In a recent episode of "Club Random," renowned comedian Bill Maher engaged in a spirited debate with actor Patton Oswalt.
The bone of contention was the perceived leftward shift of the Democratic Party in recent years. This shift, as Maher argued, has alienated a significant portion of the party's base, with Gallup polling data from February revealing that 45% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents desire a more moderate party.
According to the Daily Caller, the conversation took an interesting turn when Oswalt lauded Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Maher responded by suggesting that Ocasio-Cortez would require "some deprogramming" to become a viable candidate. Oswalt, taken aback, queried, "What do you mean deprogramming?" Maher explained, "Shes never going to resonate with people outside of the bubble that she lives in, in the very, very far left."
Maher further cited an editorial from The New York Times, a publication he admitted to having disagreements with over the years. He claimed the editorial echoed his sentiments about the Democratic Party's leftward tilt. The editorial, published on October 20, called for both parties to moderate their stances. It also pointed out the absence of far-left candidates like Ocasio-Cortez in swing states or districts.
Oswalt questioned whether the editorial labeled Ocasio-Cortez as "too far left." Maher confirmed, adding, "And that the only way the Democrats will ever win again is to be more moderate." Oswalt countered by suggesting that if people perceive Ocasio-Cortez as too far left, it's indicative of a deeper problem in the country.
Maher disagreed, stating, "Well, I dont think its necessarily broken in that way, but it just shows how the country is not there. That is not where the country is." Oswalt, however, attributed this to America's immaturity and the residual "freakout" from former President Barack Obama's election.
Maher responded by pointing out that the left also overreacts, citing issues such as "Gender, race, parenthood, schools, homelessness, crime, the border, education." He lamented, "We stopped being a scientific people." Oswalt disagreed, asserting that the left remained scientific, but Maher retorted, "No, they didnt! they think gender bullsh*t that they went way too far with. Thats not scientific."
The portrayal of former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party as excessively far left, particularly on transgender issues, was a successful strategy in garnering support for President Donald Trump and GOP candidates during the 2024 election. This is supported by multiple reports.
In a similar vein, only two House Democrats voted in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in January, which aimed to prevent biological males from participating in female sports. The act passed 218-206, but Senate Democrats blocked it in March, with 45 voting to defeat a cloture vote on the bill.
This is despite a January New York Times/Ipsos poll indicating that approximately 80% of Americans oppose biological males participating in women's sports. This disconnect between the Democratic Party's stance and public opinion further underscores Maher's argument about the party's leftward shift.
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