I think he’s right. If the 2024 presidential election ends up being another match-up between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Biden will be re-elected. However, if Biden is not running, a Trump victory is likely in 2024. It is very likely that a Biden-Trump rematch will happen unless Governor Ron DeSantis decides to get into the Republican primary and challenge Trump. The question then will be whether or not DeSantis can beat Trump to secure the GOP nomination.

That prediction came from Bill Maher as reported in aDeadline article. Maher spoke with CNN host Jake Tapper as the cable news network launched a new 9:00 p.m. strategy.

Maher is already on board with CNN and its push to improve its ratings. His show Real Time Overtime, an extension of his HBO series, fills parts of CNN’s primetime night programming on Friday nights. Maher and Tapper launched CNN Primetime on Tuesday.

“I think he’s done the job perfectly fine .. generally, he’s restored normality,” the Real Time with Bill Maher host said of the 46th POTUS in the first edition of CNN Primetime on Tuesday. “I don’t mind at all that he’s 82, 84, 86,” Maher added, taking on one of the top Joe Biden critiques. “We have an important decision to make, go to the elders,” the comedian went on to say with a swing at a society that doesn’t value the aged – though Maher admitted Biden was no “James Brown at the Apollo.”

Restored normalcy if you are a progressive Democrat, maybe, but not for regular Americans. A forty-year high in inflation brought on largely by historically high spending is not normal. It’s crippling most American families who are just trying to buy groceries and pay the mortgage or rent. Mortgage rates are high enough now that applications for new mortgages are at a 28-year low. Sorry, first-time buyers. You’ll have to wait for the next president to come in.

Maher isn’t a progressive Democrat so his idea that Biden restores normalcy is surprising.

The new strategy for the 9:00 p.m. programming is actually a pretty good one. CNN chief Chris Licht continues in his quest to rebrand CNN to pull in a larger audience than just liberal America on a regular basis. To better compete with first place Fox News Channel in the ratings, CNN’s 9:00 p.m. show will not feature one Monday thru Friday host but a mix of well-known names and special events.

In the latest swing by CNN chief Chris Licht to rebrand the cable newser, Maher’s appearance gave a bit of a preview of plans for the 9 PM ET slot, diverting from counter programming to pundit and opinion heavy MSNBC and the dominance of Fox News’ Sean Hannity. With that, the corporate cousin Maher stayed pretty much in the lane that fans of HBO’s Real Time hear week after week. Taking mainly softballs from Tapper, Maher rolled out his greatest hits of Trump, Biden, the pandemic, organized religion, the culture wars, “wokeism,” and weed.

In that context, Maher pondered to Tapper tonight that the secret to his decades long success is simple: “People are looking for something that isn’t slanted.”

“Just like in life, you don’t always agree with your friends on everything.”

The rest of this week’s schedule for the new experiment is a mix of what may or may not appeal to a broader audience. It remains to be seen.

As for the new 9 PM, Thursday will see Sara Sidner host CNN Primetime: Jill Biden Abroad, featuring Arlette Saenz’s sit-down with the first lady on her recent trip to Africa. March 3 finds Erin Burnett talking with Dasha Navalnaya, the daughter of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny in CNN Primetime: Navalny And The Cost Of Standing Up To Putin. Among other guests on the critical look at the Russian president, the long-time CNN host will also interviews Daniel Roher, director of the Oscar nominated Navalny documentary.

The show about Jill Biden’s trip to Africa will be glowing, I imagine, and not something anyone but suburban liberal women will turn in to watch. The show on Friday looks much more promising for a broader audience, in my humble opinion. The Navalny story has captured the attention of many Americans and I would imagine with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, interest is even stronger.