Real Time w/Bill Maher Tonight: ONE GIANT KERRY-BASHING FEST

[Placebo]

I guess they had to make up for not having a single conservative or republican guest by having it be nothing but Kerry bashing from start to finish!

:thumbsdown:

[madmax]

1. I sure as hell won't be watching

a replay of this show. He even gave Charley Rangel a hard time during the video interview. Hey!!! Bill - this is for you :spank:

[dennis4868]

2. THIS WAS THE WORST REAL TIME

ever!

The guests were terrible....they were scared to talk and Maureen looked like she was falling asleep!

Plus, they were unfair to Kerry. Bill was knocking Kerry for not fighting back....WTF? What does Bill think Kerry has been doing the past 3 weeks....has he not heard a Kerry speech lately?

[question everything]

71. I think that Maureen Down is better at writing than speaking

She was also on Jon Stewart once and was having hard time forming complete sentences to express what she wanted.

Just because someone writes well does not mean that that someone can speak well.

[City Lights]

3. Thanks for the heads up. I won't waste my time. eom

[SammyWinstonJack]

50. I'm sorry I did

:-(

[Kierkegaard]

4. Maher just lost my support. He is a ratings whore just like any other.

Where to turn for a dose of reality? I'm sick of all the obedient, script-following, brain-dead journalists/talk show hosts spouting fiction as fact and turning reality on it's head.

[mandyky]

5. Oh come on, bashing is a little strong

Bill makes fun of people, it's his job. He also made fun of shrub.
It's not the best RT I've seen but it is worth watching.

[soleft]

6. How about Lying? Maher and Rangel saying Kerry didn't respond

after the Republican Convention.

[dennis4868]

9. I know....

Kerry responded 15 minutes after Bush's acceptance speech in front of thousands of people in Ohio!

[Cleita]

7. Too bad McGruder didn't get more time.

He seemed a little miffed and not interested.

[Placebo]

8. Oh Come ON...

"Kerry has been made into a bitch."

"Kerry is in pantyhose."

the list goes on! I didn't hear a single positive thing about Kerry that entire hour

[dennis4868]

10. I agree that Kerry....

did not fight back soon enough but the panel on Real Time acted as if Kerry is still not fighting back which as we all know is not true!

[MrSlayer]

11. Bill was being a real dick tonight.

There were a lot of good Anti-Bush lines from everyone but it was a Kerry Bash 90% of the time. At least the old dude refrained from criticizing Kerry saying he didn't want to give anyone a reason to vote for Chimp. The Boondocks dude called Kerry a bitch and Bill was spouting off some serious RW talking points. The New Rules were funny though.

[Pirate Smile]

12. God, tonight has been depressing. The preview of the documentary

on the Dem's looks interesting. Comes out October 11th. Preview shown at the end of Real Time.

Do these guys actually watch his speeches,like the one on Monday and the one today. What the hell are they talking about?

[Placebo]

14. Yea that Doc did look good!

I love getting a behind the scenes look at politics :) and getting to see the candidates un-scripted!

it's from the same lady who did JOURNEYS WITH GEORGE, right?

[Pirate Smile]

15. I think so. Alexandra Pelosi - Nancy's daughter.

[liberalmuse]

13. Nice.

Fuck the upper tax bracket, 'limousine' liberals slamming Kerry. Guess Maher likes his Bush tax cuts. Fuck Nader. Fuck Bartcop. Fuck everyone, Republican and Democrat, who is working to give Bush another 4 years by continually picking apart the best hope we have to oust this atrocity of an administration. You SUCK!!! There's nothing wrong with Kerry. Fuck the stink of a shithole this country has become.

[Pirate Smile]

16. I'm sorry but I'm sick of Dem's slamming Kerry. I know there

have been threads about "why are people so thin skinned about criticizing Kerry" but can we just focus on what the hell we are trying to do for the next 40 days and stop complaining.

I know the Rethugs are the ones who are "disciplined" and all spout their talking points like robots but, shit, Kerry is taking enough slams from B/C and their surrogates can we just try to help and he is fighting back now.

