They refuse to tell the truth.
On his show “Real Time,” Bill Maher criticized the media for misrepresenting former President Trump’s remarks about Liz Cheney, one of his outspoken critics. Maher addressed the exaggeration, saying he had seen headlines suggesting Trump called for a firing squad for Cheney, which he felt was inaccurate. Maher argued that while he has his own criticisms of Trump, misleading coverage is unnecessary and unhelpful.
In his discussion, Maher pointed out that Trump’s comments, though offensive in their phrasing, were meant to criticize Cheney’s stance as a “war hawk,” given her connection to former Vice President Dick Cheney. Maher likened Trump’s criticism of sending young people into combat to sentiments often voiced by anti-war advocates, particularly during the Vietnam era. He emphasized that misleading reports only fuel distrust in the media.
Michael Moynihan, co-host of “The Fifth Column” podcast, agreed with Maher, noting that media coverage framed Trump’s words as a literal call for execution. He mentioned that Trump’s initial remark suggested “giving her a weapon” rather than calling for her execution, adding that had a left-leaning figure made similar comments, it might have been viewed differently. Maher echoed this, saying that certain sentiments around avoiding unnecessary wars resonate across the political spectrum and should be viewed in context.
Maher and Moynihan highlighted that Trump’s inflammatory language does not need exaggeration or misinterpretation to be concerning; they urged for honest reporting. Representative Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, also criticized the media’s coverage of Trump’s comments as “ridiculous and counterproductive.”
Trump had made the remarks during an event in Arizona, where he labeled Cheney as a “radical war hawk” who supports Vice President Kamala Harris. He mockingly suggested putting her in a situation with a weapon, implying that it’s easy to advocate for war from a comfortable distance. Trump’s comments aimed to highlight what he sees as hypocrisy among policymakers who support sending troops into conflict without personal risk.
