DENVER -- Retired NBA superstar and TNT color commentator Charles Barkley has arrived at the 2008 Democratic National Convention to support his friend Barack Obama. You can't miss him.
Barkley -- sometimes called The Round Mound of Rebound -- is known for leaning Republican. But times have changed. Barkley doesn't like what Republicans have done to the United States. "We're a country of haves and have-nots. America needs a new leader. Someone who can give poor people a chance," said the author of I May Be Wrong But I Doubt It.
Barkley is enthusiastically weaving through the convention floor, although he's not a delegate. "I just wanted to be here," he tells CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, the petite White House correspondent who had to scramble up on a step to conduct her interview with the 6' 6" basketball great. "I never thought in my lifetime we'd have a black man with a legitimate shot at becoming president. I want to make it clear that if I didn't think he could do the job, I wouldn't vote for him. I think Obama would make a fantastic president."
On whether or not Obama has enough foreign policy experience, Sir Charles had this to say: First of all, a president has tons of advisers. It ain't like a president gets to make every decision on his own. You have great advisers around you.
On whether or not Obama made a mistake not picking Hillary Clinton as his running mate, he said: I think there's a personality conflict between them, that's all.
The outspoken athlete with the notoriously bad golf swing says the big question is whether or not white voters will trust a black man. "Once you're inside that little voting booth, try and see Obama as a man, not a black man."
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throwing a guy, that tried to fight him, through a bar window. Charles said "I just regret
that we weren't on a higher floor".
I'll take an honest man over someone who can't take responsibility for what he does.
I'll move to Alabama and campaign for Sir Charles. I will!
Seriously,I don't follow sports and could care less who they vote for but I guess this is good news for those who do.
Maybe Barkely is sincere, but I tell you, I'm Black, but would NEVER, EVER vote for a Republican president whether he was Black, blue or Chartreuse.
There are whites like this. Obama has jumped thru more flaming hoops than a circus tiger, YET there are whites saying "We don't know him. We don't know if he shares OUR values." Would you feel better if a white person said what Barkley did? Because plenty already have on this very site.
Parallel universe here; who doesn't have the temperament to do the job, Barack Obama, as opposed to whom, the hothead, who called his wife a c*nt and have berated many colleagues, John McCain??!?!?!??!?
His answer is basically what the media/politicians refuse to say and that difuses any argument about lact of foreign experience. You're advisers brief you and Obama is quite intelligent so I am certain he knows enough on his own. So why is it the experience tag the big issue. Bill Clinton said no one is ever really ready, so why do they think Obama isn't ready or rather refuse to say it.
Go Charles
Thanks for reading HuffPo!
Barkley's spent the last 2 decades getting vilified in this state. He has about a snowball's chance in hell of winning the AL governorship.
Imagine a world where we are all equal and no more wars.
I just can't wait.
Those poor oil companies, going out of business. Sell that somewhere else.
With all the sources available nowadays, there's really no excuse for ignorance.