During the "New Rules" segment ending Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, host Maher asserted that the painted over "N****head Ranch" rock on Texas Governor Rick Perry's hunting territory is a "metaphor" for the Republican Party, because it is "overtly racist bulls*** thinly painted over." Maher also displayed the words "The Bigotest Loser" while an image of Perry was shown on screen.
Maher began the "New Rules" segment:
And, finally, "New Rule," if you find yourself prefacing more than half the things you say with, "I'm not a racist, but," you're probably a racist."
He soon informed viewers Perry's contention that the racist portion was painted over in the 1980s:
Rick Perry claims the rock that bore the camp's name was painted over back in the mid '80s. But others say it wasn't painted over, and, even if it was, it was still visible until recently.
Maher continued:
Huh. Overtly racist bulls*** thinly painted over. Honestly, could anyone have written a better metaphor for the modern Republican Party? Now, I know that sounds harsh, but I say it because in today's GOP, there's only one correct answer in a discussion about racism, and that is, there is no racism in America anymore except reverse racism against whites. That s*** is real. You know, ike the Rapture.
After reciting a list of social problems that hit blacks disproportionately more than whites, the HBO host declared that Republicans are racist because they have no solution to the "outrageous inequality," asserting that "Denying racism is the new racism." Maher:
And what is the Republican solution to these outrageous inequalities? There isn't one - and that's the point. Denying racism is the new racism. To not acknowledge those statistics, to think of that as a black problem and not an American problem, to believe as a majority of Fox viewers do that reverse racism is a bigger problem than racism-racism, ha, ha, that's racism.
As he charged that white Republicans only welcome black Republicans if they agree with them in denying the existence of racism against blacks, Maher even threw in KKK reference by cracking that a black Republican might praise white Republicans: "What cool hoods you guys have."
Earlier in the show during the monologue, Maher had initially failed to mention that the offensive portion of the rock was painted over, leaving the impression that Republicans had no problem with the idea of a racial epithet displayed in plain view:
It's a ranch called the "N*****head Ranch" and there's a rock on it that says "N*****head" right there when you enter the ranch. And Republicans say this shouldn't be an issue at all, although wait until they find out that Obama owns a townhouse in Chicago called "Honky Foot."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, October 7, Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO:
BILL MAHER, DURING MONOLOGUE: Rick Perry has fallen way down, so he's got a new ad campaign where he says about Mitt Romney, Perry says Romney is a carbon copy of Obama. Yes, that has always been Mitt Romney's problem. He's just too black. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Oh, speaking of black, I'm sure you see that racism reared its ugly head once again in America, the hunting camp of Rick - have you seen this?
Now, we have to use a word here. We're not going to fudge around it like the others do on the other shows. This is HBO. Also, the New York Times has been using this word this week, so, you know what, we don't have to call it like pee pee anymore. America is going to grow up about this place.
It's a ranch called the "N*****head Ranch" and there's a rock on it that says "N*****head" right there when you enter the ranch. And Republicans say this shouldn't be an issue at all, although wait until they find out that Obama owns a townhouse in Chicago called "Honky Foot."
...
MAHER, AT END OF SHOW: And, finally, "New Rule," if you find yourself prefacing more than half the things you say with, "I'm not a racist, but," you're probably a racist. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE) Now, this week, as you know, the Rick Perry campaign was haunted by the specter of a giant slab. No, not Chris Christie. I'm talking about Rick Perry's racist rock. Not that I'm saying that Rick is a racist because, after all, he's shown he will execute anyone regardless of race, creed or mental capacity. But consider this: Perry claims the rock that bore the camp's name was painted over back in the mid '80s. But others say it wasn't painted over, and, even if it was, it was still visible until recently.
Huh. Overtly racist bulls*** thinly painted over. Honestly, could anyone have written a better metaphor for for the modern Republican Party? (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Now, I know, I know that sounds harsh, but I say it because in today's GOP, there's only one correct answer in a discussion about racism and that is there is no racism in America anymore, except reverse racism against whites. That s*** is real. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You know, like the Rapture. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
Now, obviously, black America has made great strides. A black man has entered the Oval Office and several of the Kardashians. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) But if you think, if you think racism isn't a problem anymore, you must be living under a rock on Rick Perry's hunting camp. I mean, just listen to these statistics: Blacks who kill whites are 16 times more likely to be executed than whites who kill blacks. Black unemployment is 17 percent. White unemployment is eight percent. The median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households. Twenty-nine percent of black children live in poverty and the rest with Angelina Jolie. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
And what is the Republican solution to these outrageous inequalities? There isn't one - and that's the point. Denying racism is the new racism. To not acknowledge those statistics, to think of that as a black problem and not an American problem, to believe as a majority of Fox viewers do that reverse racism is a bigger problem than racism-racism, ha, ha, that's racism.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) I don't, I don't think Rick Perry hates black people. I just think he doesn't give a s*** what black people hate. The right is so screwy when it comes to race that when the story broke about Rick's rock, they got all mad at Herman Cain because they asked this black man Herman Cain if he thought the N-word painted on what is essentially your mailbox in front of your house was insensitive to black people and somehow Herman said yes. Aaaah, wrong answer, Herman! The correct answer is no, it's not offensive, and black people need to get over it and get a job and stop having such huge penises. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
And, and that is the unwritten rule about being a black Republican. You're welcome in the party as long as you never, ever, ever mention race. Yes, even if you're asked a question about a place called the "N*****head Ranch," the correct response is, oh, the media, they're such a group of troublemakers. I think it's a fine name for a ranch. Thanks for inviting me. And what cool hoods you guys have. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And, by the way, what are we hunting? (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) All right, that's our show.
- Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center