Real Time with Bill Maher: Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel and panel discuss how to end the war

Author Michael Eric Dyson, Illinois Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel and author Pete Hamill square off with Bill Maher over Iranian President Ahmadinejad's recent visit to Columbia University and the ensuing discourse.

"They found the only picture of this guy where he wasn't smiling," quips Bill Maher, referring to the New York Daily News' cover photo of Ahmadinejad.

"This is not a good guy," says Maher. "Nobody likes this guy. But, did we not do him a big favor?"

"Absolutely," says author Pete Hamill. "I think, to turn the Daily News, which is an honorable paper, into a pamphlet to support a particular political point of view, is a mistake, always..."

Maher contends: "It does seem like the media is just taking the Administration talking points about this drumbeat of war with Iran the way they did five years ago with Iraq."

He continues, "You'd think that was fifty years ago, and they forgot all about 'oh, that's right, we bought the bullshit about Saddam...' but it was five years ago."

Begs Maher: "Scott Pelley said to Ahmadinejad: 'You have American blood on your hands.' Doesn't [President Bush] have American blood on his hands?"

The following video is from HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, broadcast on September 28, 2007:



