Politics & Government

On Bill Maher, Booker Defends Obama's Defense Policy

Mayor joins celebrity panel on acerbic comedian's show Friday

Mayor Cory Booker Friday won repeated rounds of applause from the audience of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, defending President Obama’s record on national defense and criticizing the partisanship displayed during the Senate confirmation hearings of former Sen. Chuck Hagel for Secreatry of Defense.

Booker also expressed agreement with Obama’s proposed plan to scale back military spending as he sat on a panel that included actress Eva Longoria.

“It’s not unpatriotic to say we’re spending too much money,” Booker said. “In fact, I think that’s the patriotic thing to say.”

Maher also noted that Booker, who has expressed an interest in, but not formally declared, his intention to run next year for US Senate, may be facing yet another challenger next year: television personality Geraldo Rivera has also hinted he may make a run himself.


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