Charles Barkley Slams Republicans On CNN: "I Call Them Fake Christians", The Word 'Conservative' "Makes Me Sick"

Basketball legend Charles Barkley appeared on CNN's Late Edition, with Wolf Blitzer, this morning, and made some controversial remarks about Republicans. Barkley, who continues his career in basketball off the court as a TV commentator for the NBA, is supporting Barack Obama for president, and was defending Obama against criticism that he is inexperienced in foreign policy and other areas, when he veered off-course, and began a classic Barkley non-sequitur. Barkley started by saying, as a resident of Arizona, how much he respects John McCain, but then quickly began slamming Republicans and conservatives in general. Barkley said, "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." Blitzer asks Barkley to elaborate a bit on the phrase he used, "fake Christians." Barkley does so, essentially accusing conservatives of being hypocritical. Blitzer warns Barkley that he's probably going to a lot of "feedback" about his harsh criticism of the GOP, but Barkley is unfazed, offering this priceless response: "They can't do anything to me. I don't work for them."

Watch the video from CNN below, and tell HuffPost whether or not you agree with Barkley's explosive comments:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1417325938http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1178199204

Comments

[pithy]

The term "Christian Conservatives" has always struck me as an oxymoron - with the emphasis on moron.

How can you be a true Christian and be salivating at the thought of more, more, more death and destruction in Iraq?

The Christian Conservatives march along with the "quit whining and pull yourself up by the bootstraps" gang - while Jesus preached that we are all to help the poor and needy.

The CC are all about greed - I've got mine, you go scratch - while the Bible says a rich man getting into Heaven has as much chance as a camel getting through the eye of a needle.

I watched their PAC last year at which Ann Coulter was the featured speaker - her hateful talk was cheered by the crowd like the Romans cheered the lions.

And their TV station of choice - good old Fox - has the smarmiest, most sexual, most violent and vile programming of all of them.

What hypocrites!

[JoeLosFeliz]

I agree completely.

Oh, and BTW, Wolf Blitzer is a complete tool.

[jp5472]

Well stated.

[CaseyBabes]

Better not turn the other cheek 'cause it'll get smacked, too.......­...whiner!

[BassMonk]

Exactly! GOPers prefer to do the opposite of Christ's teachings! Excellent point!

[lungfish]

yep, they have certainly earned their reputation as hypocrits and have no one to blame but themselves for the failures in policy, leaders and their inability to field a viable candidate. Good to see them suffering for their failures and their dihonesty. Barkley doesn't owe them shit for allegiance and neither does the rest of us....

[independentrepublicrat]

He was definitely a registered republican before. The Bush administration has turned many of their own against them.

[leftcoastliberal]

If only more Christians followed the teachings of Jesus instead of imagining themselves to be shock troops for a vengeful Republican God.

[MichaelDeane]

Seen on a t-shirt in the French Quarter last week during Mardi Gras: Please Jesus, Save Us From Your Followers!

[abbiehoffmansghost]

Exactly.

[GuyFawkes]

And, if I'm not wrong, I think Charles is a registered Republican! The Chuckster does the best sports show on TV, INside the NBA on TNT, with Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. Unlike the scripted and forced humor of all the other pre game shows, this one has a lot of the free form, off the cuff, almost stream of consciousness humor that Charles is known for. I'm actually not a big NBA fan, but watch the pre game just for these guys.

[independentrepublicrat]

He was definitely a registered republican before. The Bush administration has turned many of their own against them.

[CountryBeforeParty]

Very true. When he considered running for Senator or Governor of Alabama, he said he would run as a Republican.

[donkee]

whoa...sca­red blitzer

heh...

[springsm]

I don't like mr barkley much, but I have to say he is right on with this..and I thank him for saying it.

[Chewbacca]

I agree absolutely with Mr Barkley. There is nothing of the 'non-sequitur' about his remarks which are right to the point. I don't care how people name their associations. I watch how they behave and make my own judgements about who they really are. As to the last quote.....­.'They can't do anything to me. I don't work for them.' Bracingly direct and to the point. I applaud him.

[IconoclasticYouth]

Go Barkley... he has the freedom to say whatever he wants to say, besides he does make a good point about the lack of forgiveness from so-called conservative Christians­...

[LoRiseAntlers]

Well said,Sir Charles.