Near the outset of the conversation between Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse and Bill Maher, Sasse invites Maher to come "work in the fields". To which Maher replies, "Work in the fields? Senator, I'm a house nigga."
But because a liberal comedian uttered the N-word, the blame must be placed on the conservative Senator. To wit:
Headline from The Daily Beast: "Bill Maher Drops the N-Word on ‘Real Time,’ Sen. Ben Sasse Laughs".
No, Sasse did not think Maher was a hoot for using the N-word. Indeed, Sasse's laughter and that of the audience was nervous and awkward as if to wonder if they heard what they actually heard. Would it have been better if Sasse told Maher to knock it off? Probably. But let's not pretend that Sasse actually thought Maher's use of the N-word was funny.
Symone Sanders, former press secretary to Bernie Sanders (no relation) tweeted, "BEN SASSE MADE THE FIELD COMMENT. Folks shouldn't let him off the hook either."
Now this is just plain stupid. Why does Sanders think Sasse should be on the hook? Sasse invited Maher to work in the fields because Nebraska, get ready to be shocked, has a lot of farmland. It was Maher who turned it into a racial matter.
Then there are the Trump supporters going after Sasse on Twitter:
Yes #NeverTrump idiot Ben Sasse should resign immediately for cowardice and supporting racism by just sitting there laughing wi/ Bill Maher.
Interesting to see how Trump supporters are suddenly concerned with racism when their man publicly cast aspersions on a federal judge because of his parents' Mexican heritage. Sorry, I ain't buying it.
Of course, Trump supporters are lashing out because they hate Sasse because he spoke out against Trump and refused to buy in. This is what made me write in Sasse's name as my presidential candidate last November.
The shame of all of this is that Sasse and Maher actually a reasonably intelligent conversation much of which focused on climate change and President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Maher's liberal audience was receptive to Sasse. Perhaps not to his politics, but to his humor and earnest manner in the public policy arena. But all of that will be for naught because of Maher's lapse of judgment and the effort to shift the blame onto Sasse. By discrediting Sasse one not only rids Trump of a potential primary opponent, but impedes the Republican Party from regaining its sanity.
I suspect the next several days are going to be the biggest test of Sasse's character in his public life. If he somehow manages to overcome the white hot scrutiny of both the Left and Trump supporters then there is a future for him and perhaps a better future for this country.
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