My Mom is a dem who keeps bitching about Kerry and I just want to shake her and say bitch about Bush.

end of rant

I should probably just go to bed.

[cire4]

17. Uhh...Maher has said repeatedly that he's voting for Kerry

and that he would give back his Bush tax cut.

Tonights show wasn't nearly as bad as people are making it out to be. Criticizing Kerry's campaign style does not mean you are shilling for Bush.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. True. It was not a bashfest against Kerry.

Mahar was brutal against *.

[SeekingTruth]

19. I agree....it wasn't that bad...

Maher worked in a cocaine joke, that Bush is a drunk, an idiot and a bunch of other things.

Sure, they worked on Kerry a bit, but really it's stuff that needs to get out now, rather than later.

Everyone remember, the news cycle appears to a be a week behind of current events.

What I suggest is every one calm down till at least the first debate - that night after the pundits spoon feed their version we'll know more about what lies ahead.

[LTR]

27. Thank you

I thought it was a good, entertaining, hilarious show. Last week sucked because it seemed like Bill and PJ O'Rourke were the only ones who didn't seem to be sleeping through it. And Cornel West was only effective talking to himself.

Bill doesn't sweeten the truth. He put up with enough bullshit at ABC about pissing off people with his show that he'll say whatever he wants, especially since HBO gives him complete freedom to do so. I don't always agree with him, but I'll put him up against any so-called pundit on the news channels. And more often than not, I actually agree with him.

[dweller]

21. wow . . .

thank you, you have saved me the time typing that expression.

so, come here often?
dp

oh yeah, fuck Maher!

[chicagojoe]

41. Way cool, liberalmuse !!!

I love it when others are as angry as I am about the Radical Right and Dems who act like they're a part of the Radical Right.
Bush Gotta Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AntiFascist]

47. I heard plenty of Bush bashing as well....

I guess he scored one for the anti-government movement.

He wants to see Arnold run against Bill Clinton? Please, if you can't stand listening to the right wing now, just imagine.

[atommom]

56. Yes, it would be a nightmare, but it would be a comedian's wet dream! nt

[Puglover]

53. I agree about Bartcop.

I don't even hit the site anymore due to his constant Kerry bashing and pink tutu shit.

[Cha]

20. That's what they were doing last week

when I turned it off. I forget now who was on last week..it was so memorable..but I turned it off soon after it started and threw my mote control down in disgust.x(

[JanMichael]

22. Not all of the criticism was undeserved.

Kerry hasn't run the kind of campaign that I think we all expected of ANY Dem candidate this year, why NOT?

[Melodybe]

26. Bull Shit those fuckers are too busy criticising Kerry to pay attention

to what he has been saying. Kerry and the democrats have kept Bush on the ropes all week, fuck them all for not noticing.

I hate Bill anyway, he talked to Drew Barrymore like she was five, he is such a sexist asshole.

I wish I could tell Maher off just once in my life.

Kerry has been awesome all week and those still criticising are the one not paying attention.

REal Time is just as much of a problem as the rest of the "news" because they continue to believe any poll spouted by the media.

It makes me mad, if we know the media does not but lie why do we believe their polls?

I wouldn't be so pissed but people never pay attention to the personal stories, like I got my republican landlord to vote Kerry, they want to believe the bull shit polls and obsess about them

Defeat begins with us and I won't watch Maher again until after the election.

[JanMichael]

32. Drew was talkling like she was five.

That sort of hairbrained me me me me I I I bullshit is what has this country so fucked up in the first place.

I admire her desire just not her verbal abilities.

[latebloomer]

54. Drew came off like an insipid narcissist

And Kerry got the trouncing he deserved. It's always crystal clear how much Maher despises Bush, and he always has great, funny, articulate, Bush-bashing guests. But he's not going to sugar-coat Kerry' foibles.

It's satire, not the DNC convention.

