The Non-Conspiracy

The only thing GOP Representative Nancy Mace, of a swing district in South Carolina, got right here was her timing.

Nancy mace flips the script on Bill Maher:
"You think we should have an authoritarian strongman? I'm not saying anyone in particular."
"You're talking about Joe Biden?"
"Oh Joe Biden's the authoritarian strongman!?"
"He wants to kick his opponents off the ballot. Talk about… pic.twitter.com/zhGWKfTx8V

— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) March 16, 2024

When it's time for Bill Maher to go to the "New Rules" segment of "Real Time," Bill Maher goes to New Rules. No exception.

And Representative Mace was able to slip in her lie at the right time, just under the wire.  Mace may not recall the exact date or the adjective "fine," but surely she learned of the President's sentiment after Joe Biden on January 30 said

that he thought it was "fine" for former President Donald Trump to remain on the ballot for this year's election.

In response to a reporter who asked whether Trump should "be allowed on the ballot," Biden said, “As far as I’m concerned, that’s fine.”

Biden made the remark shortly before he boarded Marine One for Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, from which he departed for a trip to Florida.,,,

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments next week in the Colorado ballot case, which could affect whether Trump can stay on the primary ballot in that state and others.

Colorado's Supreme Court ruled last month that Trump violated a provision of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment, which states that "an officer of the United States" who has "engaged in insurrection" cannot hold office and is therefore ineligible as a candidate.

The Supreme Court, six Republicans and three Democrats, promptly decided unanimously against the plaintiffs, thus restoring Trump to the ballot in Colorado.

Thus marked the demise of the lawsuit which aimed to bar Donald Trump from the primary ballot in Colorado on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment. Though filed by CREW, the suit was organized by a research assistant with the 2008 presidential campaign of Rudolph Giuliani. It was joined by the first woman to serve as majority leader of both chambers of the Colorado legislature, as well as

a former Republican member of Congress from Rhode Island who now lives in Colorado; a teacher; a former deputy chief of staff to a Republican governor; a former executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County; and a conservative columnist for the Denver Post.

Yet, Representative Mace was able to claim "(Joe Biden) wants to kick his opponents off the ballot."  With GOP politicians such as her implying a Democratic plot to erase Trump from the ballot, many conservative voters seem to believe the myth.

The problem is magnified when, as has been the case, there is little or no pushback from Democrats, liberals or progressives. Throughout the entire discussion portion of the show, Representative Ro Khanna (clearly booked as the progressive foil to Mace, proved distressingly complaisant, apparently loathe to displease his colleague. And Bill Maher himself allowed the congresswoman to interject this crucial lie before he switched gears to "New Rules."  On this night, Nancy Mace was disturbingly, dishonestly effective.

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