Charles Barkley on politics

[snopes]

Comment: I am in the habit of checking every political email these days --
they are often scurrilous lies! So here it is:

"Short and sweet!!!!

Quote of the week from our esteemed friend Sir Charles Barkley:

"Poor People have been voting for Democrats for the last 50 years,
............and they are still poor.""

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Well, I wouldn;t be surprised at him saying this - certainly quoted from elsewhere. But he also announced his support for Obama on a talk show (I saw it, but can't remember which one). Barkley is generally entertaining, but also all over the board (or should I say 'boards' for the 'Round Mound of Rebound' - not that he is chunky as in college).

[Ramblin' Dave]

Barkley made some noise about running for governor of Alabama about 15 years ago (he was planning to run in 1998, so this would have been around 93-94), as a Republican. I do recall him making a number of arguments about why it was okay for black people to be Republicans. So maybe he did say that back then. I doubt he would agree with it now, given his apparent change of allegiance since then.

[Ravenhull]

Originally Posted by Ramblin' Dave

Barkley made some noise about running for governor of Alabama about 15 years ago (he was planning to run in 1998, so this would have been around 93-94), as a Republican. I do recall him making a number of arguments about why it was okay for black people to be Republicans. So maybe he did say that back then. I doubt he would agree with it now, given his apparent change of allegiance since then.

He discovered that he didn't meet residency requirements at that time. He's been in state for a few years now and I think he's looking at '14 now. He used to say he was a Republican, but in the last few years he's been disenchanted with some of their politics.

From his wiki article:

I was a Republican until they lost their minds, "The word 'conservative' means 'discriminatory,' practically. It's a form of political discrimination. What do the Republicans run on? Against gay marriage and for a war that makes no sense. A war that was based on faulty intelligence. That's all they ever talk about. That and immigration. Another discriminatory argument for political gain.

and:

In September 2006, Barkley once again reiterated his desire to run for Governor. He noted, "I can't run until 2014...I have to live there for seven years, so I'm looking for a house there as we speak." In July 2007, he made a video declaring his support for Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election. In September 2007, during a broadcast on Monday Night Football, Barkley announced that he bought a house in Alabama to satisfy residency requirements for a 2014 campaign for governor. In addition, Barkley declared himself an Independent and not Democratic as previously reported. "The Republicans are full of it," Barkley said, "The Democrats are a little less full of it."

In February 2008, Barkley announced that he would be running for Governor of Alabama in 2014 as an Independent. He explained, "I don't like the way the Republicans are taking this country. Every time I hear the word "conservative," it makes me sick to my stomach, because they're really just fake Christians, as I call them. That's all they are. But I just -- I'm going to vote Democratic no matter what." When asked to elaborate on the term "fake Christians" Barkley explained:

"Well, I think they -- they want to be judge and jury. Like, I'm for gay marriage. It's none of my business if gay people want to get married. I'm pro-choice. And I think these Christians -- first of all, they're supposed to be -- they're not supposed to judge other people. But they're the most hypocritical judge of people we have in this country. And it bugs the hell out of me. They act like they're Christians. And they're not forgiving at all."

I'll have to sit down and read/listen to him to decide if he's worth getting my support, but I have an open mind.