What To Know
- Bill Maher criticized the rise of democratic socialism within the Democratic Party on HBO’s Real Time.
- Maher argued that while some socialist programs are beneficial, Democratic Socialists like Zohran Mamdani are far more radical.
- Despite Maher’s concerns, Democratic Socialists have seen recent electoral successes.
Real Time host Bill Maher argued against democratic socialism on Friday’s (November 14) show, following the success of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a self-described Democratic Socialist.
Maher said, “Democrats must recognize that Zohran Mamdani is the future of the party. Unfortunately, it’s the Republican Party,” per Fox News Digital, arguing that Mamdani’s victory speech will be used “in every attack ad for the next two years.”
While Maher noted that Mamdani “seems like a nice guy,” he urged the Democrats not to get swept up in “socialism fever.” He pointed to another victor in the recent elections, Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger, who argued before the 2024 presidential election, “If the party didn’t shift to the center, we will get torn apart.”
“Well, she was right, but they didn’t listen. Typical, am I right, ladies?” Maher stated.
“Democratic socialism is like a dating profile. Things look great until you meet up in the real world,” the HBO host continued, pointing to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) as an example. “His big thing was always bringing single-payer health care to our country of 340 million. But when liberal, tie-dyed Vermont tried to do it for a population of 626,000, it collapsed.”
Maher was referencing Vermont’s proposal for single-payer health care, modeled on a system used successfully in many other developed countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, South Korea, and Norway.
“Bernie, AOC, Mamdani are not Democrats. They’ll be the first to tell you that they’re Democratic Socialists,” Maher went on. “And that’s a very different thing. And I don’t think people know that yet.”
While Maher acknowledged socialist programs such as Medicare, Social Security, and Food Stamps, he claimed that Democrats like Mamdani are far more radical. “Much of it appropriate to soften the edges of capitalism. But the DSA are radicals about this concept,” he said. “And radical economic policy is always ineluctably married to radical social policy.”
Maher stated that he and others want a “moderate” party that leans towards the center. “We’ve had enough of Trump’s macho bull**** and also enough of p***y politics,” he added.
Despite Maher’s protestations, Democratic Socialists have had success in recent elections. Following Mamdani’s New York mayoral victory, 43-year-old Democratic Socialist Katie Wilson unseated centrist Democrat Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on Thursday (November 13), running on a campaign based on affordability.
Real Time With Bill Maher, Fridays, 10/9c, HBO