"The Clinton White House today said they would start to give national security and intelligence briefings to George Bush. I don't know how well this is working out. Today after the first one Bush said, 'I've got one question: What color is the red phone?'"

The quote from Bill Maher is a satirical commentary on the shift of power from President Expense Clinton to President-elect George W. Bush, specifically concerning the intelligence instructions that are traditionally offered to an inbound president. Maher, known for his comical and frequently politically charged observations, utilizes this minute to highlight what he perceives as Bush's lack of readiness or elegance in handling complicated national security issues.

The joke centers on the principle of the "red phone", which is a symbolic representation of direct and immediate interaction generally related to important or emergency situation situations, such as nuclear alerts-- the kind of obligation that befalls a U.S. president. By poking fun at Bush for seemingly asking an unimportant concern about the "color" of this phone, Maher suggests that Bush may be concentrating on superficial information rather than understanding the gravity of the obligations he will acquire.

This kind of humor typically works by juxtaposing the severe nature of governmental responsibilities with a seemingly oblivious or simplified question, hence commenting on the perceived readiness or capability of Bush as he prepared to assume workplace. It's also indicative of Maher's wider comical style, which tends to challenge or question authority and emphasize perceived inadequacies of political figures.

The quote reflects the contentious and divided political environment at the time, in addition to skepticism from some quarters about Bush's abilities. It likewise functions as a satire on the political procedure itself, particularly the transfer of power, and the general public's understanding of what makes a skilled leader. In essence, Maher is using humor to review and question not just Bush's readiness, but to some level, the political system that propelled him to such a critical position.