So of course, the other Republican hopefuls had to release their birth certificates. We got a hold of them. Here are some of the other ones we have. This is Sarah Palin’s, the “Certificate of Birth and Hunting License.” And as you see her condition, “ Healthy, alert and pregnant.”
Oh, Mitt Romney’s. Would you like to see Mitt Romney’s birth certificate?
[Applause]
[Music, Laughter]
MAHER: He's a Mormon, you see? Alright, here's Mitt Romney’s “Certificate of Early Earth Existence.” And I love this. “Model: Human infiltration, Hunter/Killer.” He's also a robot. And I love the comments: “Where the hell does a newborn get all this hair and how does it have just a touch of gray at the temples?”
Okay. Here’s, is this Michele Bachmann’s? Oh yes. “Birth Certificate/Commitment Papers. Condition: Alert, Responsive, Lights On, Nobody Home.” And I like the comments: “Stupid, even for a baby.”
And finally here's Mike Huckabee’s. “Arkansas Certicate of Baby Makin’. When it born - Wednesday. Where it born at – The shed out yonder. Birth weight – More than a possum.”
To begin with, Maher shouldn't point fingers at anyone for being "stupid" as the mock birth certificate for the Congresswoman from Minnesota said "Michele Bachmann."
That of course is her married name. She was born Michele Marie Amble.
Nice job, Bill.
That was followed by him calling Palin and Bachmann "bimbos" the following week, and Palin a "cunt" two days later.
Now, in his supposedly comedic view, Palin was born pregnant while Bachmann came out insane and stupid even for a baby.
Clearly, until feminist groups stand up and say something - or the Huffington Post boots him off its front page - Maher is going to continue with these ad hominem attacks.
Of course, one of the so-called "gentlemen" sitting at the table with Maher might have said something. Consider that directly to Maher's right was Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), America's only avowed socialist member of Congress.
Would it have been asking too much for Sanders - rather than laughing at Maher's pathetic attacks - to say, "Bill, I think you're going a little too far with your treatment of these two ladies?"
Would Sanders have sat there and allowed Maher to go after Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, or Nancy Pelosi without coming to their defense?
It really is a sad state of affairs when a comedian can make sexist remarks about Republican women on national television, and a Senator on the opposite side of the aisle sits there laughing.
You've come a long way, baby!
