Bill Maher says Stephen A. Smith could restore Democrats' credibility
On Smith's podcast, the host argues the party needs an outsider to recapture its footing, while Smith doubts a left-wing outsider can win nationally
Bill Maher said on Thursday that the Democratic Party's brand is so tarnished that it needs a total outsider to redeem it, even if that outsider is a high-profile sports commentator. The remarks came during an appearance on Stephen A. Smith's "Straight Shooter" podcast, where Maher, who has flirted with a presidential bid, was asked who on the left could derail Donald Trump and assemble a national coalition.
"Who's the candidate on the left that can somehow derail [Trump]? Because I don't see anybody with a national presence that can pull that off. Where are you on that?" Maher asked. "I see somebody right here in my Zoom camera," he added, signaling the candidate would need to be an outsider unbound by party loyalties.
Smith denied that he would run, saying he is too careful about giving up his money, but Maher pressed his case, arguing the Democratic Party is a ghost brand that would require an outsider with no sentimental attachment to the party's past to redeem it. "People have lost faith in the Democratic Party for very good reasons. And you're the only one I hear who doesn't look like he cares what the other Democrats will say about it," Maher said. Smith responded that he does not intend to run, and Maher added that an outsider with that level of abandon is the only kind of figure who could win back former Democratic voters who switched allegiance.
Maher also praised Newsom's ability to move to the center on issues but warned he would have to do so a lot more to be viable and to separate his image from being associated with far-left policies in California. "Do you think a far-lefty can win a national election in this day and age? A presidential election?" Smith asked before saying he didn't think so. "I don't think so either," Maher agreed.
The discussion touches on the broader question of how Democrats rebuild credibility with voters who have grown wary of the party establishment. Maher credited Newsom with centrist moves but emphasized that more work is needed to connect those positions to a national audience and to avoid being seen as tethered to California's left-leaning policies. Smith's inquiry about whether a far-left candidate can prevail illustrates the tension between appealing to core supporters and attracting swing voters in a national contest.
This discussion comes as political observers weigh strategies for rebuilding Democratic credibility ahead of the next nationwide contest, recognizing the ongoing challenge of presenting a message that resonates beyond the base.
