Bill Maher went to town on making light of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), as RedState's Nick Arama covered in a piece this morning on the new episode of HBO's Real Time on Friday night, while also chiding Democrats' quick about-face on the "affordability" message to lots of crazy talk.
"He implored the Democrats not to go back to things like 'defund the police,'" Nick wrote.
Likewise, my colleague at sister site Townhall, Matt Vespa, also caught the prescient New Rules commentary, in which the comedian and host made jabs at both Republicans and Democrats, but got extra spicy about liberals' "vibes" after the midterms rout of our side.
As Matt put it, "Maher doesn’t want the left to go full Burning Man, but that’s unlikely, since a healthy chunk of the new Democratic majority on the Hill isn't attached to the establishment and owes it nothing."
Going sort of under the radar, though, was the evening's panel segment, where Maher talked with guest Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (AR).
In one part, she talked about red states' education system wins, especially in the South, turning their education systems/poor test scores around. Almost before Sanders could say it, Maher admitted that those states are not so burdened as many blue states by teachers unions.
Bill Maher PRAISES red states for turning their education systems COMPLETELY around, saying a big reason is they don't have to deal with the CORRUPT far-left teachers unions. Bill Maher: “The states that have done well lately in education are the ones where the teachers union is less powerful.” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “Last year alone, Arkansas student test scores went up 20% in every single grade for every single subject.” “We’re one of the only states in the south that opens and has free breakfast for every single student in public school.”
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) November 14, 2026
Then the host had a pointed question for the Governor and former White House Press Secretary about the 2020 election. He contended that she would not say whether or not President Donald Trump lost it.
Sanders’ answer is totally pitch-perfect on this, and should be a model for all Republicans going forward.
Watch Sarah Huckabee Sanders squirm when Bill Maher asks her about the 2020 election.
— Blue Georgia (@BlueGeorgia) November 14, 2026
Maher: He still hasn't conceded, which he lost, right?
Sanders: He did not assume that office. I will give you that. pic.twitter.com/chxJmBVJmc
Lastly, Maher threw all caution asunder, making a contention that like his other Republican guests, she is blindly loyal to Trump. Sanders did not let him get away with that, roasting him thoroughly while bringing up an anecdote from her new memoir.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders CLAPS BACK after Bill Maher, like he always does with Republican guests, suggests she has a blind loyalty to President Trump. “I wouldn't be sitting in this seat on your show if the president hadn't taken a chance on me and had the confidence… pic.twitter.com/HHyx0lOJCf
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) November 14, 2026
Wow. Sarah Huckabee Sanders remains sharp as a porcupine's needles, just like when she was sparring with the legacy media hacks in the White House briefing room in the first Trump administration. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, she decides to do next.