Bill Maher Slams Obama, Oil Companies After Gulf Coast Oil Spill (VIDEO)

Bill Maher slammed President Obama Friday for supporting a repeal of the moratorium on offshore oil drilling.

During the panel segment on "Real Time," Maher pointed to the Gulf Coast oil spill and wondered why less than a month ago, President Obama proposed lifting the ban on offshore oil drilling along much of the East Coast.

While the president's proposal was part of a larger climate bill, for Maher, it was an unecessary concession to Republicans.

"I understand politics is the art of the compromise and all that," Maher said. "But you know, when you compromise on something like that, that's a bridge too far to me, as a supporter."

He went on to compare oil companies to banks that were too big to fail and suggested higher taxes for oil companies that will reflect the real cost of oil.

Maher: Oil companies are worse than banks. They're also too big to fail. And their cost to society is also, just like the banks, too great for society to sustain it.

I started to talk about this with John over there. The International Center for Technology Assessment did a study of the hidden cost on a gallon of gasoline. And this was years ago, when gas was about a dollar a gallon. And because of things like defense of the Middle East, regulatory oversight, pollution cleanup, oil industry tax subsidies, it was about $15 a gallon. I don't think people realize that. So 'tax, baby, tax' maybe is what we should do with the oil companies.

But Obama and oil companies weren't the only villains in Maher's debate.

During the course of the conversation, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat called out Sen. Ted Kennedy for opposing a wind farm off of Cape Cod. When Chris Matthews came to the late senator's defense, Maher pounced.

Matthews: Teddy is great. Teddy was great.

Maher: Teddy was, well...

Matthews: He was defending the home turf. The fact is that we got wind farms done...

Maher There are certain things that are unforgiveable. One is what Roman Polanski did. And one is what Teddy Kennedy did. That's my view.

Matthews: I just don't know what happened. So you know more than what I know.

Maher: Well, you know what happened at Chappaquiddick. And you know what Roman Polanski did.

Matthews: Do you? Do you know what happened? I don't know.

Maher: You don't know what happened at Chappaquiddick?

Matthews: No, I don't know what happened. What happened?

Maher: The car went into the river and ten hours later, he reported it.

Matthews: That's right. He was too late. You're right. You got a point there. But I think this wind farm thing...

WATCH:

WATCH: Maher also took aim at muslim radicalism

Comments

[wethepeople3884]

04:52 PM on 05/06/2010

Just because ted kennedy was against it, does not make it a legit argument against wind farms.

[mjc]

10:46 AM on 05/04/2010

What really destroys my mind is all the downplaying, denial and then the hauling out the containment floats while each and every minute the leak is continuing to gush, and there is the talk of drilling A rescue well into the spot and Senator Landrieu talking about perhaps TWO drillings...BUT ALL THE WHILE nothing is happening to do just that. This is going to be far worse than the Exxon Valdez SPILL! The toll on wildlife will affect ALL of us. Songbirds, fish, crustaceans, tourism, all on the altar of a tidbit of energy from our own shores. Obama really wants us as a nation to contribute to our own oil production here at home. Drilling in Alaska, a real gesture of national suicide, is to begin this summer...at Obama's insistence. And the leak in the Gulf? All for the lack of a $500,000 acoustic valve that is standard on other nation's rigs, such as Norway and Denmark. Cheney didn't want to cause more spending by British Petroleum. Where is our sanity? Where are our leaders?

[gorideabike]

10:22 PM on 05/03/2010

If President Obama had not pushed for more coastal drilling and joined up with the drill baby drill crowd, the oil spill would belong to Sarah Palin. I suppose he had his reasons. But it was well known that there is not enough oil in the Gulf of Mexico to make up for the shortfall in our supply, or to reduce the price of fuel. Men make mistakes, and equipment breaks, and BP knows their financial liability to spill damages is limited to175 million dollars. Sorry Gulf Coast tourist industry, fisheries, shrimpers, oyster beds, restaurants, hotels, and all the secondary and tertiary industries dependent on the primary industries. BP talks today, walks tomorrow.
Reality has a way of making fools of politicians.

[Renee27]

09:46 PM on 05/03/2010

A Look Back At the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill & the Halliburton Exemption

Marine toxicologist - “Exxon never paid for long-term damages. It only paid for short-term damages. So this is really something to watch out for.”

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/3/bp_oil_spill_worsens_with_no

[leonardfoo]

06:09 PM on 05/03/2010

Maher gets owned by George Will. Look at Maher's face when George questions him it's classic:-) Maher a sick liberal gets caught lying on the spot, hehehehehahahaha

http://www.thehopeforamerica.com/play.php?id=3869

[PC Contrarian]

07:42 PM on 05/03/2010

Although you're right, Maher was out of his league with George Will; Bill did make a valid point about Obama being treated differently than Bush. I usually find Bill entertaining, even when I disagree with him; but it was painful to watch him come up against George.

[leonardfoo]

05:59 PM on 05/03/2010

maher is a racist, h8ter, liar and a foot taller than a duck a##hole! No wonder his ratings suk cause people are sick of his bullchit act.

[whatshappeningtoUSA]

03:38 AM on 05/15/2010

you sound slightly annoyed.

