NBA Great Charles Barkley Mulls Run For Ala. Gov., Supports Gay Marriage

[William769]

(New York City) Charles Barkley was his usual outspoken self during a recent television interview in which he said, among other things, that he advocates gay marriage, believes Republicans have screwed up the country and is "struggling with my idea of what religion is."

The former NBA MVP, who is considering running as a Democratic candidate for governor in his home state of Alabama, also said Democrats have concentrated too much on criticizing President Bush in the last two years instead of focusing on what they can do to improve things in the country.

"They're criticizing a guy who can't run again, who can't get fired," Barkley said during an appearance on "CMI: The Chris Meyers Interview," which will air on Sunday night on Fox SportsNet. "So they spent the last two years criticizing him instead of saying, 'Some things aren't right. This is our game plan.' And now we're two years away from the election, and we have no solutions and no front-runner."

Barkley was a Republican until recently, saying he switched parties when the Republicans "lost their minds." He said he is troubled by some of the actions of people in the United States in the name of religion.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/08/083006barkley.htm

Sounds like a leveled headed guy to me.

[MADem]

1. More qualified than Ah-nuld, maybe, but what is that saying?

I'm sure he is a nice guy, holds some decent views, and probably a few that are 'out there' but frankly, I find this trend of electing athletes and actors to public office because of their 'celebrity' a bit vapid and tiresome.

It used to be that politics offered fame to ugly people. Now, you have a leg up if you are a movie star or fart around with a ball or puck--that's your ticket, rather than a resume of public service, to participate in formulation of public policy.

I don't care for it, and haven't since Reagan got the nod.

[William769]

3. I'll take an athlete over a lifetime politician (who hasn't done anything)

Any day of the week.

[MADem]

5. Well, you have lousy ones. I have good ones who have done something

Kerry and Kennedy are career politicians, and they've done well by us.

I didn't mind President 'Career Politician' Clinton in office either.

I like seeing David Ortiz at the plate, but I wouldn't race to the polls to vote for him. And I sure wouldn't vote for Curt Schilling (a Bush supporter).

Barkley is a recovering Republican...no hero to me for his politics, or his associates.

While I'm pleased that he is 'growing up,' I would prefer he not do it while collecting a taxpayer's paycheck:


Off the court, Barkley continued to evolve. He entered a Republican makeover phase. His worldview began to mature; he became more focused on class and less virulent on race. He also grew close to Rush Limbaugh and Dan Quayle (a frequent golf partner), dined with Clarence Thomas and endorsed Steve Forbes in the presidential primary. Though exit polls showed that his imprimatur sealed Forbes' primary win in Arizona in 1996, Barkley didn't necessarily sign on to any particular ideology.

He's become impossible to pigeonhole. He regularly lambastes liberalism, to the proud applause of Limbaugh and Quayle; two years ago, he told me, "Welfare gave the black man an inferiority complex. They gave us some fish instead of teaching us how to fish." In the next breath, though, he's liable to skewer 1994's Republican revolution as "mean-spirited" and denounce Pat Buchanan as a "neo-Nazi." A junkie of CNN's political gabfest "Crossfire," Barkley became convinced, after reading Jonathan Kozol's "Savage Inequalities," that the way we fund public schools -- through local property taxes -- is designed to produce good schools in good neighborhoods and run-down schools in run-down areas. "My daughter goes to a private school because I can afford it," he once told me, giving voice to his natural inclination toward populism. "But shouldn't everyone have great education available to them?"....

http://archive.salon.com/people/bc/2000/05/30/barkley/index2.html

He's selfish. That's what sticks out, IMO. Let him evolve on his own dime.

[William769]

6. You can keep Kerry just waste of space IMHO.

I'll give you Kennedy. To bad there are not more like him.

[MADem]

9. Wow. I disagree, obviously. Kerry is a fine Senator. NT

[homaffectional]

4. Well, if we've already had opponents of gay marriage...

like Ah-nuld, who happens to be a celebrity (and actually *vetoed* a gay marriage bill) run and 'win', its nice to see those who support it run as well. Personally, I'd like to see Barkley get a shot. Lynn Swann is the latest example of those on the other side that have run.

It's also nice to see a prominent black male that is actually supportive of gay marriage try to make a name for himself on the side of fairness and equality instead of the worst basest instincts of hellfire, damnation, bigotry, and hypocrisy. If anyone can come close to the 'sacred' quality that we need to instill in young black teenagers that they initially perceive in the black preachers their parents force them to listen to every Sunday morning, it will be a black athelete.

[MADem]

8. So, you're a one-issue voter.

You can ignore this guy's friendship with Limbaugh, with Clarence Thomas, with Dan Quayle?

Sorry, I can't.

[Solon]

10. Yeah, civil rights are only ONE ISSUE...

:eyes:

[MADem]

12. Ah, and you honestly think that because "Sir Charles"

the golfing pal of Quayle, Limbaugh and Clarence Thomas, makes a toss-off comment about gay marriage, that he'll support your civil rights across the board? You are confident he won't change his mind, like he has done in the past?

That's an incredible amount of faith and extrapolation in a pretty lame candidate. But hey, he's FAMOUS....and he said the magic words.

[Dhalgren]

2. I think that his changing parties because the Republicans had

"lost their minds" says volumes about his discernment. I like Sir Charles, I have since his days with the 76ers. I particularly liked his statement (years ago) that athletes were not role models, but just athletes. Role models should be moms and dads and teachers and ministers and uncles and aunts - not strangers who happen to be talented in a particular sport. I always admired him for that.

[MADem]

7. He's pals with Limbaugh and Dan Quayle...and Clarence Thomas

See post five.

UGH. Just because someone says a few things that make sense doesn't motivate me to support the guy. He's FINALLY, at long last, "offended" by the GOP, and deserves PRAISE for that? Let's ignore his golfing with Rush, and partying with Clarence...he didn't MEAN that?

And the fact that he WAS a Republican (until they lost their minds) leads me to believe that Charles puts HIS money ahead of the poor and needy. How bad did it have to get before his conscience kicked in? Or does his fame mitigate his greed and stupidity during those years?

I'd vote for JC Watts' daddy (of the 'Black man voting for a Republican is like the chickens voting for Col. Sanders' fame) any day of the week--and he's no athlete, just the father of one--before voting for Sir Charles. At least he's got his priorities right...

[cboy4]

11. Barley has come a long way considering he was quite the republican not

so long ago.

It's really remarkable that an athlete, albeit a retired one, would be in favor of gay marriage....especially running in a state like Alabama.

He'd actually be a pretty good politician, I think. He speaks his mind and doesn't give a damn who disagrees with him.

Not sure how that would work on capitol hill, but McCain seems to do alright last time I checked!