Charles Barkley's Serious About His Political Future

[n2doc]

Barkley's Serious About Political Future
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
Wednesday, September 6, 2006


(09-06) 22:15 PDT PHOENIX (AP) --

Charles Barkley insists he's serious about running for governor of Alabama, but he's got to move back there first. "I can't run until 2014," he said. "I have to live there for seven years, so I'm looking for a house there as we speak." And he said he is an independent, not a Democrat as previously reported. "The Republicans are full of it," Barkley said. "The Democrats are a little less full of it."

Asked if he had ever been in the governor's office in Montgomery, Barkley said no. "They don't let many black people in the governor's mansion in Alabama," he said, "unless they're cleaning." The quip came in a wide-ranging interview with reporters at US Airways Center on Tuesday, leading up to his induction into the basketball Hall of Fame this weekend in Springfield, Mass. Barkley, 43, retired in 2000 after 16 seasons in the NBA. He made the All-Star team 11 times and is one of only four players with 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.

"I want to speak for people who can't speak for themselves," he said. "America discriminates against poor people. America's divided by economics. If you're born poor, whether you're white, black or Spanish, you're going to be in a bad neighborhood and you're going to a bad school. That's not right." Barkley said he felt he needs to give something back. "I've been really blessed in my life," he said, "and if I was just to be rich and famous and have a big house and a big car and live happily ever after, I think I would let the big fella down who gave me the gift to get to the Hall of Fame."

Barkley said he's donating $1 million to build houses in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. "That was a really big deal for me," he said, "because I cannot believe in the United States I see people on television for two or three days begging for food and water. That shouldn't happen here." He said that he drives through any city and hears people talk about the bad part of town. "It's only bad because poor people live there," he said. "That's what they mean. People try to make it about race. It's really about economics."

more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/06/sports/s134931D28.DTL

[elperromagico]

1. In Alabama? I don't think he'd have a chance.

Then again, he's a celebrity.

Now, if Taylor Hicks ran for governor there... :rofl:

[zbdent]

7. If he ran as a Repuke, he's sure to be in ...

since they have a real history of electing the very type that they decry ...

I wouldn't support him, unless there was no other Dem choice against a Repuke ...

[jody]

2. Barkley doesn't have a chance in Alabama. n/t

[sweetheart]

3. Dear Charles Barkley,

Honourable Sir,

It is good to hear the news of your entering politics. Please consider, in
your career, that your fame is federal, from a federal media, that your
competetive advantage is in the federal sphere, as local alabama politicians
are only aware of their little patch. Your competetive advantage is as well
an urban one, for the same federal media class demographics of poorer more
democratic voices in urban centers, like yours. If you overlap your advantage
with a more urban, hipper state, your plans might have the advantage of terrain.

God bless you in your career to champion justice against tyranny.

May victory be yours in whatever battle you choose.

Sincerely,

sweetheart

[Hoosier Dem]

4. Is he still a Republican??

A few years back, barkley talked about running for Governor of Alabama. At that time, he said he was a Republican and was going to run as a Republican. I noticed that, this time, he didn't mention party.

[n2doc]

5. He says in the article he is an independant

But he sounds like a dem...

[rpannier]

8. A few things about Barkley of note

In the 90's he said he was a Republican
He called Clinton a great President, a Great Man and a Genius
He campaigned for John Edwards
He said scrubbie is possibly the worst president in our history.

on note: He said he was a Republican because he was rich.

[applegrove]

9. I saw him being interviewed on a talk show. He admitted to being

a Repuke in the past.. but said he was very upset with this GOP and the things they had done. This was about two months ago.

I think he is way to honest to be a politician. He says what he perceives, knows, thinks, feels... and it can be hurtful if not way off base. That does not make a politician.

[Omphaloskepsis]

6. I had read that as "gnarls barkley."

Confused me to the shits. "crazy"

Note to self --- stop drinking at 5:23am...

[kentuck]

10. Sir Charles connects with the people...

I hope he runs as a Democrat.. :)

[Beelzebud]

11. Great. Just what we need. More Celebrity Politics...

How about getting some good public servants in government, and let rich celebrities like Barkely do what he does best: Be a rich celebrity...

As if these assholes don't have enough access to the system...