[xxqqqzme]

68. ah the Drew Barrymore bashing

congrats - U who know nothing of what U criticise. have U seen the doc running on MTV encouraging 18-24 yr olds 2 vote? Didn't think so. I caught it cuz Drew was on w/ Jon Stewart promoting it recently. It is very good. Her realization that the better she knows herself makes it easier to identify w/ a candidate she can support may B civics 101 around here but 2 a person starting life's journey, it is a lite bulb moment. Don't forget Barrymore is appealing 2 the very demographic that has quite literally grown up WITH her.

Maher's scornful remark 'You've been watchin' way too much Oprah' was arrogant and condescending.

I though Dowd was drunk or high. She was a complete waste of space. Aaron and Larry seemed very subdued in comparison to other appearances.

[JanMichael]

35. I'll also add that one good week is nice but we've been at this...

...for months:-)

[RobertSeattle]

23. It wasn't the best show, but it wasn't that bad

[LTR]

24. You people are being way too thin skinned

I posted in another thread, same topic:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=896371#896431

I'll repost here:

Yes, they did criticize Kerry. But I don't agree that Kerry needs nothing but yesmen. Bill's an obvious Kerry supporter, but he's honest in his opinions. He thinks Kerry needs to get more aggressive, and that he's not responding well enough to all these attacks.

I believe Kerry should have come out against the Swiftnuts ads long ago. I also think he should have been more aggresive about Bush ignoring the PDB and reading kids books while the country was under attack. Kerry's starting to come around, but it takes a little time to resonate. We still haven't heard anything about BCCI.

The last thing Kerry needs is a bunch of asskissers who tell him how great everything is. The current president has that. What Kerry needs is people who tell him the harsh truth. Maybe they have already, and we'll be surprised come debate time and the month of October. But this stuff takes a little time to get out to the sheeple.

I like Bill Maher because he's a left-leaning guy who's not afraid to tell the truth. And he's not a media whore either. He obviously loathes Bush, but wants his guy to grind his punk ass into the ground. And Kerry should have done this long ago.

I for one like to see an honest opinion. I like Kerry, and I'd vote for him even if I didn't despise Bush. But Kerry needs to close the deal. And quick.

I thought it was a good show. We might not like it, but sometimes a little truth is not a bad thing. I've heard enough of the candycoated bullshit.

Again, I don't want to hear sweet happytalk. If I wanted that, I'd pull out a Tony Robbins tape. What I like about Bill is he doesn't sugarcoat anything. He tells it like he sees it. And I think hell will freeze over before he votes for Bush. But he's stressed time and time again that he wants Kerry to be more of a hardass. Like he was when he came back from Vietnam. As he stated tonight, he's befuddled that 'the worst president in history' is still competitive against a fucking war hero. Hell, if that doesn't put a little fire under Kerry's ass, I don't know what will.

[SeekingTruth]

28. Be careful with that "thin skinned" comment....

get ready for flaming.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=893843&mesg_id=893843

[LTR]

30. Well, there's a right way...

...and a wrong way.

I agree in part with what you say, but you should have given some examples from the get-go. Coming out and attacking with nothing to back you up is just gonna get you on people's shitlists.

[cire4]

33. Agree totally...

Bill Maher is one of Kerry's strongest supporters and one of the biggest Bush bashers in the media world. I remember his debate with Hannity where Hannity was spilling out his usual nonsense and Maher was defending Kerry vigorously. The guy is on our side, even if he criticizes Kerry's campaign strategy.

Criticizing our candidate should not be blasphemous. I mean, what are we, Freepers??

[Placebo]

36. NO, YOU TOTALLY MISSED MY POINT.

I said that TONIGHT'S episode was a nonstop kerry bashing fest, and to say otherwise is just crazy. I know Maher is one of Kerry's biggest supporters, and one of the strongest critics of bush, but that doesn't change the fact that tonight's episode was shit.

[LTR]

37. Is it really bashing to tell Kerry to grow some nuts?

Bill's pissed because he expected this election to be in the bag for Kerry. And he wants Bush to get his ass stomped. Kerry is starting to do it, but this kind of stuff takes a while to reach the masses.

