TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw recently had a heated exchange with late-night host Bill Maher over his refusal to say whether or not President Donald Trump was worse than his successor. The discussion took place during Maher’s “Club Random” podcast.
McGraw, who is ending his popular show – on the air consistently since 2002 after he gained on-air popularity through Oprah Winfrey’s daytime show- to address “concerns” facing the country, expressed that he stayed non-political because there’s “idiocy on both sides.” He added that while he’s not a big fan of either President, he respects the office of the President.
Maher immediately challenged McGraw, asserting that Trump is much more of a threat to the republic than Joe Biden. Maher was surprised McGraw included both names in the same breath.
McGraw remained non-committal and stated he was concerned about both sides. He didn’t care about politics, stating the outcome of society isn’t determined by politics but by culture. McGraw expressed he cared about America’s culture.
“It’s not politics that determine the outcome of society, it’s culture… I don’t care about politics. You go back to the beginning,” said McGraw, “Democrats and Republicans have been in control about 50-50. They’ve had control of the House and Senate while they were in control the presidency about 50-50, they’ve had it not in control 50-50. And look where we are. They both come up about the same place. I don’t care about that. I care about our culture.”
Bill Maher Melts Down When He Learns Dr. Phil Doesn't Share His Trump Derangement Syndrome
"You gotta be on the page that he's worse than Joe Biden…Come on Doc…He is a completely different element and much more dangerous…If I can't have your faith on that it's very hard… pic.twitter.com/0JnnwZoh6C
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) May 8, 2023
Maher was disappointed he couldn’t get McGraw to say that Trump was different from the politics of both sides. He explained that nobody else had ever refused to concede an election in America or tried to overturn an election like Trump did, making him “completely unique, a unicorn if a unicorn was a big fat a–h—.” Maher also argued that McGraw’s non-committal stance on Trump was a copout—a way of not taking a stand.
McGraw, on the other hand, told Maher that it wasn’t important to him to distinguish between the two Presidents. “I’m telling you this- that’s a copout,” McGraw asserted. “What difference does it make? A: he’s not in power now. B: he’s probably not gonna be”
Maher emphasized that airing out a difference was essential for any healthy relationship, and he hopes that they can continue to be friends despite not being on the same page about Trump.
“Like this is a microcosm, to me, of what has to happen in America,” Maher accepted. “You’re Dr. Phil, you know, you’re legendary for being a guy who like fixes other people’s problems, a wise elder, and you are, but I’m just not where you are and never will be on this Trump thing and you know where I am. And that’s okay.”
