The host of HBO’s “Real Time,” Bill Maher, had some bold advice for President Biden during his show on Friday night. Maher urged Biden to embrace his age and “let his old fart flag fly” in order to win the next presidential election.
Maher criticized Democrats for being defensive about who they really are, citing examples like John Kerry’s duck hunting and Hillary Clinton carrying hot sauce in her purse during their presidential bids. He insisted that Americans hate inauthenticity and urged Biden to be himself, which Maher believes is embracing his age.
The host suggested that Biden should take a page from his “old pal” John McCain, who embraced his age during the 2008 presidential election. Maher advised Biden to stop trying to appeal to younger demographics by joining TikTok and instead focus on reaching out to older voters, who are more likely to turn out at the polls.
Maher even demonstrated how Biden’s State of the Union address should look like, complete with using a walker and making gaffe after gaffe. Despite defending Biden against ageist critics in the past, Maher has also compared him to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, suggesting that Biden may have stayed in the political arena for too long.
As Biden’s age and mental acuity continue to be major issues for him going into the presidential election, Maher’s advice to embrace his age and authenticity may be a strategy worth considering. Whether Biden will take Maher’s advice remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the host believes leaning into his age could be a winning strategy for the president.
