Ben Shapiro, editor emeritus at The Daily Wire, gave HBO’s audience a friendly reminder on Friday night that Democrats have, in fact, cozied up with dictatorial regimes during an appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” after the host suggested that Democrats would face consequences for “kiss[ing] up” to dictators.
Maher made the remarks during a panel discussion which, at that moment, had focused on Fox News host Tucker Carlson interviewing Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary.
“And the fact that Tucker Carlson embraces this guy, that the Republican Party gets this sort of dictator immunity, that, I mean, if a Democrat kissed up to a dictator like that,” Maher said.
“If? If a Democrat kissed up to a dictator?” Shapiro responded. “Barack Obama went and held hands with Fidel Castro’s brother at a baseball game. If a Democrat kissed up to a dictator like that.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Maher responded.
“Barack Obama said that he was going to provide flexibility to Vladimir Putin,” Shapiro added.
“Alright, forget that,” Maher concluded.
WATCH:
.@benshapiro RIPS Barack Obama for hanging around with Cuban dictator Raul Castro pic.twitter.com/Bu6g7K6kk8
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) August 7, 2021
TRANSCRIPT:
BILL MAHER, HBO HOST: V-Dem which is an organization that assesses global democracy, says Hungry, which is where [Viktor Orban] is the dictator, lapsed into autocracy in 2018. They’re not alone. This is widely seen as the truth. Viktor Orban elected, he was elected, so was Hitler.
BEN SHAPIRO, HOST OF THE BEN SHAPIRO SHOW: Three times I believe, right? Orban.
MAHER: Right. It’s a different kind of autocracy that he is practicing. It’s kind of dangerous. And the fact that Tucker Carlson embraces this guy, that the Republican Party gets this sort of dictator immunity, that, I mean, if a Democrat kissed up to a dictator like that.
SHAPIRO: If? If a Democrat kissed up to a dictator? Barack Obama went and held hands with Fidel Castro’s brother at a baseball game. If a Democrat kissed up to a dictator like that.
MAHER: Yeah, you’re right.
SHAPIRO: Barack Obama said that he was going to provide flexibility to Vladimir Putin.
MAHER: Alright, forget that.