Tweet
The always quotable Charles Barkley (former NBA star; current TNT basketball analyst) is typically candid in a Q&A posted this morning at TNR Online, the website of The New Republic. A few of the highlights from a man who gets mentioned every few months or so as a potential gubernatorial candidate in his native Alabama (and fair warning, if you go to the interview there is some profane language):
Question: Are there any politicians now that you like? I have heard you have Barack Obama in your cell phone. Is that true?
Answer: Barack is a good friend of mine. John Edwards is a good friend of mine. I supported John last time because John got my attention last time. He said that we had to address the issues, the disparity between the rich and the poor. ... Barack is a friend. I've got to make sure where his head is and make sure he is not just trying to get elected. This is going to be a very interesting election because we are going to find out who is sexist and who is racist. Because I don't think a woman can win, because I think America is sexist. I am not sure Barack can win, because I do think we have a racial divide in this country.
Q: You said you wanted to figure out whether Obama was in it for the right reasons. Do you have concerns that he is not?
A: No, I think he is, but you cannot say stuff to get elected. You have to say, "This is what I want to do." You can't say, "Well, I am going to say this and do that." ... I would love to see Barack do well, because I think he is a good guy, but I want to know what his platform is.
Q: What do you think about Hillary?
A: I like her, but I want to know what her platform is. She has obviously screwed up on the war thing. But I want to know what they feel on certain things. I am not going to vote for Barack just because he is black. I ain't going to vote for Hillary just because she is a woman. I want to know what they stand for and what they will do.
Q: In some quarters Barack has been criticized for not being black enough.
A: Well, that's because black people are (expletive deleted). One of the reasons that black people are not going to be successful is because of other black people. We tell black kids that if they make good grades, they are acting white. If they speak well, we tell them that they are acting white. We have a lot of demons in our own closet -- in our own family -- that we have to address. ... We become our own worst enemy with random black-on-black crime, teen pregnancy, single-parent homes. You know we cannot blaming white America for our ills. Does racism exist? Of course it does. But, at some point, I have to make sure I am educated. I don't have ten kids and no job. I am not killing other black people. At some point, you have to grow up. ...
Q: Looking back on the Don Imus thing ...
A: What he said was atrocious. He should have got suspended, and not fired.
Q: Why not?
A: I don't think you can fire everyone for everything they say, first and foremost. It was wrong, it was hideous, as a man who got a daughter, as a black man who got a daughter. But I thought he should have gotten suspended, and that's it. I would have been content with that. ...
Q: You mentioned Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson earlier. What are your opinions of them?
A: I know them both, but they are race-baiters who have double standards for white racism and black racism.
Question: Are there any politicians now that you like? I have heard you have Barack Obama in your cell phone. Is that true?
Answer: Barack is a good friend of mine. John Edwards is a good friend of mine. I supported John last time because John got my attention last time. He said that we had to address the issues, the disparity between the rich and the poor. ... Barack is a friend. I've got to make sure where his head is and make sure he is not just trying to get elected. This is going to be a very interesting election because we are going to find out who is sexist and who is racist. Because I don't think a woman can win, because I think America is sexist. I am not sure Barack can win, because I do think we have a racial divide in this country.
Q: You said you wanted to figure out whether Obama was in it for the right reasons. Do you have concerns that he is not?
A: No, I think he is, but you cannot say stuff to get elected. You have to say, "This is what I want to do." You can't say, "Well, I am going to say this and do that." ... I would love to see Barack do well, because I think he is a good guy, but I want to know what his platform is.
Q: What do you think about Hillary?
A: I like her, but I want to know what her platform is. She has obviously screwed up on the war thing. But I want to know what they feel on certain things. I am not going to vote for Barack just because he is black. I ain't going to vote for Hillary just because she is a woman. I want to know what they stand for and what they will do.
Q: In some quarters Barack has been criticized for not being black enough.
A: Well, that's because black people are (expletive deleted). One of the reasons that black people are not going to be successful is because of other black people. We tell black kids that if they make good grades, they are acting white. If they speak well, we tell them that they are acting white. We have a lot of demons in our own closet -- in our own family -- that we have to address. ... We become our own worst enemy with random black-on-black crime, teen pregnancy, single-parent homes. You know we cannot blaming white America for our ills. Does racism exist? Of course it does. But, at some point, I have to make sure I am educated. I don't have ten kids and no job. I am not killing other black people. At some point, you have to grow up. ...
Q: Looking back on the Don Imus thing ...
A: What he said was atrocious. He should have got suspended, and not fired.
Q: Why not?
A: I don't think you can fire everyone for everything they say, first and foremost. It was wrong, it was hideous, as a man who got a daughter, as a black man who got a daughter. But I thought he should have gotten suspended, and that's it. I would have been content with that. ...
Q: You mentioned Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson earlier. What are your opinions of them?
A: I know them both, but they are race-baiters who have double standards for white racism and black racism.