Fox News Host Jessica Tarlov Pushes Back on Bill Maher Over Support For Biden Challenger: ‘Every Vote Is Going to Count!’

Comic and pundit Bill Maher got some pushback when he expressed support for President Joe Biden’s longshot challenger Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) from Fox News host Jessica Tarlov.

On Friday night’s edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, the comic’s panel guests were Fox News host Jessica Tarlov and podcaster Scott Galloway, and his interview guests were former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and former Cuomo chief lieutenant Melissa DeRosa, author of the new book “What’s Left Unsaid: My Life at the Center of Power, Politics & Crisis.”

Toward the end of the panel segment, Maher asked about Dean’s just-announced candidacy and declared his lack of name recognition a plus. Tarlov said she loved his “enthusiasm” but explaied why she’s no fan of the candidacy:

BILL MAHER: Okay, before we run out of time, Dean Phillips!

JESSICA TARLOV: AAUGH!

BILL MAHER: What? He sees the new Mike Johnson, in other words, the new guy. I never heard of better name, though, in Congress. He is a Democrat who is running against Biden. So there is a challenger, Dean Phillips. He’s from Minnesota. He’s Jewish. He’s 54. Did I mention he’s 54? And he loves Biden. He says exactly what I say. He did a great job, but don’t do it again. That’s right. Family. Self-made millionaire from the– family’s in the organic vodka business. Dean Phillips. I’m getting behind him for president of the United States. How about you? Do you know anything about him?

JESSICA TARLOV: Yeah, more than I knew about Mike Johnson. Two days ago.

BILL MAHER: Should we welcome this? Is this good?

JESSICA TARLOV: I guess when I was listening to your interview with Governor Cuomo, who is saying that we need a lively primary, and that doesn’t take away from anything that Biden has accomplished. Which I think we all agree is a tremendous amount. The issue with what Dean Phillips is doing is a: there are a lot of kind of, like Steve Schmidt is a senior adviser to him. I got an email today from Andrew Yang, who has not revealed himself, I think, to have the best interests of the Democratic Party winning elections at heart. In 2019, he was maxed out donation from Harlan Crowe, who bankrolls Clarence Thomas. You know, there are things about him that I don’t like. I appreciate the enthusiasm, and these are issues we should be talking about. But every vote in 2024 is going to count. And if we’re losing, you know, the TikTok/Hamas vote–

BILL MAHER: I love Dean Phillips.

JESSICA TARLOV: You don’t love it!

BILL MAHER: I love Dean Phillips, because nobody knows who the fuck is. And that’s good. Now he’s– you know what I know about him? He’s 54 and he’s got a Dean next to his name. He’s already got half the votes and he doesn’t have any of the baggage of the other guys.

Watch above via HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher.