Bill Maher spars with Rob Reiner over wanting to put conditions on Democrats even speaking to GOP

Comedian Bill Maher argued with liberal actor Rob Reiner on a Monday podcast over whether Democrats should condition their conversations with Republicans on some level of agreement.

Following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, Maher praised the political right on a Sept. 15 episode of “Club Random with Bill Maher” for being willing to speak with people holding differing views and criticized the left for its unwillingness. The comedian told Reiner on the podcast Monday that Democrats’ position is particularly unfeasible given the party’s current lack of government control, but the actor still suggested dialogue should only take place if there is consensus “on certain facts.”

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“This would make some sense for the Democrats if they had any power,” Maher said. “But the idea of ‘we don’t talk to you when we don’t even have the power’? Of course, you have to talk to people.”

“You’re right. But here’s the thing. Let’s say we’re going to have that argument. You’re going to try to talk to somebody and you have a point of view,” Reiner retorted. “The other person has a point of view. Before you have the exchange, you have to agree on certain facts.”

Maher immediately disagreed.

“No, you don’t,” the comedian said. “You can’t … You just have to talk to people.”

“No, no, you talk to people,” Reiner responded. “But if somebody says 2+2 is four and the other guy says no, it’s not, how do you begin the discussion?”

Maher said Reiner’s attitude was “a slippery slope.”

“If you start down that road of, ‘I can’t talk to you if you believe this crazy thing’ — you just can’t!” he said.

Top congressional Democrats are pledging to oppose a GOP spending bill to temporarily fund the government through mid-November — increasing the likelihood of a partial government shutdown. While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed in a joint statement that Republicans are “refusing to work with Democrats,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune asserted that Schumer has not even contacted him.

“He’s suggesting that he would like to have conversations about this,” Thune said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “Well, he knows my office is right down the hall. He knows my phone number.”

“I haven’t heard from him,” he added.

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