Bill Maher disses Trump dictator narrative

[Luvnit2]

Long Time liberal Bill Maher says no evidence Trump was or is.a dictator. He went on to say the attacks by Democrats bores him. He also said Biden is only debating Trump because he is losing. He floated the idea Biden should be replaced.


"I don’t want to hate half the country," he told Dowd. "I don’t hate half the country. And I don’t want America to get a divorce."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/bill-maher-bored-trump-dictator-narrative-doesnt-look-like-world-just-falling-apart

Bill Maher bored by Trump-dictator narrative: 'Doesn't look to me like the world is just falling apart'
'I lost my nervous system under Trump once. I’m not doing it again,' Maher said

Comedian Bill Maher said during a recent interview the repeated warnings that presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump is going to be a dictator bored him.
[u][/u]
"When people come up to me and say, ‘What are we going to do?’ I’m like, ‘It doesn’t look to me like the world is just falling apart. Maybe it will tomorrow,’" he told the New York Times' Maureen Dowd in an interview. "Look, I lost my nervous system under Trump once. I’m not doing it again. When he blows up the world, wake me. I can’t put my nervous system on the line every day for every stupid tweet and every bonehead thing he does."

Democrats and some members of the media have repeatedly warned against a second Trump term and argued the former president will be a dictator if he's elected.
Maher also told Dowd that Americans needed to stop acting like the country was moving towards a civil war, adding, "We have to see each other not as mortal enemies," but "merely as roommates from hell."

After Biden and Trump settled on two debate dates, Maher said the president was only doing it because he's "losing."

"To me it says Biden knows he's losing because otherwise he wouldn't have agreed," Maher said Friday. "Only the loser wants to debate."

Maher marveled at the idea of a summer debate with the first one slated for June 27, pointing out "they haven't had the convention yet."


The comedian argued Biden had more to prove in the upcoming debates.

"Trump is a known commodity. They know he's gonna be an a--h--e. He's gonna be lurking and growling and not obeying the rules and everything else. But Biden, they want to see proof of life," he said.

Dowd asked Maher during the interview if he ever felt like he was "beating his head against the wall."

He replied that he does, but added they had to "keep sailing onward."

"I don’t want to hate half the country," he told Dowd. "I don’t hate half the country. And I don’t want America to get a divorce."

[Mike M (the other one)]

A D with common sense is scary...

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(05-19-2024, 01:16 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: A D with common sense is scary...

Do not forget super liberal Joe Rogan who they pushed to the right with their nonsense.

[HarleyDog]

(05-19-2024, 01:46 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: Do not forget super liberal Joe Rogan who they pushed to the right with their nonsense.

Whos Joe Rogan? I've heard the name in passing, but you're saying he was a super liberal who left the dark side?

[hollodero]

Well, Maher warned for years about a "slow moving coup", quite some of his points imho had merit. And this interview doesn't give me the impression that he now suddenly dismisses the idea. Eg. he still said "maybe it will tomorrow" after his the world is not ending line. Imho he's just sick of it all and I can understand that. But I'm fairly certain he still believes in the slow moving coup notion.

He apparently also argued for understanding and tolerance for the other side the country is shared with, which sure is nice. But after several years following US politics and society more closely, I see no chance of that happening. Both sides have not even the slightest interest in any understanding or common ground, the only goal is provoce, fight, dismiss, ridicule, troll, insult. I've seen reasonable people fully capable of a reasonable discourse that lose all interest in that as soon as the enemy is sighted. The same sophisticated people suddenly are filled with disdain and switch their lizard brain on, doing their best to further fend the flames. Your both sides can not even talk to each other any longer, don't even thrive to. Most folks can reasonable talk to someone like me, but with each other, forget it. I for one think what Maher wants is a pipe dream.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(05-19-2024, 03:09 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Whos Joe Rogan? I've heard the name in passing, but you're saying he was a super liberal who left the dark side?

Former left wing liberal, pot smoking podcaster who questioned covid and is open minded enough to let a large variety of people onto his podcast, include Alex Jones and RFK jr.

