Bill Maher is facing criticism from Democrats who argue that his rhetoric towards them has shifted. However, he asserts that it is the left that has undergone a transformation.
During a sit-down interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Maher openly admitted, “I haven’t turned. Yes, people have said to me, ‘You made fun of the left more than you used to,’ and guilty, I have, because the left has changed.” Maher acknowledged that his shift in focus towards criticizing the left is a direct response to the changing nature of the left itself.
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During an interview, Bill Maher, the host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” acknowledged the transformation of both the left and the right. However, he argued that the Republican Party has undergone an even worse transformation compared to the Democrats.
“I mean, the right no longer believes in democracy. They have aligned themselves with a sociopath named Donald Trump, who only considers elections valid when he wins,” Maher stated, alluding to Trump’s baseless allegations of election fraud in the 2020 election. “And that, my friends, is even more troubling.”
“But the left has also undergone changes,” he added. “So I will address it whenever I come across it.”
Maher proceeded to identify several concerns he has regarding “gender and race and free speech,” along with communism, border patrol, and the movement to abolish the police.
He responded, “It’s not because I’ve aged, it’s because your ideas are foolish.”
Critics from the progressive community have taken issue with Maher’s strong stance against the nationwide college protests supporting Palestine and his endorsement of Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
Critics of the show host argue that while he openly backed college students protesting against the Vietnam War, he has not shown the same support for the current movement advocating for divestment from Israel.
According to him, the recent situation was quite distinct. He pointed out that, unlike during the Vietnam War, the students involved were not protesting against their own peers. Instead, they were posing a direct threat to other students.
“And it made perfect sense to oppose the Vietnam War. It was a conflict that we likely shouldn’t have been involved in,” Maher expressed. “However, let’s be clear, what we’re witnessing here is not just a demonstration or protest, but rather support for a terrorist group.”
According to him, the younger generation holds the belief that their new ideas are superior. He emphasized that new does not necessarily mean better.
