Bill Maher: Jerry Brown Is A GREAT CHOICE For President, If Voters Didn’t Hate Older People

[Segami]

Bill Maher delivered a strong endorsement of California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to close Real Time on Friday, saying that only ageism prevented him from being considered for higher office, despite managing to turn California into the state creating the most jobs and winning re-election this week. “If Jerry Brown was 55, that accomplishment in this giant state would have Democrats hyping him for president,” he argued. “But they’re not. Because he’s 76, and ageism is the last acceptable prejudice in America — well, that and Asian drivers.” Maher said sarcastically that Brown must have taken “governing Viagra” to help lead California’s economic resurgence, while conceding it is easy to make a joke about age.


“But to seriously assume that, just because Jerry Brown is 76, he can’t be president? That is a terrible prejudice,” he said. “And stupid. Because age is always relative. [76-year-old] Jane Fonda looks like she’s 40. And [17-year-old] Lorde looks like she’s 40.” America, he said, is still a “teenager” of a nation. But he was willing to concede movies and music to younger generations. “You know what? You can have it all. But not governing,” he demanded. “Seventy-eight should not be too old to be president. Wisdom isn’t something you can just google. And governing is where we need wisdom. A concept that wise, ancient cultures already know. Chinese people would no more disrespect their elders than they would use the left-turn signal. See what I mean?”



http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/bill-maher-jerry-brown-is-a-great-choice-for-president-if-voters-didnt-hate-older-people/

[CountAllVotes]

1. People seem to forget -- Gov. Brown ran for President in the late 70s

and yes, I voted for him btw.

He was considered an oddball at that time and now he is considered to be too old.

Can't win for sh*t with these people.

I'd love to see a President Jerry Brown. I've waited my entire life to hopefully see it but ... who knows given the way things are going these days.

#1 priority = WAR without end
#2 priority = more money for the rich
#3 priority = certainly NOT the people of the USA
#4 priority = snap up every cent (aka steal) what can be had from the hands of the people by those same greedy rePUKE politicians et al.

There seems to be no such thing as a government of the people, by the people, for the people does it?

[Faux pas]

2. I voted for him too.

One of the things I remember the most is his campaign bus, and him eating tuna sandwiches to save money. My kind of politician, he didn't even live in the governor's mansion when he was gov the first time.

[CountAllVotes]

5. Yes I remember that too

I saw him giving a live speech near City Hall in SF at the time during my lunch break. I was working for $3.00 an hr. at that time and I dared not ask for one cent more.

He was called many names from Moonbeam to being gay, etc.

All of it this was so very unfair and wrong.

However, he landslided the vote in SF I noted (close to 90%!!!!) in the election on Tuesday, some some people out there are not biased nor ignorant as to what a treasure this man is!

America had their chance with him and if he is still around and does run, I'd join his campaign to get him into the office he belongs in, that of President of the United States of America

He is a very smart man, a Jesuit that was going to become a Catholic priest at one time (but gave up on this idea luckily) and comes from a highly regarded and astute family of politicians. His father, the late Edmund G. Brown, Sr. was my late father's favorite politician of all times.

My Dad was a WWII war hero of the finest sort and was rather conservative in many ways but he too voted for the now Gov. Brown for President when he ran back at that time.

[Faux pas]

19. My parents were Pat Brown supporters.

I met him once when I was really little. He picked up me out of the crowd and held me the whole time he gave his speech. So, when Jerry came around, it was a natural thing to be his supporter.

I loved him then and love him now, would be ecstatic if he ran for Prez!

[CountAllVotes]

32. Me too!

Long live Jerry Brown!!!!

[tblue37]

23. He also went to India to work with Mother Theresa.

He is a real mensch, a man who actually lives his principles.

[Segami]

3. It would seem...

that '"government of the people, by the people, for the people,' has become a concept too old for many.

[CountAllVotes]

8. +1

n/t

[still_one]

4. Brown is not going to run, however, you cannot compare when he ran then, where they referred to him

as "Governor Moonbeam", to the present climate. I think he would stand a good shot, he is a clear thinker, articulate, with good progressive ideas. However, he has done things that have not always made labor happy, and that might hurt him.

[KingCharlemagne]

6. When he was Mayor of Oakland, his cops beat the heads in of a bunch

of anti-war protesters at the Port of Oakland and Brown did nothing to rein them in and may even have cheered them on.