IMO, Kerry should have gotten tough a long time ago. No way that Texas asshole should still even be competitive in this race.

I'm sure there's lots of Kerry supporters who don't go anywhere near DU who probably think the same way. I'm sure they want Bush on his knees crying now (I sure do). And they trusted Kerry to do it. I think Kerry is capable of doing it.

And I know Maher speaks glowingly of Kerry's post-Vietnam activist work (name one other person on TV who does this). He gloats about it every week! He admires it! But he just wants Kerry to stop playing with his food and go in for the kill. I can't blame him for being critical. I'd be pissed off too.

We are fortunate here to be enlightened and informed about what goes on in the world. But the rest of the population isn't. They hear about stuff often weeks later, and filtered down to memorable images or catchy soundbytes. I think Bill is speaking for them.

[Placebo]

38. Ugh, Kerry HAS Stepped up his attacks this week!

He has drawn his sharpest contrasts with bush ever, he's doing everything those people were whining about, its as if they are all stuck mentally in august.

[LTR]

39. But it takes time

The GOP has this shit down - boil it down to a bunch of cliches and catchphrases and repeat, repeat, repeat. This stuff doesn't work overnight.

Remember, most people still get most of their news from TV, where it's all soundbytes. With this method, whatever Kerry's doing is going to take time to sink in. Not everyone reads DU or Atrios. Drudge is about the strongest thing most people will spend the time going through. Simple headlines. Hell, we all knew just about everything in Fahrenheit 9/11 before it was released. The masses? It was likely all new to them.

DUers are already voting for Kerry. We don't really need to be impressed, except to pump us up. But Kerry needs to reach out to the Headline News crowd. They're the ones who will decide this thing.

[dennis4868]

42. Maher.....

does not ralize that Kerry will have to cheat to fight fire with fire and I dont think that is in Kerry's nature. Kerry will fight back and be tough but what Bush is doing is called cheating...making shit up about Kerry and scaring the shit out of people if they do not vote for him!

[liberalcanuck]

61. Margaret Carlson has a great theory about why Kerry waited until

this long to come out swinging. The sheeple can't take hearing the awful truth; the reality of what's going on in Iraq for too long. She figures, and I think she may unfortunately be correct, that it would have negatively backlashed on Kerry had he been talking Iraq, Iraq, Iraq for weeks on end.

I'm sorry I don't have a link. I just recall that was the gist of her argument for why Kerry seemed tentative about attacking shrub until recently.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Saw Maher on Scarborough last night

He said Bush would win the debates as long as he didn't swallow his tongue. Fuck that elitist asshole. He's just a reed in the wind. No backbone. He was kissing Bush's ass after we invaded Iraq. That cocksucker supported Nader the last time around so he's in part to blame for chimpy being in office.

[Pirate Smile]

29. Here is some people who think Bush will win. We need to play

the expectations game smart this time.

"BUSH DEBATE FAVORITE: 44% expect Bush to "win" debates | 33% Kerry to "win"'

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/NotedNow/Noted_Now.html

[SeekingTruth]

31. Democratic Framing of the Debates....

This is an issue we should be working on - the general belief is that the dim bulb receives a huge mental ability handicap, so it is perceived that if Bush doesn't choke on his tongue he will win the debate.

The bar is set so low for him that about all he has to do is show up....Maher was probably just speaking to this...

[LTR]

34. Off-topic: What do you think of B. Clinton vs. Schwarzenegger?

Like Bill said, each tribe selects their strongest warrior.

They get to let an immigrant run for president, and we, as Bill said, get Clinton, with the term limitation lifted.

I don't like anything that gets Gropenegger anywhere near the White House, but it was an interesting and funny bit.

[mountainvue]

40. I listened for a

minute and quickly lost interest once I realized he was at it again this week. WTF is wrong with him?

[Justice]

43. Show Was Bad - Maher is about two weeks behind

Maher didn't focus on the CURRENT polls, what Kerry has done this week alone. He seemed trapped in a time warp - harping on points made two weeks ago.

