"But I'm A Comedian!"
Bill Maher is stooping to new lows to defend his remarks about Sarah Palin in comparison to remarks made by Rush Limbaugh about professional activist and globe-trotter Sandra Fluke.
“I’m a comedian, not just a guy who says he is, like Rush, but someone who -- well, you saw me do stand-up last year in D.C. There’s a big difference between just saying you’re a comedian and going out and getting thousands of people to laugh hard for 90 minutes,” Maher argued.
He further goes on to say he had every right to attack Palin because she's a politician while Sandra Fluke is a "civilian". What‽
“To compare that to Rush is ridiculous - he went after a civilian about very specific behavior, that was a lie, speaking for a party that has systematically gone after women’s rights all year, on the public airwaves. I used a rude word about a public figure who gives as good as she gets, who’s called people “terrorist” and “unAmerican.” Sarah Barracuda. The First Amendment was specifically designed for citizens to insult politicians. Libel laws were written to protect law students speaking out on political issues from getting called whores by Oxycontin addicts.”
First, Sandra Fluke's status as a "civilian" stopped the moment she appeared on national news channels in a mock hearing spearheaded by Nancy Pelosi. Once she represented herself on a national stage, she presented herself as a public figure. Period. Second, the First Amendment wasn't drafted for the purpose of insulting politicians, but for people to have the ability to call politicians to the carpet for their behavior, as a system of checks and balances for all Americans without fear of retribution from government.
By the way, it should be noted that back in 2007 Maher used his very public television program Politically Incorrect to attack a "civilian" who was breastfeeding her child at an Applebee's restaurant. I'm sure he'll have an excuse for that, too.
“I’m a comedian, not just a guy who says he is, like Rush, but someone who -- well, you saw me do stand-up last year in D.C. There’s a big difference between just saying you’re a comedian and going out and getting thousands of people to laugh hard for 90 minutes,” Maher argued.
He further goes on to say he had every right to attack Palin because she's a politician while Sandra Fluke is a "civilian". What‽
“To compare that to Rush is ridiculous - he went after a civilian about very specific behavior, that was a lie, speaking for a party that has systematically gone after women’s rights all year, on the public airwaves. I used a rude word about a public figure who gives as good as she gets, who’s called people “terrorist” and “unAmerican.” Sarah Barracuda. The First Amendment was specifically designed for citizens to insult politicians. Libel laws were written to protect law students speaking out on political issues from getting called whores by Oxycontin addicts.”
First, Sandra Fluke's status as a "civilian" stopped the moment she appeared on national news channels in a mock hearing spearheaded by Nancy Pelosi. Once she represented herself on a national stage, she presented herself as a public figure. Period. Second, the First Amendment wasn't drafted for the purpose of insulting politicians, but for people to have the ability to call politicians to the carpet for their behavior, as a system of checks and balances for all Americans without fear of retribution from government.
By the way, it should be noted that back in 2007 Maher used his very public television program Politically Incorrect to attack a "civilian" who was breastfeeding her child at an Applebee's restaurant. I'm sure he'll have an excuse for that, too.