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Maher wonders if ‘straight, white men’ will ever be able to run on Dem ticket: ‘Impossible to imagine’

November 12, 2022 | | Print Article

During the latest episode of his HBO program, liberal comedian Bill Maher twice took aim at the left’s obsession with identity, arguing that it shouldn’t matter, especially in this day and age when America is already such an allegedly enlightened society.

As an example of why it shouldn’t matter, he first noted that America just elected two openly gay lesbian women as governor in Oregon and Massachusetts.

With this in mind, he then asked one of his guests, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, whether “the gay hump” is over, meaning whether being gay is now commonplace enough that it no longer matters whether a candidate is gay or not.

“Do you think, when you run for president, it actually could be an advantage? Because the Democratic Party is very big on checking boxes. And it’s very hard to imagine any ticket now on the Democratic side that would have just two straight, white men. It’s impossible to imagine. So they need to check boxes. You check one of them,” he said.

FYI, Polis is openly gay. Maher was basically asking him whether he thinks his gay identity will still be advantageous electorally on the left come 2024.

The Colorado governor replied by defending the Dems’ obsession with identity.

“It’s not a bad thing that the Democratic Party wants to look like America. I mean, I think it is good that you have a party, you know, on race, on gender on all these different factors. I mean, you want to look like America. People should be able to look themselves in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, there’s somebody like me in Congress or somebody like me on the Supreme Court.’ That’s a good thing,” he said.

This prompted the following question from Maher: “It is a good thing. But the question, though, is it the priority?”

“I think that’s what people hesitate sometimes about the Democrats. Is it more of a priority than things like merit that should matter more? Is it more of a priority than facts or science?”  he added.

Polis agreed that it should never “stand in the way of merit” and admitted that in contemporary America, one’s identity isn’t actually stopping anyone from being successful.

“It never should stand in the way of merit, right? You always want the best president, the best member of Congress. But what I think it’s exciting, at least where the Democrats are, and I think most Americans are, is these things don’t matter. I mean, look at President Barack Obama, right, first African American president of the United States of America,” he said.

“These barriers that are in people’s minds still, like somehow I can’t do this, I think these are falling away, and there really is no barrier for anybody with any background and matter their race who they are who they love their faith or no faith at all. There’s really no, no impediment there to serve in any office,” he added.

Maher later broached this topic again during a separate discussion concerning who might run on the Democrat side in case President Joe Biden doesn’t seek reelection.

One of his other panelists, CBS News correspondent Robert Costa, predicted that both Polis, who’s gay, and Rep. Ro Khanna (also another panelist), who’s Indian, would definitely run.

This prompted a joke from Maher.

“And it’s perfect because no straight white guys. The last thing you want is a straight white guy. Sorry Gavin Newsom!” he quipped.

Khanna then chimed in to say that he personally doesn’t believe identity should matter.

“I don’t think it should matter whether someone’s Indian-American, gay, straight. I think what should matter is what is your vision for this country… That’s the only thing that should matter whether someone’s white, straight, gay. Indian, whatever. It should absolutely no bearing,” he said.

Maher countered by agreeing with the premise but noting that, sadly, identity “will” most likely continue to count.

“Look, I have no dog in this fight. I’m not running for president. I don’t care if it’s two white men or two f–king purple people! I’m just saying the Democratic Party, where they are with identity politics, they will never have two straight white guys. And maybe they shouldn’t. I’m just saying that’s a fact. That just can’t be. So you got to … check one of the boxes. Luckily, you do,” he said.

He was most likely correct that the Democrat Party, which is both obsessed with identity and with hating white people, will never again allow two straight white males to run for president and vice president together.

Vivek Saxena
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