Everyone seemed more interested in making pithy analogies than in having real conversation.

I kept HBO just for Maher, but am cancelling it. He is simply not worth it.

[Elbowroom]

44. wtf? this thread makes me want to forget about DU

you guys have your head uo your ass! sorry..but it is true. I hate Bush just as much as mot of the people here. Tonight's episode was one of the most Bush bashing packages we have had on tv in a long time. there were things said that people had been afraid to say previously over the past two years. Our cartoonist hero whiped out his giant balls and spoke his mind and it seemed that the rest of the guests agreed with him.



truss me.......to build any man up, you must make the genral public realize that he has qualities like them. We have to admit that Kerry has some weaknesses to truly show off his real strong points....because everybody knows that there is no perfect man.



......fuck, i am drunk(listrning to Bill Hicks as I type this!) hehe

45. GET OVER IT, AND LOOK INTO THIS:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2411094

[Bluebear]

46. The panelist said it best, they all want Kerry to win

They advise that he has made some errors and want nothing more than for him to answer some charges and that he has gotten bad advice. I don't consider that 'bashing'. We only have one chance to win this election, I am willing to listen to all takes and not just ride a Pollyanna wave. Just my 2 cents.

[saracat]

48. And the worst part of it is that that the media will all use that

criticism of Kerry against him to demoralise his base. Doesn't anyone here at DU believe that? Sheesh! I have even had my critical posts of the campaign and obsevational posts regarding some Dem perpectives copied and used by the Wall Street Journal as proof of base erosion! I won't make that kind od mistake again. We and Bill Mahr ,don't need to arm the opposition!

[JDPriestly]

49. I didn't see the show, however,

the more people bash Kerry for not fighting back, the better it is for him. That is because it makes it difficult for the press to criticize him when he does fight back.

This will be very helpful to him at the debates. Since Kerry's supporters are begging him to come on very strong, he will draw less criticism for doing so. People will be less likely to blame him for coming out stronger against Bush, since conventional wisdom is that he hasn't fought Bush hard enough thus far. Now, all Kerry has to do is really let go and come out fighting. He can. There is no doubt about that because he has been doing it for several days now.

[Justice]

51. Give Bill Your Feedback

http://www.hbo.com/billmaher/?ntrack_para1=feat_main_text

[otohara]

59. Feedback Won't Faze Maher

only his opinion matters.. don't ya know?

[CoffeeAnnan]

52. Why do people like Maher and others want our candidate to be an

entertainer?Isn't John Kerry's main job to educate us on what we are confronting because of GW's recklessness and what K-E plan to do to bring some sanity back to our lives? In this, Maher joined the other selfimportant snark Maureen Dowd in trivializing everything she touches.

One should not expect anything better when our school systems expect our teachers( math teachers, no less) to be fun people!

[latebloomer]

55. I don't think he wants him to be an entertainer

I think he wants him to eviscerate him the way he should be eviscerated! The man is the "worst president in history", as Maher DID say last night. There is MORE than enough ammunition to leave him whimpering in the dust-- Lock and Load!!

[Cocoa]

57. I wouldn't want to be in a foxhole with Maher

Kerry fighting, Bill bitching.

[City Lights]

58. Thanks for the Blackspotsneaker.org info, The Nation.

Next time I need sneakers, I'm going to order a pair. :thumbsup:

[Dark]

60. You are acting like a buch of repubs.

THEY are the ones who blindly follow their leader, who ignore his faults or even act as if he has none. We question and disagree with our leaders.

If we just nod our heads and say 'yes, Kerry's perfect' like the pubs do for Bush, we'll turn off way more voters. Kerry isn't the best candidate, but if we don't address his flaws, our opponents will.

[Elbowroom]

63. well said!

it appears that some of the DUers here need to grow some skin. This was the first episode of Real Time where there wasn't a strong voice from the republican side.

