HBO host Bill Maher elicited an “Oh, my god,” from Chris Matthews when he appeared on Hardball and gave his assessment of conservative icon Sarah Palin and Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.).

Maher referenced a sexual euphemism by labeling the two female Republicans as ‘MILFs’ on Wednesday’s show.

“They’re attractive especially to the Republican Party, which is not known as a party that really does well with the opposite sex,” he said. “Usually they’re doughy white men and I think they look on Michele Bachmann and, and Sarah Palin, as you know, MILFs and I agree, they’re Morons I’d Like to Forget.”

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Matthews seemed shocked by Maher’s statement even though he had demeaned Palin’s intelligence and knowledge of political issues only moments before.

“When she gives a prepared speech from her stump she’s talking about the Crimea, she’s talking about the Ukraine, about Chechnya,” Matthews said. “She’s got opinions about Iran. It’s absolutely world wide the areas she’s touching on. My only belief is she’s got neo-cons scribbling all this stuff in crayon for her and she’s reading it out like she knows what she’s talking about but if you ask her one question she doesn’t know any answer. So I am a little bit puzzled but I’m not really.”

Wednesday’s show wasn’t the first time Maher has made inflammatory statements about Palin. When he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno earlier this month, Maher slammed Palin for coining the term “death panels” to criticize health care reform.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sarah Palin screaming about death panelsÃ¢â‚¬Â¦you know Sarah? If we were killing off useless people, youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢d be the first to know,” Maher said.

Bachmann and Palin have begun campaigning together in recent weeks, adding fuel to speculation that they are considering a bid for the presidency in 2012. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Palin said a Palin/Bachmann ticket for 2012 “sounds kinda cool.”

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A transcript of Maher’s exchange with Matthews is available below: