During the “Overtime” segment on Real Time, the panel had a lengthy discussion about the political divisions in the country.

In reaction to Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti dishing about his case against President Trump, professor and author Jordan B. Peterson kicked off the conversation by asking what would happen to the millions of people that support the president if the opposition got their way and had him impeached.

“It looks to me, from an outsider’s perspective, your country is polarizing in a way that’s not good and that, you know, people are going after Trump and I understand that,” Peterson elaborated, “but there’s all these people that elected him and identify with him and they’re not taking this well… You might not think they’re very bright and all of that… but you know, you need to have respect for the rest of your citizens and if your country is going to pull itself apart and as you really see this happening from an outsider’s perspective.”

Bill Maher pushed back, saying that Trump “isn’t a regular Republican president” and that the “assault” on Democratic norms is “alarming.”

“I never much liked the other Republicans who were in office but I have a renewed respect for them,” Maher said. “George Bush and Mitt Romney would not have tried to pull this sh*t. They just wouldn’t.”

New York Times columnist Frank Bruni chimed in, saying we can be “this tough” on the president without having to tell his supporters that “they’re stupid” and that they need to talk to them “with more generosity.”

“That’s true,” Maher agreed.

Alex Wagner then challenged Peterson’s famed “thesis” about how “the left” has gone too politically incorrect and how his logic on this conversation isn’t contradictory, but Peterson insisted that they’re “too preoccupied” with identity politics, adding that the two issues are separate.

“I’m concerned about the dialogue in the United States around the presidency, pulling people farther and farther apart,” Peterson continued. “It has nothing to do with the behavior of Trump. I think this is an independent issue.”

Maher pointed out that there’s a “cult of personality” that Trump has unlike previous dictatorships, believing that nothing could cause them to “turn” on the president.

Watch the clip above, via HBO.

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