Those protesters were just a bunch of DFHs though, so they don't count.

[CountAllVotes]

13. and ...

You could walk through Jack London Square without being mugged. No sarcasm, FACT.

[CountAllVotes]

7. My Union endorsed him

and they have always endorsed him over any puke politician running.

They know who has the power and knowledge and ability to do the job and are smart IMO.

[Starry Messenger]

16. The unions in CA endorsed him this year.

We have a cautious but often productive working relationship with him.

[still_one]

20. not only does that make sense, but Brown can be persuaded. cash and carry

would have been a disaster for unions and the state

[joeybee12]

17. Was it the 70's? It was the 90's, definitely, so was it twice?

He ran in 1992...didn't get far...he's redeemed himself in a lot of people's opinions, though...I've always liked him.

[CountAllVotes]

31. Yes, it was in the late 1970s

Last edited Sun Nov 9, 2014, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)

I was working for the Federal government at that time and that is why I remember the time -- working not far from City Hall and there he was one day wearing his pin stripped suit and delivering one fine speech to a small crowd in the plaza in San Francisco (I'm and oldie 4th generation native driven out by the high prices years ago). Still it is "My City" as far as I am concerned.

He impressed me greatly and I've voted for him every time he has ran for any office.

Also, we cannot forget his sister, Kathleen Brown who was the Treasurer for awhile. She ran for a higher level position with the State but did not win and after that, I have not seen her in the political spectrum since time.

[joeybee12]

33. She ran against that scumbucket Pete Wilson for governor...

Disgusting that pig gor re-elected.

[Initech]

22. Nope since the billionaire coup was confirmed with our inept Supreme Court by way of Citizens United

It's now a country of the billionaires, by the billionaires, and for the billionaires. We the people don't matter anymore.

[True Blue Door]

9. America needs Jerry Brown!

Sir, you are hereby ordered not to die for the foreseeable future. Report to Iowa sometime next year for further debriefing about your mission.

[roamer65]

24. ...and I will report for duty in MI to help get him elected.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. Jerry Brown should throw his hat in the ring

As should Malloy, someone floated the idea of Al Franken yesterday, Wendy Davis just to stick it to the anti abortionists/pro women dying from ectopic pregancy crowd, . . . Who else would really piss people off? Deval Patrick?


Jerry Brown would be a very interesting contrast in Presidential debates.

I'm leaving Cory Booker off - because I would really like him to be my Governor - he would win.

[Fred Sanders]

11. Voters hate older people? Like Reagen...what about Sanders and others....poor premise...Bill is

getting rather tiresome and dull these days...Affleck and the aftermath did a number on him.

[Jim Lane]

30. For a lot of voters, yes, age is a factor.

There were comments about Reagan's age (he was 69 when inaugurated, the oldest ever). How many people on DU referred to McCain as "Gramps" because he would have been 72 when inaugurated? People here have also mentioned age in connection with Biden (will be 74 next Inauguration Day) and Sanders (will be 75). Brown will be 78, so you can be sure the subject would come up if he ran.

I'm not sure Maher's right about the "only in America" part, though. If a septuagenarian ran for the top job in other industrialized democracies, would age go unmentioned? I don't know enough about other countries' political cultures to say for sure, but I'm dubious.

[BootinUp]

12. One of his better pieces.

[Iggo]

14. You're wrong, Bill.

There are many accepted prejudices in America.

[joeybee12]

18. And Maher holds most of them...nt

[theaocp]

15. Just sayin'...

[roamer65]

25. Jello Biafra later renounced his disdain for Jerry.

Jello supported him in his run for president in 1992.

[BP2]

26. Pelosi & Reid are both 74 and white. And yet, they think they should be in charge of Congress. eom

[KinMd]

27. The job ages you quickly

..look at picture of Bush and Obama at the beginning and end of their presidency

[loyalsister]

28. "Odd's of dying in office" is not a dimension usually considered formally

But, when there is a wide disparity, the favored candidate loses the election.

[Samantha]

29. Ageism is not an acceptable prejudice

That wave came in as part of Karl Rove's strategy to divide the country in 2000. Unfortunately, many people bought into it.

Sam

[Township75]

34. I thought the Republican Party hat kicked our asses was all old?

And I guess he was defending John mccaine when he dealt with that charge?