Comedian Bill Maher expressed on his HBO show "Real Time" that he would prefer to vote for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin over many progressive Democratic candidates. Maher, who identifies as an "old-school liberal," argued that a growing number of "radical socialists" are influencing the left wing of the party.
Maher cited a recent open pledge, introduced by two Democratic congressmen, which stated, "We are capitalists, not socialists. We want safety, not lawlessness. We are proud, not ashamed of America." He noted that only eight out of 212 House Democrats signed the pledge, suggesting it was "not hard words for a congressional Democrat to sign on to." Maher remarked, "There's gotta be an easier way to lose the swing states."
He then stated he would vote for Palin, whom he described as a "bimbo," rather than support what he characterized as "this s***." Maher added that if asked, Palin could articulate her appreciation for America.
Palin, a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, served as the Republican Governor of Alaska from 2006 to 2009. She was the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 2008 and made an unsuccessful bid for the House of Representatives in 2022.
Maher's criticism extended to specific progressive candidates and the agenda of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He called out New York congressional hopeful Darializa Avila Chevalier for comments suggesting the U.S. should not have borders, and Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong for expressing a desire for "a world without prisons."
Chevalier has since stated she has grown considerably since making the border comments on a now-deleted social media account. Hong has also reportedly moderated some of her past positions, including calls to defund the police.
"People gotta realize this is going on," Maher said. "Yes, my vote is in play. I'm not voting for anyone who thinks the wrong side won the Cold War or cheers for the intifada like it's the World Cup."
He used the term "colonized" to describe his view of the Democratic Party's current state. While critical of the party's leftward shift, Maher also acknowledged that figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could potentially become "fantastic" presidential candidates in the future, though he suggested they would need "deprogramming."
Maher has previously criticized Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for not engaging with him on his show, despite him being a potential voter.