HBO host Bill Maher on Friday called out former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh (Ill.) over his policy positions and past rhetoric as Walsh seeks to mount a primary bid against President Trump in 2020.
“You don’t like that he lies. You don’t like that he’s a traitor. Little things,” Maher joked on his show. “But let’s just go down the list and see how much in line you [are].”
Maher listed several policy actions Trump has taken — including appointing conservative Supreme Court justices, speeding up gas pipeline projects and planning to expand oil drilling in Alaska — most of which Walsh support.{mosads}
Walsh conceded that he “helped lead to Trump,” along with a “weak, feckless Republican Party” and “people like me who let our rhetoric get ahead of us.”
“This thing has nothing to do with issues. Donald Trump is a horrible human being. Period,” Walsh said to an applauding audience, adding: “Here’s the point. I am a Republican. I am a conservative Republican. I do not and will not lie every time I open my mouth.”
Maher also called out Walsh for being “a leader of the anti-Obama nutcase caucus,” referencing the one-term congressman’s 2016 tweet where he falsely claimed former President Obama was Muslim.
The liberal comedian joked about the White House hopeful admitting “you sent out 4,000 tweets, some of them were racist but you’re not a racist. A fine distinction to make,” generating laughter from the audience.
“Just look me in the eye and tell me that the seething, frothing hatred that I remember that you had for Barack Obama had nothing to do with the fact that he was black,” Maher said.
“Gosh, no,” replied Walsh. “His policies.”
Walsh addressed his past controversial remarks last month, saying that he wasn’t a racist but had said “racist things.”