Overview

• Bill Maher and Rob Reiner debated on Monday’s Club Random podcast over whether cross-party conversations should require prior agreement on basic facts.
• Reiner argued Democrats should only engage if both sides accept certain facts, invoking a “2+2=4” example to illustrate his point.
• Maher rejected preconditions, saying Democrats must keep talking even through factual disputes and noting their limited leverage in government.
• The exchange followed recent episodes in which Maher praised the political right’s willingness to engage after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
• Separately, top Democrats pledged to oppose a GOP stopgap funding bill through mid-November, while Sen. John Thune said he had not been contacted despite claims Republicans refuse to work with Democrats.