Spotify signed him to a massive deal and some of the liberal elite , like Neil Young, pulled their music from the platform, but came back out of principle. Not their moral principles, but the principle of capitalism. 

I was always a fan or Rogan becuase of his humor and work as an MMA commentator, but rarely listen to his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. 

[Belsnickel]

(05-19-2024, 03:53 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: Former left wing liberal, pot smoking podcaster who questioned covid and is open minded enough to let a large variety of people onto his podcast, include Alex Jones and RFK jr.

Spotify signed him to a massive deal and some of the liberal elite , like Neil Young, pulled their music from the platform, but came back out of principle. Not their moral principles, but the principle of capitalism. 

I was always a fan or Rogan becuase of his humor and work as an MMA commentator, but rarely listen to his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. 

I have also enjoyed his humor in the past, but to be honest he has embraced some really out there ideas. Most of his positions are all over the place on the political spectrum, which is reflective of most of society in general. Probably why he is so popular. He isn't right or left, just has ad hoc opinions on things that run the gambit, really.

[StoneTheCrow]

(05-19-2024, 04:08 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I have also enjoyed his humor in the past, but to be honest he has embraced some really out there ideas. Most of his positions are all over the place on the political spectrum, which is reflective of most of society in general. Probably why he is so popular. He isn't right or left, just has ad hoc opinions on things that run the gambit, really.

He considers himself to be on the left from what I’ve seen. His Covid takes and trans in sports takes were just a bridge too far.

[Belsnickel]

(05-19-2024, 04:12 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: He considers himself to be on the left from what I’ve seen. His Covid takes and trans in sports takes were just a bridge too far.

Well, there have also been some anti-Semitic comments in line with Ilhan Omar when he was defending her. He is really all over the place at times. Plus there are quite a few on the left not happy with his 2A takes, but his positions are rooted in a hunting culture to move away from factory farming, which is really a stance that more on the left should embrace.

But yeah, it's one of the problems with the two-party system. He doesn't fit neatly into either box.

[StoneTheCrow]

(05-19-2024, 04:33 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Well, there have also been some anti-Semitic comments in line with Ilhan Omar when he was defending her. He is really all over the place at times. Plus there are quite a few on the left not happy with his 2A takes, but his positions are rooted in a hunting culture to move away from factory farming, which is really a stance that more on the left should embrace.

But yeah, it's one of the problems with the two-party system. He doesn't fit neatly into either box.

I’m admittedly way too online so I’m surprised I missed the Omar stuff, I’ll have to check it out.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(05-19-2024, 04:08 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I have also enjoyed his humor in the past, but to be honest he has embraced some really out there ideas. Most of his positions are all over the place on the political spectrum, which is reflective of most of society in general. Probably why he is so popular. He isn't right or left, just has ad hoc opinions on things that run the gambit, really.

I would disagree about the term "embraced" and replace it with keeping an open mind.

The discussions need to be had.

It is a good venue.

[HarleyDog]

(05-19-2024, 04:33 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: But yeah, it's one of the problems with the two-party system. He doesn't fit neatly into either box.

I like it.

[samhain]

(05-19-2024, 04:12 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: He considers himself to be on the left from what I’ve seen. His Covid takes and trans in sports takes were just a bridge too far.

I don't think he even knows what he is politically speaking.  His thoughts on specific political ideas are fairly incoherent at times.  He called himself a literal socialist for years, yet also decries Marxism (something usually lumped in with socialism by conservative commentators).  He left LA for Austin due to "communist" state government, which also suggests not-quite socialist ideas.  Then again, I suppose when you get the kind of money he's acquired since rising to prominence as a podcaster, socialism begins to sound less palatable.

I think he's on a similar path to Trump without the being a complete sociopath part.  Both were anything but far right for most of their lives.  Trump supported mostly socially liberal ideas as well as Dem politicians for his entire life. Neither of these guys shifted their ideologies until people on the far right started really liking them both.  If I had millions of people that didn't hold beliefs similar to my own telling me how great I was all the time, it might start to be appealing to hang out with them a little more. 

