The first step on the path to healing is admitting you have a problem. It would behoove Bill Maher to heed this advice. Instead, on Friday’s Real Time, he proceeded to slam others for supposedly exhibiting the behavior that he himself embodies.
Feeling a great sense of acrimony has become commonplace in Maher’s studio. This was especially true the other night as Maher unleashed a harangue against Republicans who he asserted are the true victims of Trump derangement syndrome:
And finally, new rule: American politics must be introduced to a new concept: catch-23. Now of course, catch-22 meant if you claimed to be insane to get out of combat, it actually proved you were sane. Catch-23 is, if Donald Trump never makes you insane, you are insane. I bring this up because Republicans love to throw out the term Trump Derangement Syndrome to deflect any criticism from the dear leader…When Republicans say Democrats never got over Trump's behavior, you're right, we haven't gotten over it because no one should. This is what Trump derangement syndrome really is, pretending that all of this is perfectly acceptable behavior for an American President. That's deranged. That's a syndrome. And it's coming from the right.
Ah yes, Republicans are the ones suffering from derangement, spoken by a person who dedicates his livelihood to conjuring up issues to blame on President Trump. He continued his bluster with an endorsement for former Vice President Joe Biden:
It's like body odor: if you smell it all the time, it's probably you. Look, I don't have time to go through all of Trump's greatest hits, so let's just say, if you don't think a President doing this is crazy, then I just want you to know that if Joe Biden rapidly declines and legit loses his mind, then I am going to pretend, nothing to see here. Just like you're doing now. And I'm going to encourage all Democrats to do the same and vote for him anyway. And I'm not talking about the current Joe Biden. Oh, no, no, not the mildly embarrassing gaffe machine who mixes up stories and waits til he's onstage for his eyeball to explode and his dentures to fall out. That guy would not be nearly broken and crazy enough to teach the Republicans' the lesson they need to learn. For this, I need Joe Biden to be full-on, forgot-to-wear-pants, crumbs-in-his hair, screaming-at-the-toaster nuts. And when Republicans' say, "wait a minute, how can you give unwavering support for someone who's clearly lost it?" I'll say, "I don't know, you tell me." And just like you do now, in private, oh, we'll all admit, "Oh yeah, our guy's nuts." But publicly, we'll say he's great. Full-denial mode, like you do now.
Full- denial mode sounds like a symptom Maher should be familiar with. Also, comparing the front-runner for the Democratic ticket to the President who you purport to disdain is not exactly a ringing endorsement for your side.
Transcript below:
Real Time With Bill Maher
9/20/19
10:51:18
BILL MAHER: And finally, new rule: American politics must be introduced to a new concept: catch-23. Now of course, catch-22 meant if you claimed to be insane to get out of combat, it actually proved you were sane. Catch-23 is, if Donald Trump never makes you insane, you are insane. I bring this up because Republicans love to throw out the term Trump Derangement Syndrome to deflect any criticism from the dear leader. And by that they mean that liberals are a bunch of sore losers who just can't accept the results of an election and they go mental at every little thing Trump does. And there is a bit of that on the left, but have you watched this man over the last four years?
(Montage of Trump clips)
MAHER: And you came to the conclusion, "yeah, that's how a President behaves." And I'm the one who's deranged. When Republicans say Democrats never got over Trump's behavior, you're right, we haven't gotten over it because no one should.
(...)
MAHER: This is what Trump derangement syndrome really is, pretending that all of this is perfectly acceptable behavior for an American President. That's deranged. That's a syndrome. And it's coming from the right. It's like body odor: if you smell it all the time, it's probably you. Look, I don't have time to go through all of Trump's greatest hits, so let's just say, if you don't think a President doing this is crazy, then I just want you to know that if Joe Biden rapidly declines and legit loses his mind, then I am going to pretend, nothing to see here. Just like you're doing now. And I'm going to encourage all Democrats to do the same and vote for him anyway. And I'm not talking about the current Joe Biden. Oh, no, no, not the mildly embarrassing gaffe machine who mixes up stories and waits til he's onstage for his eyeball to explode and his dentures to fall out. That guy would not be nearly broken and crazy enough to teach the Republicans' the lesson they need to learn. For this, I need Joe Biden to be full-on, forgot- to- wear- pants, crumbs- in-his hair, screaming- at - the- toaster nuts. And when Republicans' say, "wait a minute, how can you give unwavering support for someone who's clearly lost it?" I'll say, "I don't know, you tell me." And just like you do now, in private, oh, we'll all admit, "Oh yeah, our guy's nuts." But publicly, we'll say he's great. Full-denial mode, like you do now.
