Maher: Ryan Is 'Smartest Guy In The Party,' Palin Is 'Stupidest Woman On Earth, But They Agree On Everything'

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Appearing on HuffPost Live this week, HBO's Real Time host Bill Maher offered his take on the Republican selection of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate, expressing confusion as to why conservatives view the congressman as more intellectual than previous VP candidate Sarah Palin.

'I heard Joe Biden the other day say, 'What's gutsy about his plan?'' Maher told host Jacob Soboroff. 'Which is what I've been saying way back when Paul Ryan first presented his plan. Why does the media go after this idea he's so 'gutsy' and he's 'bold'? What is gutsy about this plan?'

Maher then attacked the media notion that Ryan is a serious intellectual who will refocus the election into a policy discussion: 'Why is he the intellectual of the Republican Party? He has, from what I can see, two ideas: One, let's stop having rich people pay taxes at all, and poor people should look for food in the woods. This is the intellectual? He's a step up from Sarah Palin?'

- RELATED: Bill Maher: President Obama 'A Dismal Failure And A Liar' On Drug Policy

'Actually, you know, he's more articulate than Sarah Palin,' Maher conceded. '[But] tell me one area where he and Sarah Palin would disagree. I cannot find one area. So somehow he's the smartest guy in the [Republican] Party and she's the stupidest woman on earth, but they agree on everything.'

Watch below, via HuffPost Live:

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• Good point. Where's the clip from Letterman last night about all the most popular conservatives that aren't invited to the convention?

• What a dilemma for the GOP. 

• Even the Onion gets it. A story as if Ryan wrote it:

  'Admit It, I Scare The Ever-Loving Shit Out Of You, Don't I?'

  'It's okay to admit it. You're frightened to death of me.

   It might actually be healthy for you to face your fears now rather than later, when Mitt and I are leading by a few points in the polls and it looks like this thing might end badly for you. Face it:

  I'm not some catastrophe waiting to happen, like a Sarah Palin or a Dan Quayle. On the contrary, you have the exact opposite fear. I'm a solid, competent, some might say exceptional, politician.

  Did you get nervous when you read that last sentence? Is it because you know in your heart of hearts that it's 100 percent true? Is it because, even if you strongly disagree with my beliefs on Medicare, Social Security, women's rights, and marriage equality, you know my talent as a speaker and my well-thought-out approach to these issues'no matter how radical and convoluted you find them'might just be enough to win over independent voters.'

  http://www.theonion.com/articles/admit-it-i-scare-the-everloving-shit-out-of-you-do,29160/#

• Actually Ryan agrees with the majority of Obama's policies, or at least he voted for and supported them, so something seems a little off doesn't it? This is why campaigns aren't fought on policy; the policy decisions have been the same by both parties for far too long.

• The Onion: Throw one more thing on the pile of stuff Gloves Donahue doesn't 'get.'

• along with a paycheck, laid and out.

• Arianna should be able to afford more than a folding chair for Bill to sit on.

• 'Somehow he's the smartest guy in the party and she's the stupidest woman on earth, but they agree on everything,' he said.

  I love this revealing point.