Sarah Silverman And Bill Maher Explain Why Johnson Is A Terrible Candidate
Sarah Silverman and Bill Maher explain why “Bernie bros” shouldn’t support Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson
In the wake of the Democratic primary in which Hillary Clinton emerged the winner for her party’s nomination, sour grapes remain for those who hoped Bernie Sanders would come out on top. Without Sanders in the race, some of his hardcore supporters have decided to align with third party candidate Gary Johnson instead of Clinton. On last week’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher and guest Sarah Silverman tackle why he isn’t a great choice for those who believe in Sanders’ ideals.
Bill Maher has been making clear for weeks what candidate he supports for president and spoiler alert, it’s not Donald Trump. Nor is it either of the woefully unfit third party candidates that some who refuse to support Clinton or Trump have thrown their votes behind. Maher, a fervent and vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton, explained along with Silverman why a vote for Johnson is a bad idea.
Maher wonders why 29% of millennial voters are supporting Johnson, considering his stances on so many issues this age group holds dear. He speculates that many of those 29% were former Sanders supporters reluctant to vote for Clinton and lists out the issues on which Johnson drastically differs from Sanders. When it comes to health care, the Transpacific Partnership, Citizens United, gun control, free college and minimum wage, Johnson is nothing like Sanders. Leading Maher and Silverman to wonder about his appeal to Bernie’s fans.
Maher says, “He’s for nothing that you fucking people want,” reminding would-be voters with a reel of Johnson gaffes exactly what kind of moron they’re supporting. “Gary Johnson is a fucking idiot. I like him. He’s a nice guy. But he’s another in my basket of fucking idiots.” The reel included Johnson’s famous “Aleppo moment” where the candidate apparently had no idea about the years of conflict going on in Syria and coined the term, which he used again to excuse his brain fart when prompted by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to name his favorite foreign leader and couldn’t come up with a single one.
Silverman, who was a staunch Sanders supporter during the primaries but swiftly got behind Clinton once she earned the nomination, ponders what “long game” the Bernie bros are envisioning by supporting Johnson. Citing the fact that Clinton has said she would help make many of Sanders’ goals a reality, the comedian pleads, “He needs an ally in office. That’s why I don’t understand these Bernie or Bust people.”
Maher and Silverman both admitted they came to regret their votes for third party candidate Ralph Nader in 2000 calling it “a mistake” to support him, which brings to mind this year’s election. Third party candidates could sway things in Trump’s direction by taking votes from Clinton, which could spell a victory for him. And danger for us all.
This is not the election for a protest vote. It’s all well and good to vote with your conscience, but it’s hard to understand why any Sanders supporter would do so knowing it could help Trump win the election. No one’s conscience should be OK with a Trump victory and the third party votes could help ensure that happens.
It’s time for Sanders supporters to put aside pride and vote for the candidate capable of doing the job, and there’s no question that candidate is Hillary Clinton.
H/T Rolling Stone
