Bill Maher Prefers Putin’s ‘Self-Assurance’ to Hillary’s Media Silence

In a new blog post clearly designed to evoke a strong reaction, Bill Maher asks, “Why Can’t We Have Decent Elected Leaders Like Vladimir Putin?”

“Say what you will about Vladimir Putin (he assassinates his enemies, he’s a fascist, he’s too comfortable being topless), the guy is smart,” Maher wrote. As evidence, the Real Time host cited a long interview Putin gave to an Italian newspaper, which apparently went until two in the morning.

“He answered every question with a self-assurance and command of the facts that you rarely see in American politicians,” Maher continued. “Maybe it helps to be a sociopath, but the guy regularly does three-hour-plus press conferences in front of a hostile press – contrast that with Hillary Clinton’s game of hide-and seek.”

Since officially announcing her presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton has not subjected herself to the types of national television interviews that other candidates typically need to get their names out there, though she has spoken to some local journalists. And unlike her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders, she definitely has not appeared on Maher’s HBO show.

After this unflattering comparison to Putin, chances are that won’t be changing any time soon.

Last year, during his interview with members of Pussy Riot, Maher suggested that Putin might be gay.

Watch video below, via HBO:

[Photo via screengrab]

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