In his return episode for the new year, Bill Maher expressed pleasure once again for a certain GOP presidential candidate’s foreign policy perspective.

While discussing President Barack Obama’s controversial singing of the National Defense Authorization Act, Maher effused praise for Rep. Ron Paul (R) on representing how he feels on U.S. international affairs.

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“One of the things he says is, ‘We’ve got an empire,'” the comedian said. “‘And we should bring all the troops home.’ He’s the one who is, really, in my heart on foreign affairs, not Barack Obama.”

Maher also said that Paul was the only Republican candidate to make him “rise out of my chair and applaud.”

WATCH: Video from HBO, which was broadcast on January 13, 2012.