Bill Maher is a fraud. He takes a patronizing tone with anyone he doesn't agree with,
even if he has no substantive reason to disagree. This is not to say that he never justifies his point of view with facts and sound logic (he does), but often times he does not. Not only that, his point of view is sometimes clearly based in downright ignorance.
The fact that he constantly takes such an arrogant tone makes him obnoxious. The fact that he takes such an arrogant tone even when he is clearly ignorant of the subject matter being discussed makes him a fool.
A good example: In an interview with Ron Paul, he says:
(View the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo6KIusCBoU)
"See, I've always thought I was a libertarian, but I'm Chairman Mao compared to you. I mean, YOU THINK WE SHOULD GET RID OF THE C.I.A.!"
To me, his tone clearly says "...WHICH IS MORONIC!"
Then Ron explains his point of view calmly and rationally, namely that he disapproves of the CIA covertly killing people and overthrowing other governments. Maher cuts him off:
"BUT WE'RE UNDER ATTACK BY CRAZY MUSLIM FANATICS. DON'T YOU THINK EVEN IF THEY'RE DOIN A BAD JOB IT'S BETTER THAN NO JOB AT ALL? I would feel pretty naked without the CIA."
Then Ron tries to further explain his point of view, and is cut off again by Maher:
"But... but congressman. You are pretty far out there as far as the libertarian thing. I mean, I've read that you said that YOU DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT THE CIVIL WAR!"
Can you not also hear him saying "...... WHICH IS MORONIC"? I can.
Then Ron thoroughly explains his rationale for having his point of view, to which Maher simply responds, in a condescending tone:
"Alright..... not for the Civil War..........."
Again, I think this clearly comes off as "Alright.... clearly you're not going to drop your moronic position that we could have avoided the Civil War........."
No counter argument, just patronizing bullshit.
Bill Maher cares more about his own ego than truth or logic, period. He is a fake.