GOP Sen.: ‘I Wish’ I Condemned Bill Maher’s Racial Slur In Interview

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 12: Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., listens as Secretary of Defense nominee James Mattis testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (P... UNITED STATES - JANUARY 12: Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., listens as Secretary of Defense nominee James Mattis testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images) MORE LESS
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Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) wrote Saturday that he wished he had been “quick enough” to condemn comedian Bill Maher when the host of HBO’s “Real Time” used a racial slur during an interview the previous night.

In a one-on-one interview, Sasse appeared to chuckle before suppressing a smile after Maher used a derogatory term for black people.

“We’d have to have you work in the fields with us,” Sasse told Maher, referring to his home state.

“Work in the fields? Senator, I’m a house n*****,” Maher responded. “It’s a joke,” Maher chided the in-studio audience, who applauded in response.

“You’re still working in the fields out there?” Maher asked again.

‘Yeah, we want our kids to suffer,” Sasse said. The interview continued without a beat.

Maher apologized in a statement mid-day Saturday, as quoted by several outlets: “Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show,” he said. “Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive, and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”

HBO released a statement as well, saying to various outlets: “Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless.  We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.”

A few hours earlier, in a series of tweets Saturday, Sasse called himself a “1st Amendment absolutist” but said that freedom came with a “responsibility to speak up when folks use that word.”

This post has been updated to include Maher and HBO’s statements.

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Notable Replies

  1. Ben Sasse is a hypocrite and a Republican.
    But I repeat myself.

  2. In a one-on-one interview, Sasse appeared to chuckle before suppressing a smile

    So he thought it was funny until the calls came in.

  3. Sen. Sasse needs to condemn this as strongly as he did all those racist GOP jokes about the Obamas.

  4. Avatar for pshah pshah says:

    I love nothing more than to be lectured about the n-word by a Republican.

    Perhaps he can take that message to his voters…they’re the ones who really need it.

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