[Pole]

05:18 PM on 05/03/2010

It pains me to consider the Democrats loosing badly in November and Obama becoming a one term president after that, but.... Even though I believe the Republicans would do worse for the nation as a whole, the Democrats have proven that they don't know how to really help people. Too many Democratic congressmen are beholden for their paychecks to big business and the president is committed to the illusion of governing from right of center. David Brooks may be happy but many of us are not. That also means he too is in bed with corporate America, its dealings and promises. The spill in the Gulf and his insistence to keep drilling off the coast while thousands of dangerous rigs already are floating in the Gulf, has convinced me he doesn't have a clue about long term consequences. Short term peace overtures to big business occupies his consciousness. The illusion that we must appease the bunch that brought us to our knees frightens me. Corporate America owns this country. Perhaps, the president believes they will eventually start hiring people again and people will stop losing their homes and we will recover. Perhaps? But we have finally discovered he is no Teddy Roosevelt or Franklin D. Its a different country. One man or one party isn't going to steer us back to a populist democracy. The oligarchy is firmly in place. Only the more severe effects of global warming are going to get the attention of those truly in power

[berrycooda]

05:02 PM on 05/03/2010

Don't tell me Maher is blaming Obama for the oil spill just because he repealed the moratorium for off shore drilling.
What would Maher suggest America do about fuel for cars and
heat for homes....Does he actually think anything would be done overnight or before winter or before he needs his limo to pick him up and take him to his studio....
Get a grip and think about our needs for fuel etc.
People complain about getting it from overseas...and they
complain if we don't....
So...put your money where your mouth is and do something about other than b***h. Talk is cheap and we all do that but
actions speak a whole lot louder than complaints do.

[Michael Johns]

04:07 PM on 05/03/2010

A great highlight clip of Bill Maher on This Week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJPG1mWiow8

Bill gives his take on the oil leak, immigration, Charlie Crist, and Jay Leno's performance at the White House Correspondents Dinner. The extra web-only Green Room segment is also included.

[KarlaElisa]

03:02 PM on 05/03/2010

Car accident aside, I was under the impression Kennedy fought AGAINST the wind farms on the cape, kind of like how all the other rich white folk did. Somebody clue me in if I'm wrong here.

[2CLEVER]

04:56 PM on 05/03/2010

NIMBY

[berrycooda]

04:58 PM on 05/03/2010

You were right....Kennedy didn't want the wind farm out
his back door at the cape.....Hmmm...Ain't that special...

[jsuperconductor]

02:49 PM on 05/03/2010

Blame your Grandparents for being willing to stand in a 4 hour line for a gallon of that sweat teat crude.

[itjustis]

12:09 PM on 05/03/2010

Good Job Bill: Ted Kennedy was wrong when he was alive and Ted Kennedy is wrong now that that he's dead. The car went into the river and ten hours later, he reported it.
Maher reading the quote and noting that “if I was quoting George Bush, this crowd would be laughing in hysterics.
See, a Progressive can learn to be "Fair & Balanced." There's still hope for all of you Progressives out there!
The deer in the headlights stare from Matthew's was PRICELESS!

[Palspal2]

03:24 PM on 05/03/2010

Itjustis - Uh - the progressive view point is that windpower is right and 'drill baby, drill' is wrong. Those who want to sink more wells thousands of feet deep in the ocean are not progressive - and that certainly include Obama.

[InLosAngeles]

03:40 PM on 05/03/2010

We would have 8 years of that wind farm which would have reduced the demand for oil from the Gulf and elsewhere if Fredo Kennedy hadn't opposed it at every turn because it spoiled the precious view from his dad's summerhouse.

"The late Sen. Edward Kennedy opposed the project because the turbines will be visible from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port. The Cape Wind farm is expected to begin generating electricity by the end of 2012, pending the outcome of the legal challenges. It will provide sufficient electricity for three-quarters of the 225,000 residents of Cape Cod."

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/05/07/kennedy_doesnt_play_by_the_rules/

[Brian Carey]

09:52 AM on 05/03/2010

Along these lines, Maher got owned by George Will on This Weak:
http://www.thehopeforamerica.com/play.php?id=3869

[2CLEVER]

04:58 PM on 05/03/2010

oh please

[MortalTerminus]

03:15 AM on 05/03/2010

Anyone who actually thinks there is separation of church and state in this country is an idiot. There never was, and it never was intended to be.

On another note, Bill Maher is like the liberal version of Rush Limbaugh. I'm not a fan.

[hypodoche]

11:11 AM on 05/03/2010

I suppose Maher seems liberal on the surface, at least compared to Limbaugh. He is not liberal. He's just another political leech, cashing in on conflict and partisanship. He is a professional complainer who has absolutely nothing to offer substantially.

[whatshappeningtoUSA]

03:39 AM on 05/15/2010

i respectfully disagree. he actually makes valid points and illuminates the darkness. his delivery may not suit you but the substance of his act is for the most part right on.

[SteveSFM]

02:02 PM on 05/03/2010

Limbaugh is a guy who tells entertaining lies that masquerade as populism but are actually designed to prop up the ruling class. Maher does nothing like that.

Equivalency fail.

[PC Contrarian]

08:01 PM on 05/03/2010

Your opinion is based on your perception.
Just because Rush says things you disagree with doesn't make them "lies".
What if you've been lied to by your info sources, and your perception is distorted?

I see both men as entertainers primarily, but equally sincere in their presentation of different opinions.
Equivalency stands.

[Auduboner]

02:55 AM on 05/03/2010

Bill pulls no punches. And he's usually right. And he doesn't even appear to know that there is a cap on Big Oil's liability for spills like this, and that above that cap, WE pay for the clean-up through added taxes! Yep, that's right - a Big Oil BAILOUT. In effect, limiting their liability in the same way the Wall Street Gamblers had no real downside, we are backing the Play of Big Oil in their Mile-High Drilling Platforms. Don't tell Bill - he'll get thrown off TV again! For telling the Truth...

[A terrible sadness]

08:06 PM on 05/03/2010

And of the pittance that the Oil companies pay, they get to write it off on their taxes, so it's probably a net gain when it's all said and done.