Bill Maher is back on the air, and he’s not mincing words about the 2024 presidential race. Despite likely being relieved that Biden is no longer the Democratic nominee, Maher took aim at CNN’s coverage, grilling the network’s Kaitlan Collins on his show Real Time. As a self-proclaimed anti-Trump liberal, Maher has been critical of both sides, but his recent comments suggest he’s particularly frustrated with the Democrats’ antics.
Maher’s conversation with Collins was a tense one, with the comedian calling out CNN’s supposed objectivity. Collins had recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where the audience laughed at the notion that CNN is a middle-of-the-road news network. Maher echoed this sentiment, saying, “I know what the conservative side of America thinks about CNN, and I don’t blame them.”
Maher watched Kamala Harris’ speech and noted that while it was good, it didn’t quite live up to the hype. He criticized CNN’s coverage, which he felt was overly flattering, with 15 minutes of “gushing” praise for Harris and the convention. The network’s token conservative contributor, Scott Jennings, was often outnumbered on panels, leading Maher to suggest that it’s almost better not to have a Republican presence at all.
Collins attempted to defend CNN, pointing out that the convention was a Democratic event and that liberal contributors like David Axelrod were naturally more prominent. However, Maher remained unconvinced, suggesting that the network’s coverage was anything but fair. He also took issue with Collins’ claim that CNN’s Dana Bash, Jake Tapper, and Abby Phillip aren’t Democrats, saying, “They come across that way.”
Maher also criticized Kamala Harris’ treatment of the press, saying that her aversion to journalists is even more concerning than Trump’s attacks. “She’s kind of saying, ‘I don’t need you. You don’t matter. You’re not relevant anymore,'” Maher said. “To me, that’s even worse than ‘I hate you.'”
