Bill Maher called for Weiner to resign

Comedian Bill Maher appeared on CNN’s AC360 last night and, of course, was asked by host Anderson Cooper for his thoughts what the much beleaguered Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) should do in light of his recent sexting scandal. It may not come as a huge surprise that Maher called for Weiner to resign, simply because of the distraction he’s created with the scandal, but his reasoning and comparative ethical “crimes” he cites are sure to anger some viewers.

Right off the bat Maher compares Weiner to former Vice President Dick Cheney, who somehow is considered to have committed a far greater crime by “shooting birds in a cage.” Cooper corrects Maher to say that Cheney was hunting. (Yes, it is true that Cheney accidentally shot a man at a ranch that released domestically raised quail for the hunt, but it seems an extremely odd thing to cite at the start of a segment on Weiner.)

The following clip clearly illustrates why CNN producers book someone like Maher on their programs, even if his claims can feel outlandish to some viewers. He almost never fails to surprise his hosts with brash and candid commentary, even if it feels like his only goal is to say something iconoclastic…or even absurd. He is, after all, an entertainer, and not a true political pundit. But honestly, isn’t that what all pundits aspire to be?