Overtime – Episode #696: Scott Jennings, Peter Hamby

Summary

Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime – Episode #696 Summary

Release Date: May 20, 2025
Guests: Peter Hamby, Scott Jennings

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Introduction

In Episode #696 of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, host Peter Hamby engages in a thought-provoking discussion with CNN political contributor Scott Jennings. The conversation delves into political legacies, Supreme Court dynamics, celebrity influence in politics, and governmental structural concerns.

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Scott Jennings on Potential Senate Run and Mitch McConnell’s Legacy

Peter Hamby opens the dialogue by inquiring about Scott Jennings’ contemplation of a Senate run, especially in the context of succeeding Mitch McConnell.

Peter Hamby [00:51]: "What do you believe will be Mitch McConnell's legacy? I guess that's who you'd be replacing, right?"

Scott Jennings [01:39]:
"Yeah, he's up in 26 Supreme Court. I mean, without question. I think his legacy is the court, specifically the Supreme Court. If he doesn't hold that seat open in the 2016 election, I'm not sure President Trump would have won. And then the cascade of appointments that followed will change the course of this country for a generation." [01:39]

Jennings emphasizes McConnell’s strategic maneuvers in shaping the judiciary, highlighting the long-term impact of Supreme Court appointments on American jurisprudence.

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Supreme Court Nomination Battles: Garland vs. Barrett

The conversation transitions to the contentious Supreme Court nomination processes under different administrations.

Peter Hamby [01:25]:
"What do you believe will be Mitch McConnell's legacy?..." [01:25]

Scott Jennings [02:02]:
"If the bullshit you're referring to is the advise and consent clause in the U.S. constitution." [02:02]

Peter Hamby [02:36]:
"Well, as I just said in the editorial, if it had been the other way around, you would have went apeshit about it. If somebody had tried. No, you would have been cool with it." [02:36]

Jennings critiques McConnell’s refusal to hold hearings for Merrick Garland in 2016, labeling it as unprecedented and problematic. He draws parallels to the expedited confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, arguing that such actions undermine constitutional norms.

Scott Jennings [03:21]:
"We have divided government and then the American people were going to make a decision, and they did, and they chose a Republican president." [02:54]

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Donald Trump’s Comments on Taylor Swift and Celebrity Influence

The discussion shifts to recent remarks by Donald Trump regarding Taylor Swift, exploring the intersection of celebrity status and political influence.

Peter Hamby [04:53]:
"What did you make of Donald Trump's post this morning alleging that since I said I hate Taylor Swift, this guy, all the deals, but he still has time for this." [04:53]

Scott Jennings [05:28]:
"I don't think he means that. I recall when he went to the super bowl earlier this year, he noted at the time that the crowd booed her and cheered him. I think at that point, he started to detect that she was faltering with the public." [05:28]

Jennings suggests that Trump’s comments are less about personal animosity and more about Swift’s waning influence, especially among Republican constituents. He points out the impact of her political endorsements on her popularity demographics.

Unnamed Contributor [05:51]:
"She made over a billion dollars on that tour ever. Yeah. Like, biggest tour ever in history. When she endorsed Kamala Harris right before the election... her approval ratings went up with Democrats, but with Republicans, independents, they actually went down strikingly." [05:51]

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Concentration of Government Agencies in Washington D.C.

A significant portion of the episode examines the centralized location of U.S. government agencies and the proposal to decentralize them.

Peter Hamby [08:36]:
"Kash Patel says he's shutting down the FBI's D.C. headquarters and moving staff across the country. Should other government agencies be doing the same?" [08:36]

Scott Jennings [09:27]:
"It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if the Agriculture Department was in Iowa and the Department of Homeland Security was somewhere else... they live in this little bubble. And I think the longer you're in it, the less you have in common with regular Americans." [09:27]

Jennings advocates for distributing government departments geographically to foster a greater understanding of regional issues and reduce the insular nature of Washington D.C. He believes that relocating agencies can bridge the gap between policymakers and the populace.

Unnamed Contributor [09:50]:
"I support that." [09:50]

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Closing Remarks

As the episode wraps up, Scott Jennings shares insights into his professional life, balancing his contributions to CNN in New York with his residency in Kentucky.