[samhain]

(05-19-2024, 04:33 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Well, there have also been some anti-Semitic comments in line with Ilhan Omar when he was defending her. He is really all over the place at times. Plus there are quite a few on the left not happy with his 2A takes, but his positions are rooted in a hunting culture to move away from factory farming, which is really a stance that more on the left should embrace.

But yeah, it's one of the problems with the two-party system. He doesn't fit neatly into either box.

His guests have definitely shifted right lately.  A lot.  That could very well be due to people on the left not wanting to appear on his show.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(05-19-2024, 06:51 PM)samhain Wrote: His guests have definitely shifted right lately.  A lot.  That could very well be due to people on the left not wanting to appear on his show.

Some may argue the current political spectrum shifted his guests to the right.

He is open to everyone coming onto his podcast.

[Belsnickel]

(05-19-2024, 05:51 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: I would disagree about the term "embraced" and replace it with keeping an open mind.

The discussions need to be had.

It is a good venue.

No, embraced is the right term. There is a difference between having controversial people on his podcast who say out there things and him making claims himself that are false and rooted in conspiracy theories. I can think of the litter boxes in schools, for instance, and some of his positions surrounding COVID aren't about being open minded, they were just wrong and came from conspiratorial circles.

[Belsnickel]

(05-19-2024, 06:51 PM)samhain Wrote: His guests have definitely shifted right lately.  A lot.  That could very well be due to people on the left not wanting to appear on his show.

Which truthfully is a shame. As much as I am not a Rogan fan, I think his show catches a lot more flak than it deserves. Open, honest, and frank conversations about these topics are necessary and maybe having people on who would be willing to share a different perspective could actually help things out. His show's popularity is huge and abandoning that audience is a foolhardy position.

[samhain]

(05-19-2024, 07:09 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: Some may argue the current political spectrum shifted his guests to the right.

He is open to everyone coming onto his podcast.

Most of his right wing guests have existed in their respective circles as right-wing for as long as they've been known commodities.  There are exceptions, like the Weinstein brothers I suppose.  

I give him credit, though.  When he had the most fraudulent "rock star" of our time on his show a month or so ago, Kid Rock tried to get him to get some churchin'.  He invited old Joe to go to church with him at Paula White's place.  Both concepts are equally laughable, but Joe's response was great.  He just said "I'm good".  He allows his guests a long leash in discussion, but he still has a line that he's not crossing.

[samhain]

(05-19-2024, 08:39 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Which truthfully is a shame. As much as I am not a Rogan fan, I think his show catches a lot more flak than it deserves. Open, honest, and frank conversations about these topics are necessary and maybe having people on who would be willing to share a different perspective could actually help things out. His show's popularity is huge and abandoning that audience is a foolhardy position.

I always look to see who he's got on there.  I suppose when you have a long-form discussion podcast for as long as he has, you run out of subject matter.  They can't all be winners.

I'd rather listen to some of the right wing guests than some of the extremely boring guests he's had of late.  

I think the covid stuff flipped a switch with him, and frankly his treatment at the hands of the national media was silly.

Unrelated: John Stewart's return to the Daily Show has been pretty great.  He's always going to be a left wing commentator, but he's surprisingly tough on Biden, and also the media's handling of the current Trump trial.  Stewart also defended Rogan when the covid stuff was going on.

[StoneTheCrow]

(05-19-2024, 10:31 PM)samhain Wrote: I always look to see who he's got on there.  I suppose when you have a long-form discussion podcast for as long as he has, you run out of subject matter.  They can't all be winners.

I'd rather listen to some of the right wing guests than some of the extremely boring guests he's had of late.  

I think the covid stuff flipped a switch with him, and frankly his treatment at the hands of the national media was silly.

Unrelated: John Stewart's return to the Daily Show has been pretty great.  He's always going to be a left wing commentator, but he's surprisingly tough on Biden, and also the media's handling of the current Trump trial.  Stewart also defended Rogan when the covid stuff was going on.

Stewart himself caught some backlash when he had the audacity to humorously mention that Covid may have originated in a Wuhan lab instead of a market down the street on one of the late night talk shows.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sSfejgwbDQ8