Editing Real Time with Bill Maher (section)

=== Politics and current events ===
[[File:Bill Maher by David Shankbone.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Bill Maher]] in 2007]]
Maher has been a critic of the [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]],<ref name="Wrap" /> the [[Presidency of George W. Bush|Bush administration]] and the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]]. His panel attempts to present a diverse set of views. Frequently, it consists of a [[Liberalism|liberal]] commentator or political figure, a [[conservative politics|conservative]] commentator or political figure, and a third individual who does not have as clear an ideological label, or someone with [[moderate]] beliefs. This third individual is often an actor, comedian, musician, or other entertainment figure, though many times the commentator is openly conservative or liberal.

On his previous TV series, ''[[Politically Incorrect]]'', Maher used the word "[[libertarian]]" to describe his political leanings. Regarding religion, he considers himself a "rationalist", as someone "preaching the gospel of 'I don't know{{'"}}.<ref>"Religulous"</ref> Maher identifies himself as politically unaffiliated and disagrees with the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican party]] on many issues, and with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] on many of their party platform's planks. He endorsed the candidacy of [[Ralph Nader]] of the [[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]] during his 2000 presidential campaign. After the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 election]], Maher was among those who felt that votes cast by progressives for Nader possibly cost Democratic candidate [[Al Gore]] the election, and put [[George W. Bush]] in the White House. During an episode<ref>Season 2, episode 11</ref> on which Nader and [[Michael Moore]] were guests, both Maher and Moore begged Nader not to run again in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 30, 2006 |title=Maher and Moore beg Nader not to run in '04 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RysZy331YK0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618031553/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RysZy331YK0 |archive-date=June 18, 2008 |access-date=April 12, 2010 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref> Maher endorsed Democratic presidential candidate [[John Kerry]] leading up to the [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]]. In 2008, he endorsed Democratic presidential candidate [[Barack Obama]] and harshly criticized Republican candidate [[John McCain]]'s political campaign. He also heavily criticized McCain's vice presidential pick, [[Sarah Palin]], on her qualifications and intelligence. Maher interviewed then presidential-candidate, Republican [[Ron Paul]], giving him some positive air time. He often cites Paul's views in order to demonstrate the diversity of views on the right.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} Maher has used Real Time to bring voters attention to current political races. In 2014, Real Time launched a campaign called "Flip a district." The objective was for Real Time's audience to directly affect the outcome of an upcoming congressional race where Maher felt the incumbent candidate had voted or behaved badly. The show's executive producer Scott Carter told the New York Times that they were considering both Republicans and Democrats but “with our viewers voting, I imagine it is much more likely we will pick a Republican."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=2014-01-30 |title=Maher Wants His Show to Decide a House Race |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/arts/television/maher-wants-his-show-to-decide-a-house-race.html |access-date=2023-12-20 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Republican Minnesota Rep. [[John Kline (politician)|John Kline]] was eventually selected but was not unseated in that election despite the Real Time campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCalmont |first=Lucy |date=2014-11-05 |title=Bill Maher does not flip a district |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/bill-maher-does-not-flip-a-district-112555 |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref>

Maher has strong opinions on US drug policy, advocating for the [[Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States|legalization of marijuana]]. He is against censorship, often citing his own dismissal from ABC and the backlash against the [[Dixie Chicks]] for their comments on the Iraq War. He is also against conservative attitudes towards sex and sexuality, mocking outrages over the [[Clinton–Lewinsky scandal]] and [[Janet Jackson]]'s "[[Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy|wardrobe malfunction]]". He is also not shy about his lack of religious beliefs and he frequently criticizes religion. He is widely known for his support of animal rights groups such as [[PETA]]. Hot-button political issues such as health care, corporate influence in government, illegal immigration, the environment, entitlement programs, and human service regulations are frequently discussed on the show.

==== Christine O'Donnell ====
On September 17, 2010, Maher aired a clip of Delaware Republican Senatorial candidate [[Christine O'Donnell]] from the October 29, 1999, episode of his prior TV series ''[[Politically Incorrect]]'',<ref name="McGreal2010-09-20">{{Cite news |last=McGreal |first=Chris |date=September 20, 2010 |title=Christine O'Donnell: I dabbled in witchcraft |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/20/christine-o-donnell-dabbled-witchcraft |access-date=September 20, 2010}}</ref> where she discussed that she had "dabbled in witchcraft".  This was perhaps the most notable of numerous controversial statements by O'Donnell that made her the most covered candidate in the 2010 mid-term election cycle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Midterms' Media Mainstays |url=http://www.journalism.org/numbers_report/midterms%E2%80%99_media_mainstays |access-date=August 3, 2011 |website=Project for Excellence in Journalism |archive-date=September 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910044248/http://www.journalism.org/numbers_report/midterms%E2%80%99_media_mainstays |url-status=dead }}</ref>  O'Donnell went on to film a rebuttal commercial claiming "I'm not a witch, I'm you." This ad inspired many video parodies<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGlynn |first=Katia |date=October 10, 2010 |title='SNL' Does The Best Parody Of Christine O'Donnell's 'Not A Witch' Ad Yet |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/09/kristen-wiig-parodies-chr_n_757116.html |access-date=December 3, 2010 |website=Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 20, 2010 |title=Elvira Spoofs Christine O'Donnell's 'I'm Not A Witch' Ad |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/20/elvira-christine-odonnell_n_770527.html |access-date=December 3, 2010 |website=Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Parker |first=Ashley |date=October 26, 2010 |title="I'm Not A Witch" — The Remix |work=The Ca10-2626-10 |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/im-not-a-witch-the-remix/ |access-date=December 3, 2010}}</ref> and O'Donnell later said that the ad backfired and focused attention on her decade-old statement.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tom Diemer |date=October 21, 2010 |title=Christine O'Donnell Regrets 'I'm Not a Witch' Ad |work=Politics Daily |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/21/christine-odonnell-regrets-im-not-a-witch-ad/ |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-date=August 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804144316/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/21/christine-odonnell-regrets-im-not-a-witch-ad/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> O'Donnell lost to her Democratic opponent, [[Chris Coons]], in the general election. On the September 7, 2012, episode of ''Real Time with Bill Maher'', O'Donnell appeared on the show for the first time and resolved the issue with Maher, who apologized for the amount of publicity that the clip garnered. Maher said that he would not have aired the clip if he knew that it would have taken away from the message of her campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Maher says sorry to 'witch' Christine O'Donnell – Kevin Cirilli | date=September 8, 2012 |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80941.html?hp=l7 |access-date=April 5, 2014 |publisher=Politico.Com}}</ref>