Maher: 'Obama, first black president of racist states of America'

Bill Maher came under heavy criticism on conservative blogs after he called President Barack Obama "the first black president of the racist states of America" on HBO's "Real Time" on Friday.

He made the statement while criticizing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who, while on campaign trail, once said: “If people think there’s something wrong with being successful in America, then they’d better vote for the other guy.” Maher took issue with Romney over this statement. He said: "First of all, who thinks there is something wrong with being successful?” He said that Romney's statement is a "straw man argument," and insisted that Obama is a successful man too because he overcame racism to become the "first black president of the racist states of America." Maher said: "Does he (Romney) think he is more successful than Barack Obama? Do you? Barack Obama was born to a single mother on food stamps and he became the first black president of the racist states of America." He contrasted Obama's success with Mitt Romney's, implying that Obama was more successful than Mitt Romney. He said: "Mitt Romney is the son of a rich dad and now he's a rich dad. Who really is more successful?" A reader commenting on the conservative blog The Gateway Pundit, said: "Maher regurgitates witless words to ignite a response from the right. He knows what he is doing and he is getting his kicks off doing it."