Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime – Episode #716

Date: January 27, 2026
Panelists:

• Bill Maher (Host)
• Sen. John Kennedy (Republican, Louisiana)
• Kasie Hunt (Anchor, CNN’s The Arena)
• Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton (Retired U.S. Army; Senior Advisor, Bad Boys Foundation)

Episode Overview

This “Overtime” segment dives into the American education system, political polarization surrounding technology in schools, skepticism of international institutions, the enduring economic woes facing Americans, and press freedoms in the current political environment. The conversation is lively, candid, and occasionally biting, with guests bringing both personal anecdotes and pointed political commentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of American Education

[01:30]

• Sen. John Kennedy opens on his experience as a substitute teacher and offers his assessment of American schools.
• Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton (quoting from off-air): “If I ever piss you off, would you give me a chance to fix it first?”
• Eaton says there’s hope: some states, like Louisiana and Mississippi, have made real progress in 4th and 8th grade math and reading scores. Other places, though, have plateaued, largely due to the pandemic.
• Quote: “There's a place in heaven automatically for any teacher.” – Eaton [01:47]
• Education, Eaton argues, is far more critical to America's future than other hot-button issues:

  “The future of this country, it’s not the price of oil, it’s not who the president is, and it’s not who a senator is. It’s education. And we don’t talk about it anymore.” – Eaton [02:20]

2. Technology, Screens, and Social Media in Classrooms

[02:30]

• Kasie Hunt shares her shock at how digital learning has infiltrated even kindergarten:

  “My son just started kindergarten. It is astonishing to me. He’s already on a computer. There’s screen learning everywhere. This is a huge, huge problem.” – Hunt [02:33]

• She highlights a political split over restricting young people's access to technology, noting Utah’s governor as an example of restricting social media, and warns politicians:

  “The ones that are equivocating are going to be on the wrong side of this issue.” – Hunt [02:54]

• Eaton agrees: “Good point.” [03:02]

3. Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and UN Skepticism

[03:04]

• Moderator/Panelist raises Trump’s proposal of a “Board of Peace.”
• Kennedy: “We already have a U.N. What would the Board of Peace be other than that?” [03:09]
• The conversation touches on right-wing conspiracy theories about the UN and issues with peacekeepers.
• Kennedy’s blunt take:

  “The UN has done a lot of bullshit.” [03:40]
  “Not just a lot of sexual assault claims against some of the people who are the peacekeepers, but you know, things like endless amounts of sanctioning Israel when plenty of other countries are doing way worse… The UN is a very flawed body.” [03:51]

• All agree the UN is imperfect, but there’s skepticism replacing it would lead to better results.

4. The Blame Game: Economics Under Trump and Biden

[06:09]

• Kennedy draws a parallel:

  “It seems like he [Trump] has the same problem that Biden had, which is affordability. That’s the new political word. And it’s not going away. It probably got Trump elected and it’s probably going to again.” – Kennedy [06:09]

• General Eaton:

  “When moms and dads lie down to sleep at night and can’t, the thing they worry most about is cost of living.” [06:26]
  “Telling them that they can’t believe their own lying checkbook, it’s not going to work.” – Eaton [06:35]

5. Press Freedoms and Government Overreach

[06:44]

• Kennedy brings up the recent raid of a Washington Post reporter’s home.
• Kasie Hunt:
  • Explains the situation: Investigation into a federal contractor leaking classified information, with the reporter not a regular on national security.
  • Noted the unusual step of physically raiding a reporter’s house versus traditional legal requests.
  • “This is a huge test.” – Hunt [08:02]
  • Draws a line to precedents under Democrats, and stresses why this is a “new frontier.”
  • “The piece of this that's incredibly unique is physically going in and taking these devices as opposed to using paper to say we demand that you give us this information.” – Hunt [08:02]
• Kennedy underscores the broader context:

  “Taking place within the bigger picture of an administration that is suing newspapers for reporting polling… for the people who… always got on my case, Bill, you’re so crazy saying Trump will never concede an election. He doesn’t concede polling.” – Kennedy [08:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There’s a place in heaven automatically for any teacher.” – Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton [01:47]
• “It is astonishing to me. He’s already on a computer. There’s screen learning everywhere. This is a huge, huge problem.” – Kasie Hunt [02:33]
• “We already have a U.N. What would the Board of Peace be other than that?” – Sen. John Kennedy [03:09]
• “The UN has done a lot of bullshit.” – Sen. John Kennedy [03:40]
• “When moms and dads lie down to sleep at night and can’t, the thing they worry most about is cost of living.” – Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton [06:26]
• “The piece of this that's incredibly unique is physically going in and taking these devices…” – Kasie Hunt [08:02]
• “Trump will never concede an election. He doesn’t concede polling.” – Sen. John Kennedy [08:17]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [01:30] – Schools/Education Today
• [02:32] – Screens and Social Media in Classrooms
• [03:04] – Trump, the UN, and the “Board of Peace”
• [06:09] – Affordability and Cost of Living
• [06:46] – Washington Post Raid & Press Freedoms

Tone & Takeaways

The discussion is direct, sometimes acerbic, with panelists pulling no punches—especially regarding ineffective institutions (schools, the UN, the government) and looming threats to press freedoms. There is a palpable concern about the direction America is heading, both in terms of foundational civic issues (education, free press) and the grind of everyday economic realities. For those who missed the episode, this Overtime offers insight into today’s political and social fissures, as well as the challenges confronting Americans on the ground and in the classroom.