On Friday, Bill Maher, the largest donor to Barack Obama's Super PAC, pressured MSNBC's Ed Schultz to contribute to the President's campaign.
This happened on HBO's Real Time less than 30 minutes after Maher said, "For the sake of black America, [Obama] needs the second term" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
BILL MAHER, HOST: The president gave a speech and he was talking about Ronald Reagan. And he said, “It was crazy that tax loopholes make it possible for multimillionaires to pay nothing while a bus driver was paying ten percent of his salary.” That wild-eyed socialist tax hiking class warrior was Ronald Reagan. And it reminded me of when I remind Christians that they're not acting like Jesus. It just drives them crazy. And I feel like unlike the Democratic candidates we've had in recent years, Al Gore, for example, John Kerry, this president knows how to push their buttons.
ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC: He does. He really does. And he's, his timing's terrific, but he's going this way, Bill, because he has to, because of Citizens United. He's not going to be able to raise the kind of money they're going to throw at him so the president brilliantly is using the bully pulpit.
MAHER: I've done my part, Ed.
[Applause]
SCHULTZ: [Laughs] No, he is.
SUSAN DEL PERCIO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: $1 million.
SCHULTZ: He is brilliantly putting them on the defensive, and he has to.
MAHER: You’re doing the side-step back.
SCHULTZ: Huh? You don't think so. You don’t think he is?
MAHER: No, I do. I think you should give some money. Anyway.
[Laughter]
SCHULTZ: They won't allow me. I can't give money.
MAHER: What do you mean you can’t give money?
SCHULTZ: I can't give. Where I work, I'm not allowed to give money. I can't give political money to anybody.
MAHER: To even to the Super PAC?
SCHULTZ: Not even to the Super PAC. I can't give money. That's the standards and practices of where I work.
DEL PERCIO: But he would have upped your million.
SCHULTZ: If I could I would. Damn right I would.
MAHER: So easy to say that. No, I believe it. That's right. I remember Keith Olbermann got in big trouble because he just gave a couple of grand.
SCHULTZ: He did. I'm trying to keep my job.
DEL PERCIO: Because you can't find another one under Obama.
Isn't this marvelous?
So not only is it okay at HBO for one of its stars to contribute to a candidate, he can campaign for him on the air AND pressure guests to do so as well.
And these folks complain about the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling.
