Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher said on the latest episode of “Real Time” that the reason Donald Trump is ahead of Joe Biden in the polls is because the Republican frontrunner doesn’t need a catalyst to clean up deteriorating cities.
In particular, Trump referenced the recent cleanup efforts that took place in San Francisco ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.
After years of historic decline in California’s tech hub, Gov. Gavin Newsom — who many say is positioning himself to take Biden’s place on the Democratic ticket — rolled out the red carpet for the Chinese leader by clearing the streets of the city’s sizable homeless population.
On Friday’s episode, Maher told his panelists, Democratic operative Donna Brazile and former Republican congressman turned “never Trumper” Adam Kinzinger, “I want to try a theory on you as to why Trump is killing it — not just within the party, but he also beat Biden badly.”
“Because Xi, President Xi of China, came to our state this week and met with Biden in San Francisco, and they had a little summit,” he said.
Bill Maher, a former comedian and political talk show host, explained Friday evening why he thinks Donald Trump will overtake Biden in the polls
“And they did something really interesting in San Francisco. I mean, I’ve made a lot of jokes, like a lot of comedians, about stepping and pooping in San Francisco, and you know, it’s a city that needs to be brought under control – and they have! Because Xi was coming! Just as an aside, you only clean up when company comes over?
“Okay, so they cleaned it up, they cleaned up the streets, the homeless, you know, God forbid the guy who sends us the fentanyl sees someone using fentanyl,” the comedian said.
The streets of San Francisco are currently plagued by homeless people and drug addicts who use drugs in public, sometimes overdose and die on the streets.
“To me, this is why Trump is winning, because he’s talking about, ‘I’m going to open up the mental hospitals.’ Again, I’m not saying this is necessarily a good solution,” Maher continued.
“When he says, ‘I’m going to put people in camps, the immigrants,’ and things like that, and people just see a place – a country, especially in the cities that are spiraling out of control. And the fact that the Democrats were able to keep it under control for three days, how about making it permanent?”
When asked last week about why the city was able to clean itself up so quickly for foreign leaders — not all of whom are necessarily friendly to America — but remains feces-covered and crime-ridden for its everyday, taxpaying residents Newsom said, ” I know people say, “Oh, they’re just cleaning this place up because all these fancy leaders are coming to town.” That’s true, because it’s true.’
Maher’s guest Brazile agreed with the host, adding that people “clean up” when “something else happens.”
‘The question is: ‘Can we keep it? Can we all work together? …That homeless people are not forced to sleep on the streets?”’
She went on to discuss the need for affordable housing.
Donna Brazile (left) and Adam Kinzinger (right) were guests on Maher’s show on Friday. The pair discussed Biden’s age and current opinion polls
Biden walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ week just outside San Francisco
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Saturday.
California Governor Gavin Newson gave unsatisfactory and fiery answers when questioned about San Francisco’s sudden cleanup efforts
Kinzinger agreed with Brazile, saying Democrats need to find a way to clean up their act because “Republicans are such a danger to this country right now.”
Later in the interview, Maher questioned Biden’s viability as a candidate due to his advanced age of 80 and speculation about his abilities.
Expanding on his earlier point about Trump’s apparent lead in the polls, Maher said, “Do I think Joe Biden can get the job done? Absolute. I don’t think he can win the job. And that’s what matters to me. He’s going to lose.’
Brazile said Biden has historically been unfairly counted out before and has had surprise victory after surprise victory over the past five years and should not be counted out.