Real estate mogul Donald Trump is taking exception to comedian and political satirist Bill Maher’s recent comment that America is stupid and needs to get over itself, saying Maher must be talking about how President Barack Obama is running the nation.
“When he mentions the fact that we're a stupid country, I assume he's talking about how Obama is running it because we have become a country that is not very well respected, and in many ways, is stupid,” the wealthy businessman and television personality said Monday night on Fox News’ “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”
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Trump was reacting to a continuing theme raised by Maher, who has long argued against the notion of “American exceptionalism” and politicians — including presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney — who constantly praise the United States without acknowledging any of what Maher labels its problems or flaws.
Trump, who has endorsed Romney for the Republican presidential nomination and often speaks on his behalf, said he understands Maher makes his living as a comic whose routine involves poking fun at the nation’s political system.
But he said Maher went too far when he took a swipe at Romney’s Mormonism. “It’s a stupid religion and it’s a stupid country. They were made for each other,” Maher joked on his HBO “Real Time” show earlier this week.
“I know Bill Maher. He is doing his thing,” Trump said, adding, “But it’s a tough statement.”
“Frankly, if somebody else made that statement — and certainly if a conservative Republican made a like statement about somebody else’s religion — there would be hell to pay,” Trump continued. “It would be all over the place. It would be the end of that person’s career as you know it.”
Trump, however, acknowledged the country sometimes acts “stupidly” and isn’t considered “exceptional” anymore because it allows other nations to take advantage of it.
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He said “the potential is enormous” for the country to be rich and great again, “but we are doing things that are laughed and scoffed at.”
“I think we can be exceptional again,” he said. “And I expect that if Mitt Romney becomes president, I think we really should be an exceptional country.”
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