[Eloriel]

62. Another perspective

I personally thought it was one of the best Maher shows ever. I thought to myself as it was winding up, "Maher just gets better and better." I laughed several times during the show, and that's primarily why I watch it.

Frankly, I didn't even notice the Kerry bashing -- I was groovin' on the Bush bashing.

Let's face it. Kerry is far from perfect as a man, Senator, politician, nominee. I'm not that sensitive to criticism of him (obviously) -- ESP. when that criticism has merit and esp. if that criticism could conceivably improve his performance.

Some of you seem to think that there should be no criticism of Kerry allowed by anyone conceivably on "our side." Well, Maher isn't really on our side, for starters. He's a Libertarian, a left leaning Lib (thankfully, 'cause those right leaning Libs are the pits). Additionally, I don't want to live in a society where OUR side muzzles its members (and sympathetic not-quite-members) too.

My suggestion would be for people to examine the extent of their FEAR over any less than positive statements made about Kerry, and even more their FEAR over the possibility of Kerry losing. It occurred to me just the other day that we're all so proud of ourselves for not falling for Bush's fearmongering, but so many of us are falling into FEAR over what will happen if Bush wins or steals the election again. I'm not saying this isn't a serious, serious concern or that we shouldn't fight like hell to change things -- but the FEAR is extremely counterproductive. Their side benefits when the American people are in fear, for whatever reason. Further, FEAR is crippling and disempowering (one reason their side benefits), can make people do irrational, counterproductive things (like go nuts when a critical word is spoken about their nominee), etc.

Get over it, people. Let go of the fear. Your very life may depend on it. Realistic conern that informs and motivates, yes; fear, no. Just say no to FEAR. Whatever comes, you WILL deal with it in the best way you can. We all will. And if the worst comes (another Bush theft), I can promise you there'll be a LOT MORE of us "dealing with" that in pro-active ways.

[Qanisqineq]

65. I agree about the show

I thought it was hilarious and that Maureen Dowd sucked (I like the stuff I read, but she cannot give an interview IMO). Some of the criticism of Kerry I thought was deserved and most of it was how Rove, et al is portraying Kerry.

On the other hand, when I was gonna watch it for the second time after my husband got home last night, he got sick of it and turned it to Al Franken. I guess it just struck a nerve with some people. :)

[October]

66. Some funny comments, but mostly criticism

They made me laugh too, but I grew tired of the constant criticism. It's not like they offered any solutions either.

And what was with Maureen Dowd? I think she was trying to be flirty, tossing her hair and tilting her head like some freaky washed-up movie star or something. All I could think of was "I'm ready for my close-up Mr. Maher."

[Qanisqineq]

70. Haha!

Exactly! Flirty is just what I was thinking. She acts like an airhead on TV. Either that or she's extremely shy because that is the way she acts in every interview I've seen.

[October]

64. It was like he'd read Bartcop or something

<sigh>

The writer guy guest (from M*A*S*H) was good, but Maureen Dowd, Magruder, and Maher made too many negative statements about how Bush had put Kerry in panties and such.

What galls me is that Bush is a complete idiot, but at least his side knows how to spin him. He's afraid of horses (or doesn't ride them, anyway) yet they have the country believing he's a cowboy or rancher. He avoided service, but the country thinks he's served. Etc., etc. ad nauseum.

Meanwhile, our side seems incapable of loyalty. I don't mean blind loyalty -- but it's like the Democratic candidate has to be perfect, or we'll crucify him ourselves.

Between Bartcop's rants on Kerry and now Maher, I'm seriously bumming.

[knowbody0]

67. bill is jealous of jon stewart's awards

and since then has been hanging in the bars feeling sorry for himself.i still love him when his shit stinks. these bashings fire up kerry, a man of dignity and taste. he needs to get down to bush level. bill is just being a good parent. he he he he

[Cha]

69. I know what you mean! And there is really

a lot of good about Kerry and he's going to make a Great President and lead us out of this horrific quagmire of a mess in Iraq and our own Country.

Guess who gets the Last Laugh?:D