Scott Jennings [09:54]:
"I live in Kentucky." [09:54]

Scott Jennings [09:57]:
"I get up on Mondays, I fly to New York, I do shows there. I come down on the train and then I go home to Kentucky at the end of the week." [09:57]

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Conclusion

Episode #696 of Real Time with Bill Maher offers a deep dive into the enduring influence of political figures like Mitch McConnell, the complexities of Supreme Court nominations, the nuanced role of celebrities in politics, and the potential benefits of decentralizing government agencies. Scott Jennings provides a balanced perspective on these issues, emphasizing constitutional adherence and the importance of connecting government operations with everyday Americans.

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Notable Quotes:

• Scott Jennings [01:39]: "If he doesn't hold that seat open in the 2016 election, I'm not sure President Trump would have won. And then the cascade of appointments that followed will change the course of this country for a generation."

• Peter Hamby [02:36]: "If it had been the other way around, you would have went apeshit about it."

• Scott Jennings [05:28]: "I think at that point, he started to detect that she was faltering with the public."

• Scott Jennings [09:27]: "They live in this little bubble. And I think the longer you're in it, the less you have in common with regular Americans."

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't tuned in.

Transcript

[Bill Maher]

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[Peter Hamby]

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[Bill Maher]

Welcome to an HBO podcast from the HBO late night series Real Time with Bill Maher.

[Peter Hamby]

All right, welcome to Overtime. He hosts Snapchat's Good Luck America. Peter Hamby, and he's an author and CNN Sen. Political contributor Scott Jennings. And the first question is for you, Scott, as someone who's considering a Senate run to replace him. What you're not usually when someone puts out a book, it means they're going to run for office. Not always, but that always is.

[Scott Jennings]

Isn't writing a book the fastest way to get rich in America right now?

[Peter Hamby]

No.

[Unnamed Contributor]

You said it was onlyfans.

[Peter Hamby]

No, you don't get rich writing books. I hate to tell you, bro. Anyway, what do you believe? What do you believe will be Mitch McConnell's legacy? I guess that's who you'd be replacing, right? When you run for Senate? If you run for Senate, he's.

[Scott Jennings]

Yeah, he's up in 26 Supreme Court. I mean, without question. I mean, he had a long career, 42 years, won seven elections in Kentucky. But without question, I think his legacy is the court, specifically the Supreme Court. If he doesn't hold that seat open in the 2016 election, I'm not sure President Trump would have won. And then the cascade of appointments that followed will change the course of this country for a generation.

[Peter Hamby]

And if people don't remember what you're talking about in 2015, Scalia died. Was that it or was it 16? I think 15. Yeah, 15. Okay. So Obama still had another over a year in office. And usually when a president is in office, he gets to choose who the Supreme Court nominee he wanted, Merrick Garland and Mitch McConnell wanted, would not even give him a hearing. That was unprecedented. What is the latest bullshit argument? Why that's okay. Well.

[Scott Jennings]

If the bullshit you're referring to is the advise and consent clause in the U.S. constitution.

[Peter Hamby]

No, no, no.

[Scott Jennings]

That's the argument at the time.

[Unnamed Contributor]

The Argument was it's too close to an election. It was 2015.

[Scott Jennings]

Well, that wasn't the full argument. The full argument was we had divided government and then the American people were going to make a decision, and they did, and they chose a Republican president.

[Peter Hamby]

Well, as I just said in the editorial, if it had been the other way around, you would have went apeshit about it. If somebody had tried. No, you would have been cool with it.

[Scott Jennings]

Well, I live. I mean, I live.

[Bill Maher]

I live.

[Scott Jennings]

I mean, I lived through the Bush years when the Democrats in the Senate did everything they could possibly do to obstruct George W. Bush from putting judges on the court. So it's not the first time I.

[Peter Hamby]

Looked at them judges. This is Supreme Court. And when did Bush get a pick on the Supreme Court?

[Unnamed Contributor]

Yeah.

[Scott Jennings]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Hamby]

Okay. And they gave him a hearing and then they voted on it. They could have voted him not. We've seen that Nixon suggested two people who they didn't put on the court. You can do that, but you get to actually have a hearing. This was completely unprecedented and unconstitutional and illegal. And by the way, your hero, Mitch McConnell, when they asked him if he would do it again, he said, sure. You know, I mean, and then they did do it again in reverse. When Amy Comey Barrett was put on the court, it was the exact same thing. It was even closer to an election.

[Unnamed Contributor]

It was literally like three weeks, a month before the election.

[Scott Jennings]

Well, we didn't have divided government then. We had unified government.

[Unnamed Contributor]

That's what I'm saying. It's situational for you, right?

[Peter Hamby]

Exactly. It's just a different situation.

