Bill Maher Admits Trump Is Right, Audience Laughs At Assassination Attempt [WATCH]

On Friday’s episode of HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher addressed the escalating rhetoric surrounding the political climate, particularly focusing on the impact of language on violence and recent assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump.

Maher, often critical of Trump, surprisingly acknowledged that Trump is right when he says that rhetoric has consequences.

He pointed out the potential for inflammatory language to incite violence, even as he maintained his belief that Trump himself is a threat to democracy.

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Maher opened the conversation by referencing Trump’s recent claim that the hostile political climate is contributing to attempts on his life. “He got shot at again,” Maher said, highlighting the fact that another assassination attempt had occurred.

Trump, in typical fashion, had attributed the violent incidents to the rhetoric used by his political opponents, accusing them of “destroying the country.” Maher noted that while Trump’s language can fuel violence, his point about rhetoric having consequences is valid.

In response to the ongoing political hostility, Maher emphasized that both sides of the political spectrum contribute to aggressive rhetoric, but he also argued that Trump bears responsibility for amplifying the intensity of political discourse.

“Rhetoric has consequences,” Maher said, agreeing with Trump on this specific point.

However, Maher continued by asserting that Trump is not the ideal person to raise concerns about harmful rhetoric, given his own track record of inflammatory statements.

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens also participated in the discussion, agreeing that Trump’s point about rhetoric was valid but called for a de-escalation in political language. “We probably should tone it down,” Stephens said, referencing the tendency of both political parties to describe their opponents in extreme terms.

He added that labeling opponents as threats to democracy or the end of Western civilization does not advance political arguments and can worsen the situation.

However, Maher disagreed with Stephens’ call to moderate the language. “I disagree, that’s a dumb argument,” Maher stated, explaining that while political rhetoric can be dangerous, it’s essential to call out the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable.

He defended the position that Trump does represent a threat to democracy, and that failing to acknowledge that would be dishonest. “The answer can’t be that we can’t say what’s true,” Maher asserted.

Bret Stephens warns Bill Maher and Stephanie Ruhle that the media repeatedly calling Trump a ‘Threat to Democracy’ is not working:
Bill Maher: “He got shot again, and he says ‘Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at.’
Bret Stephens: “We probably should tone it down. When we’re… pic.twitter.com/65rooYjWf4

— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) September 21, 2024

As the conversation progressed, Maher pointed out that inflammatory rhetoric is a longstanding feature of politics, but there is no moral equivalence between the language used by both sides.

He argued that Trump’s rhetoric, particularly the tough, violent imagery he employs, stands out as uniquely harmful.

Meanwhile, during the same Real Time broadcast, Maher expressed frustration with his audience for laughing when he discussed the recent attempt on Trump’s life. “Let’s not bury the lead. The big story this week, they’re trying to shoot Trump again,” Maher began, only to be interrupted by audience laughter.

The host, visibly annoyed, paused to address the reaction. “That’s not funny,” he said, before reiterating that such incidents are not a joking matter.

Maher went on to remind viewers that this was the second attempt on Trump’s life in just a few months. “This is the second time this has happened. There can be no fuzz on this. This is not funny,” Maher emphasized, urging his audience to take the situation seriously.

Despite Maher’s warnings, the crowd laughed again, reflecting the deep political polarization surrounding Trump’s presidency and subsequent candidacy.

This incident followed a series of alarming statistics revealed by a new poll from RMG Research and Napolitan News, which indicated that a significant portion of Democrats view Trump’s assassination as a potential benefit to the country.

According to the survey, nearly three-in-ten Democrats believe the U.S. would be better off if Trump were killed.

Specifically, 28 percent of Democrat respondents said they thought America “would be better off” if Trump had been murdered during the recent attempt on his life at his West Palm Beach golf course on September 15.

Another 24 percent of Democrats were unsure, while fewer than half (48 percent) outright rejected the notion that the country would be better off without Trump.

The poll results, which show a worrying desensitization to violence in American politics, have sparked concern among commentators.

Napolitan News commented on the poll findings, stating, “The desensitization of some Americans following the second assassination attempt of former President Trump is alarming.”

The survey also found that despite the two assassination attempts in less than 100 days, more than half of Democrat respondents (51 percent) believe there is no need to increase security around Trump.

In contrast, 62 percent of all voters across party lines supported boosting security measures for Trump, while 32 percent disagreed.

In light of these security concerns, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday that mandates a comprehensive review of Secret Service protective standards.

The legislation aims to impose new guidelines for the protection of current and former presidents, vice presidents, and major presidential candidates.

The move was likely motivated by the recent threats against Trump and the growing concern over political violence in the country.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, speaking about the security measures surrounding Trump, noted that the situation would have been different if Trump were still president.

Bradshaw explained that as a former president, Trump’s security is limited compared to when he was in office.

He stated that local law enforcement was only able to cover certain vulnerable areas highlighted by the Secret Service, which may have contributed to the lack of full protection at Trump’s golf course.

As security concerns escalate around the 2024 election and the rhetoric continues to inflame tensions, the political discourse in the U.S. shows no signs of cooling.

The intersection of inflammatory political speech, real-world violence, and public desensitization to threats against political figures like Trump continues to pose significant challenges as the country heads into another contentious election cycle.

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