SkimIt
With his end-of-the-season show, Bill Maher made sure he would go out with a bang as he put together as fine a guest list as any this year. Monty Python's Eric Idle was the comic relief brought in to lighten the mood as Oscar-winning documentarian Michael Moore and three top political strategists--Democrat David Axelrod and Republicans Ana Navarro and David Frum--shared their thoughts on why Romney lost and what that means for the Grand Old Party.
Real Time With Bill Maher airs on HBO Fridays at 10 p.m. ET
The (Petreaus) Monologue: "If there's one thing a mistress hates, it's a guy who cheats"
Bill came out of the gate deadly serious and told his audience that yes, there is a growing chance of a new war in the Middle East over Gaza, but they should not be worried because "our best generals are on it." He noted that much of the scandal was generated by a battle between Petreaus' girlfriend Paula Broadwell and "a glorified gypsy grafter named Jill Kelley, who is part Kardashian, part Palin and part Snooki." Kelley has been linked to Marine Corps General John Allen, but apparently has also been flirting with Petreaus, and as Maher noted that got Broadwell mad "because if there is one thing a mistress hates, it's a guy who cheats."
The Interview: Obama Strategist David Axelrod on Bill Clinton as MVP
Senior political strategist David Axelrod has played a key role in every election victory won by Barack Obama. Axelrod says he is often asked: "What's the ticket to being a successful consultant? I say good taste. I found some great candidates."
Maher asked him if it was true that Romney and Obama detested each other. "Well, they didn't go out to dinner after the show," Axelrod replied dryly. "Anyone in politics knows their opponent is not going to call you the loving son of a loving mother."
Axelrod had high praise for Obama, whom he called "a spectacular person," and noted that the first phone call the President made after Romney conceded was to former President Bill Clinton, whom Obama praised for being the "all star" and "most valuable player" on the team that helped him win re-election.
The Panel: David Frum, Ana Navarro and Michael Moore and Goodbye Romney
When Maher introduced conservative journalist David Frum as author of the new book "Why Romney Lost," Bill added the aside "that was quick." (So quick, Frum agreed, that it is only available online.) Frum was eager to plug his book, but fellow Republican and CNN contributor Ana Navarro was even quicker to put distance between herself and Romney. "We learned that Romney is old time news," she explained, admitting that while "there are things you do for your nominee" she was never happy with him, as "he was very offensive to Hispanics."
Controversial documentary film maker Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine) chortled over the "sour grapes" that Republicans are displaying, particularly Romney, whose angry, bitter remarks about Obama giving away "gifts" to bribe voters was caught on tape. "We got to see how he really feels," said Moore, to which Frum and Navarro both concurred.
When Maher asked if Republicans had learned anything from their defeat, both Frum and Navarro said they believe so, especially as many Republicans are quickly and publicly distancing themselves from Romney and much of what he ran on. As Navarro put it, "the word conservatism has been taken hostage" by the extreme right of the party, but "not all conservatives want to neuter every gay, deport every immigrant and make it very hard for women to have sex." The time has come, she says, "to take back the asylum from the inmates."
Guest Monty Python alum Eric Idle: "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"\
Idle and Maher sang the opening line to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (which Idle sang in the Monty Python film Life of Brian and during the closing ceremonies at the London Olympics) and then settled into a discussion comparing the American and British electoral systems. Idle noted that in England, the entire election season is limited to three weeks and there are no political ads on television. Idle added that in England you vote for a member of Parliament and they chose the prime minister, but here "You have like an elected emperor system."
Bill ended the show and the season (he comes back on the air January 18) by telling Obama that now that he has won progressives, he must "hold his feet to the fire" to do the things they elected him to do. As for the President, he told him that now "You might as well throw caution to the wind, because we're not using it to produce energy."
Best Lines:
Ana Navarro on fellow Republican Mitt Romney:
-"Now he has found out that he is G.O.P. - get out of the picture. I'm done with him."
Eric Idle to Bill:
"Thank you for being the voice of sanity as opposed to the voice of Hannity." (Referring to Fox commentator Sean Hannity)
"Now that the election is over, Obama must get back at all those right wing hacks who tried to paint him as an angry black man who is pushing a liberal agenda by becoming an angry black man who is pushing a liberal agenda."
