Friday night on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” host Bill Maher was joined by panelists Rob Reiner, Margaret Hoover and former congressman Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY), who discussed the different governing styles of Democrats and Republicans, particularly with regards to natural disasters.

Reiner opined that Hurricane Sandy amounted to Mother Nature’s version of an “October Surprise” by throwing into stark relief the divergent philosophies of governing of the two candidates for president. President Barack Obama, he said, came across as capable and competent to the nation because Democrats don’t ascribe to the Republican “Ayn Rand, pull yourself up by your bootstraps” ethos.

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“Romney looks like a fool right now because he said let’s get rid of FEMA,” Reiner said.

Lazio replied that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has been a model of how bipartisanship should work in situations like disasters to keep people safe. However, he said, “There have been Republican failures and Democratic failures” in natural disaster management.

Maher said, “Let’s not play that fake fairness game,” then asked Lazio to name some Democratic failures.

Lazlo countered that the governor of Louisiana and mayor of New Orleans both were Democrats and stumbled ahead of Hurricane Katrina.

“Alright, then,” Maher countered, “on a presidential level.”

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The host then pointed out that Romney’s remarks came during the Republican primaries, “when he was on stage with all those other crazies” and was trying to win the “states’ rights tournament.”

Watch the video, embedded via Mediaite, below: