Bill Maher hypes Nikki Haley as a viable alternative to Trump: 'She's having a moment'

"Real Time" host Bill Maher is hyping Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley as a viable alternative to former President Trump in the GOP primary. 

During Friday's panel discussion, Maher gave props to President Biden and the former U.N. ambassador on the Republican side as being effective communicators when it comes to defending Israel against pro-Hamas sympathizers in the country. 

"I want to ask about this Nikki Haley thing because she's having a moment," Maher said. "I feel like something is coalescing around her being the anti-Trump- that if there was ever a chance for an indoor Republican, a paper-trained Republican."

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New York Times columnist Bret Stephens agreed, urging her GOP rivals like former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as well as "non-serious" candidates to "drop out and endorse her."

"I think she's the only credible Republican that anyone probably in this room can stomach as president of the United States," Stephens said.

Maher then listed several popular GOP governors in blue states from Vermont's Phil Scott, Massachusett's Charlie Baker, to Maryland's former governor Larry Hogan, asking "can Nikki Haley do this on a national level?"

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Democratic strategist Paul Begala insisted Haley is "the strongest candidate against Biden," citing polls showing her in a wider lead in hypothetical match-ups versus other Republicans. 

"Here's a real world problem. If somehow she beats Trump, do you really think Trump is gonna be like Hillary did for Barack and just 'Let's link arms and march off together, one team!' He will burn it down. He tried to burn the Capitol when he lost the last election," Begala said. "He will destroy her and his party if somehow he does not get the nomination because he's a narcissist. It's a cult. So poor Nikki. Even if she wins, Trump will take her down." 

"Well what can we do to help?" Maher asked.

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Stephen pointed out the "terrifying" polls that show Trump beating Biden in several swing states, which prompted Maher to renew his call for the incumbent Democrat to step aside. 

"I have no doubt he can do the job. I just don't think he can win the job," Maher said. "Perception becomes reality. They think he's too old. I saw him on ‘60 Minutes.’ I thought what he said was great, but he was falling asleep."

The HBO star also sounded the alarm of a recent Emerson poll that showed Trump ahead of Biden among voters under 30, causing his liberal audience to gasp.

"Yeah, that's what I did," Maher told the crowd. 

Earlier this month, Maher confronted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who Maher previously suggested could be the candidate who could defeat Trump in a GOP primary but has since dropped significantly in the polls.

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"Why run against Trump?" Maher asked. "You're trying to thread this needle that will never happen. You can't disavow him because that's the base, and yet you're running against him. And that's why, I mean, let's face it Ron, if the campaign was going well, you wouldn't be on this show."

"Oh that's not true," DeSantis reacted. "One: I don't think he can win the election. I could win the election. Two: I don't think he could actually get the job done that we need to do, For example, COVID. I think we need accountability for what this government did to this country with the COVID restrictions mandates and lockdowns. Donald Trump is not gonna do that… He's not going to clean house at CDC, NIH, FDA. I will do that. I will get the job done." 

Haley has seen a bump in the polls since the first two Republican debates. The latest Fox News national poll has her at 10%, just three points behind DeSantis but both far behind Trump, who maintains his commanding lead with 59% support among primary voters. 

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