Bill Maher On Running For Office: Americans Would ‘Probably Elect a Pedophile Before An Atheist’

[trotsky]

http://www.alternet.org/media/bill-maher-running-office-americans-would-probably-elect-pedophile-atheist

Real Time host Bill Maher shot down the idea again of going from political commentator to politician while promoting a show in San Diego.

“First of all, I have no desire to run for office,” he told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Second, I could never even come close to winning, because I’m an atheist. Poll after poll shows Americans would elect almost anyone before they elect an atheist. They would probably elect a pedophile before an atheist. Atheism, in the American lexicon, is just the worst thing you could be.”

...

Maher also admitted that he has wrestled with the fact that many of his show’s younger viewers use Real Time as a primary news source, as opposed to traditional media.

“If people weren’t interested in the news, they wouldn’t be watching us at all; they’d be watching Dancing With the Stars. But they are watching the show, I think, because they’re busy and don’t have time to catch up with the news,” he told the Union-Tribune. “So, somewhere in each show, I want to include every story I think is important for them to hear about that week. These might not be the same stories covered on the nightly news, but that gets to why I think the nightly news is so lacking.”

[Stargazer99]

1. although I am deeply religious (but not of a conventional nature) I found atheist

often have more compassion and humanity than religions...think...do you wonder why?

[applegrove]

3. Maybe in the USA. I have found religious people in Canada

to be lovely and empathetic and kind. I just wish they were not under the sway of rich americans who create wedge issues because they don't want to pay taxes. But they do still teach Jesus is LOVE in Canada. So too are people of other religions. Maybe it is Canada itself.

[trotsky]

4. There's a quote that sums it up pretty well:

"If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." -- Albert Einstein

[Mnemosyne]

2. Been there, done that. nt

[struggle4progress]

5. Cute soundbite but it has no basis in reality so far as I can tell

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. It is among the groups most likely to be rejected for belonging to

http://www.gallup.com/poll/183713/socialist-presidential-candidates-least-appealing.aspx

Yeah, 'socialist' gets rejected more, but at least that's a political stance (and the question was 'if your party nominated...', so you'd expect Republicans to say 'no' to that once, since that really would go against the party's basic principle).

It's also more of a negative than having had an extramarital affair:



http://www.people-press.org/2014/05/19/for-2016-hopefuls-washington-experience-could-do-more-harm-than-good/

[Leontius]

6. Totaly false, pure bullshit

The reason most people would not vote for him is he's a dick being an atheist has nothing to do with it.

[trotsky]

8. I trust your expert authority on this. n/t

[Cartoonist]

9. Would you vote for an atheist?

I would find that hard to believe, based on your many friendly posts regarding non-believers.

[Leontius]

11. Yes I would if his or her positions on the issues were the same as mine.

Belief or lack of belief is not one of the things I look for in politics or governing. My objection is not atheism it is to anti-theism.

[Goblinmonger]

10. See #7 above

Don't let actual polling get in the way or your expert opinions.

[Leontius]

12. yeah yeah I know

I'm speaking of Bill Maher not some generic "atheist", most people just don't like him because he come across as an asshole.