[Scott Jennings]

But why are you guys against the exercising of political power?

[Peter Hamby]

That's. The exercise of political power is fine. This is unconstitutional. That's what we're against. We're against going outside the law. They wrote it down. It's very clear. Same thing as some of the things Trump is saying. And now about a third term. It's very clear. It's in the Constitution. Aren't you the guys who carry the little pocket constitution in your thing?

[Scott Jennings]

Yeah.

[Peter Hamby]

Don't you have one under your pocket square there? Yeah.

[Scott Jennings]

And in it.

[Peter Hamby]

And it says two terms, it says a president gets to pick who is the guy they're going to put up to the Supreme Court.

[Scott Jennings]

And it says the Senate has to confirm them, and it says the Senate gets to advise and consent on this. And that's up to the Senate on how they do that. It's a co.

[Peter Hamby]

Equal government. Oh, that. So that is the latest bullshit argument. All right. That was My question.

[Unnamed Contributor]

All right.

[Peter Hamby]

I knew there was one. Okay. What did you make of Donald Trump's post this morning alleging that since I said I hate Taylor Swift, this guy, all the deals, but he still has time for this. You gotta love it. Since I said I hate, she's no longer hot, or. I don't think he means physically hot. I think he means hot in the business. I think. Well, she just finished the biggest.

[Unnamed Contributor]

Are you sure he doesn't mean physically hot?

[Peter Hamby]

I don't. I do not mean.

[Unnamed Contributor]

I assume he's like. I assume he's criticizing her looks. That was my first reaction.

[Scott Jennings]

I don't think he means that. I recall when he went to the super bowl earlier this year, he noted at the time that the crowd booed her and cheered him. I think at that point, he started to detect that she was faltering with the public. And to me, that's a. I will say this.

[Unnamed Contributor]

Actually, Scott has a point here. I mean, first of all, she made over a billion dollars on that tour ever. Yeah. Like, biggest tour ever in history. When she endorsed Kamala Harris right before the election. And it was a very sort of. You know, I think it was like an Instagram post or something. Her approval ratings, like, people poll this stuff. Her approval ratings went up with Democrats, but with Republicans, independents, they actually went down strikingly. Like, people don't like celebrities and politicians getting involved in elections.

[Peter Hamby]

They really don't. I think it actually hurts.

[Scott Jennings]

Yeah, I agree.

[Unnamed Contributor]

But that was after her tour, like, in the middle. She's fine. She'll be fine. But I don't think she's too hot.

[Peter Hamby]

Right. She's not unpopular. She's. She's not as hot in the industry now because she just finished a giant tour. So she needs time to, you know, relax and be with that football player who does he. And by the way, they weren't when she got booed. They weren't booing her in general. What they were booing was, we don't like you so much in football. Let us just have football. Let us have one thing without Taylor Swift involved. That's what that was about.

[Scott Jennings]

I support that.

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[Peter Hamby]

Okay, Kash Patel says he's shutting down the FBI's D.C. headquarters and moving staff across the country. Should other government agencies be doing the same? That's an interesting proposition. I'm not against that from the get for any reason. I mean, everything probably is too concentrated in Washington. It's a little too incestuous, right?

[Unnamed Contributor]

I have a take on this about the media. I think news organizations should incorporate more bureaus outside of New York, Louisiana. And Washington, Washington and Cincinnati and wherever. Because the bias in media can't, I'm sure you would agree, can be liberal, but it's like less political to me than it is cultural and class based. And you know, I just hire more reporters in Des Moines, hire a few reporters in D.C.

[Scott Jennings]

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if the Agriculture Department was in Iowa and the Department of Homeland Security was somewhere. I mean, you know, Washington, there's a concentration of people there who only talk to each other. They live in this little bubble. And I think the longer you're in it, the less you have in common with regular Americans. You put some of those government workers out in the middle of the country, they might have a little bit better understanding of how people are feeling about how their government's operating.

[Peter Hamby]

Do you, do you work out of Washington?

[Scott Jennings]

No, I live in Kentucky.

[Peter Hamby]

But you contribute to CNN out of Kentucky?

[Scott Jennings]

Yep. I get up on Mondays, I fly to New York, I do shows there. I come down on the train and then I. I go home to Kentucky at the end of the week. And my house is in just outside of Louisville.

[Peter Hamby]

Sounds like you're running. All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you. People.

[Bill Maher]

Catch all new episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher every Friday night at 10 or watch him anytime on HBO on Demand. For more information, log on to hbo.com.