Imagine this feisty face-off if I had been on Real Time with Bill Maher

By Lisa McCormick

Every time I watch one particular show on television, I find myself stirring in my seat. If I had been invited to participate in the May 10 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, it would have added a new dimension to the mix.

As the lights dimmed and the cameras rolled, Bill Maher hosted another lively episode, with Frank Bruni and Douglas Murray on the panel. But this is what it might have been like if I were with them.

As the discussion kicked off, the panel delved into the recent events at Columbia University, where clashes between police and students had made headlines.

There was consensus on the panel that students seem to ignore what happened in Israel on Oct. 7. The panel decried the use of such buzzwords as oppressor, victim, and colonizer that have become too common.

“We used to celebrate heroism and achievement,” said Murray.

Bruni said he was recently viewing some tapes from the late ’80s to early ’90s and heard the same sort of language, which he described as “wokeness with more syllables.”

I would have wasted no time in sharing my thoughts.

“Columbia University violence of the police clearing (drama queens) fragile, say it out loud? Were you there?” I would have said, challenging the narrative with a mixture of urgency and conviction.

I went on to draw parallels with the tragic events of May 4, 1970, at Kent State University in Ohio, where National Guard troops had opened fire on unarmed students, killing four.

“The guys with the guns are scary because they have guns and are known to use them against peaceful protestors,” I asserted, my words a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play in such situations.

But I wouldn’t stop there. Turning my attention to the state of government, I’d mince no words in my criticism.

“Well, use Congress as an example, this is the way government should be run? The politicians need to be replaced, with people who govern with the best interest of the people in mind, in a way that reflects intelligent debate and not preschool children arguing,” I declared, with palpable frustration.

And when the conversation shifted to the cause for those protests, I would not shy away from addressing the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“You can’t solve a 3000-year-old problem overnight,” I would have said. “But the 13,000 children slaughtered by IDF forces on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are not Hamas, they are innocent children.”

As the discussion unfolded, my participation might have had a profound impact. America deserves to hear someone with an unapologetic willingness to speak truth to power. It would be refreshing, injecting a new energy into the conversation.

In my imagination, it was a night of spirited debate, thoughtful insights, and yes, a fair share of controversy. But for me, this flight of fancy would have been an opportunity to speak truth to power and fight for the values I believe in and I would have liked to leave the studio that night, knowing that my voice had been heard, loud and clear.

Amidst the heated exchanges and passionate debates, Maher interjected with his trademark wit and humor, offering his take on the issues at hand. I will be watching next week again, itching to get a word in among the quips and comments of whatever controversies come up.

Lisa McCormick is the progressive New Jersey Democrat who took nearly four of ten votes away from crooked US Senator Bob Menendez in the 2018 primary election and leads Democrats for Change, a political organization dedicated to outlawing bribery and reversing Reaganomics.