NEWS AND OPINION:
A longtime comedian and host was in the center of a sudden cultural moment when he took apart the left-leaning mindset in no uncertain terms.
“I am still the same unmarried, pot-smoking libertine I always was. I have many flaws, but you can’t accuse me of maturing,” HBO host Bill Maher assured his audience on Friday night.
“Let’s get this straight. It’s not me who changed. It’s the left, which is now made up of a small contingent who’ve gone mental, and a large contingent who refuse to call them out for it. But I will,” the comedian vowed, citing such emerging social concerns as cancel culture and the push to defund the police — along with a new California law which requires all large retail stores to offer a “nongendered” toy section.
“Democrats have become a parody of themselves — just making rules to make rules because it makes you feel like you’re a better person. Or making sure that everything bad never happens again, which you can never fully do. It just makes everybody else’s life a drag,” Mr. Maher said in his 8-minute monologue — which was interrupted by much laughter and applause.
A follow-up video clip of his appearance posted to YouTube was viewed 640,000 times within hours of Mr. Maher’s appearance.
“It’s not my fault that the party of FDR and JFK is turning into the party of LOL and WTF,” the host said in a follow-up tweet.
There was some pushback for Mr. Maher’s revelations after the show ended, though. Some were not supportive of the audience, who appeared to be suddenly delighted and supportive of Mr. Maher’s case against the left.
Talk radio host, podcaster and author Adam Carolla faulted Mr. Maher’s enthusiastic audience for clapping just because “Bill talks about getting back to normal.”
He advised them to “shut up” — his comments embellished with some very graphic terms — and “admit you were wrong” — presumably about embracing left-leaning culture in the first place.
‘THE PERPETUALLY OFFENDED’
The nation may be undergoing a reality check when it comes to the new policies now in play, including those that would defund the police.
“2022 is proving to be the year in which progressives’ genius ideas come home to roost. Instituting far-left policies in cities across America has resulted in disastrous outcomes. All this raises the question: which Democrats will stay loyal to the far-left ‘transformational’ agenda and which will jump ship?” asks Grace Curley, a contributing writer to The Spectator.
“Most liberal politicians have enjoyed this country’s tidal wave of wokeness up until now. Posting Instagram infographics and hash-tagging activism on Twitter plays well with younger voters,” she continued.
“Real news has become almost indistinguishable from the Babylon Bee’s satire. In a single day, you can read about snowplow equity, M&Ms becoming more inclusive and students identifying as cats. Say what you will about the perpetually offended, they certainly are entertaining,” Ms. Curley noted.
TRUMP UPS HIS OUTREACH
Consider this newly minted term: “Donald J. Trump Rumble.”
Former President Donald Trump referenced this phrase in an emailed message on Saturday to preview the fact that his rally in Conroe, Texas, that evening would be carried by Rumble, a video and news platform which has promised not to discriminate against any political ideology.
The Trump Media & Technology Group signed up for a “wide-ranging technology and cloud services agreement” with Rumble Inc. in December. It is part of Mr. Trump’s effort to circumvent much of the mainstream broadcast media for the most part.
Mr. Trump’s event, incidentally, was also carried by Right Side Broadcasting, Newsmax and Real America’s Voice, the former president said.
Meanwhile, the call has gone out to donors who would like to be considered a “Trump Social Media Founding Supporter.” A new message circulated by the Republican National Committee suggests interested people should make a donation of $5 in preparation for the launch of Truth Social, Mr. Trump’s new social media platform, set to be unveiled Feb. 21 — Presidents Day.
MEANWHILE IN GEORGIA
The Atlanta-based Frontline Policy Council — Georgia’s largest pro-family and pro-life organization — is taking a proactive stance to protect conservative businesses in the Peach State. It has a straightforward name: the Frontline Conservative Business Alliance.
The new organization “is a counter to the woke, out-of-state, big business interests that seek to impose their leftist ideologies on Georgia,” the organizers said in a statement.
“The new initiative will serve, network, connect, educate, equip, and advocate for the conservative businesses that have been grossly underrepresented in the policy space in Georgia,” they noted.
There’s some support in high places.
“As a small business owner, I know how important it is for the voices of our state’s entrepreneurs and job creators to be heard at the Capitol. With the left’s attacks on our Georgia values, it’s important to have conservative businesses advocating for Georgia principles,” said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, also in a statement.
POLL DU JOUR
• 69% of U.S. adults disapprove of the way President Biden is handling gun violence in the U.S.
• 69% disapprove of the way Mr. Biden is handling inflation.
• 64% disapprove of his approach to crime.
• 56% disapprove of his approach to the nation’s economic recovery.
• 56% disapprove of his approach to the situation between Ukraine and Russia.
• 51% disapprove of the way Mr. Biden is handling climate change.
• 47% disapprove of his approach to rebuilding the United States’ infrastructure.
Source: An ABC News/IPSOS poll of 510 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 28-29.
— Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.
