Bill Maher, the comedian and TV host, clashed with William Shatner, the Star Trek actor and author, over the topic of Vice President Harris’s qualifications as a candidate during a recent podcast appearance.
In an episode of Maher’s “Club Random” podcast released Sunday, Shatner joined Maher to discuss the presidential election and Harris’s performance in it. Maher criticized Harris’s candidacy, bluntly stating, “She was not a great candidate, let’s be honest,” a sentiment highlighted by Mediaite.
Maher and Shatner discuss the shifting political landscape and the impact on the Democratic Party
Shatner, in response, asked, “Why isn’t she a great candidate?” pointing out that Harris represented several aspects, including being Black and a woman. Maher countered, saying, “That’s not a candidate… that’s identity politics,” rejecting the notion that identity alone made someone a strong contender.
Shatner maintained that those qualities were indeed important elements of a candidate’s appeal. While Maher acknowledged that some voters might be swayed by identity, he argued that elections require more than just identity-based appeals, noting that the results showed candidates must offer more substantial qualifications.
He added, “You can’t just be woman, Black person. I mean, Trump got a quarter of Black men.” Maher also expressed his belief that Democrats misunderstood their own base, pointing to the election’s outcome, which resulted in Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.
“Democrats don’t understand their own constituencies,” he remarked, a viewpoint shared by various factions within the Democratic Party after the tough election battle. He highlighted the shifting political landscape, particularly among Hispanic voters, who moved toward Trump over the past four years.
Maher explained, “If you’re a Mexican American, who do you fear taking your job? The guy who just came in through the border. Of course they like the guy who says, ‘I’m going to keep everybody out.’”
Lastly, Maher speculated that the Democrats could have won the election if President Biden had stepped aside earlier to allow for a more competitive primary season, rather than quickly installing Harris as the presumptive nominee.
