Lib SF columnist: "In defense of Sir Charles"

www.sfgate.com ^ | March 12, 2002 | Emil Guillermo

[laureldrive]

Want to see the future of American politics in the next decade?

Run out and get Sports Illustrated.

Not the one with the pretty swimsuited Latina on the cover (though Latinos, by their sheer number, most definitely will be the future). Get the March 11 issue, the one with the cover showing a bald, muscular African American, a steel collar around his neck, breaking the chains that shackle him.

[KC Burke]

Barkley has made no secret of his interest in GOP politics in Alabama. It has been mentioned, often, for over a dozen years as something he wanted to consider seriously after his playing days were over.

It would be an asset to the GOP nationaly to have Charles Barkley involved in Alabama. He is certainly as serious a fellow as Jesse Ventura was prior to his rise to promenance in his party.

I have seen him talk seriously about some issues and like much of what he had to say.

[Gurn]

We Auburn University alumni tend to hold our breath anytime somebody says, "Did you hear what Charles said?" We love him, warts and all.

If nothing else, his candor is refreshing. I harken back to when he got a technical foul for elbowing an Angolan player in the '92 olympics: "What was I supposed to do? He could have pulled out a spear or something." Priceless.

Smart money, however, says he'll never do more than talk about running for governor.

[GoreIsLove]

But consider that the losing gubernatorial candidate in last week's California Republican primary, Richard Riordan, ran on a "Big Tent" platform to include blacks and other minorities, and he was resoundingly trounced at the polls

I thought the standard party line was that it was Gray Davis' ads that defeated Riordan. Now it's because deep down inside Republicans just don't like blacks.

Of course this is the Chronicle, and this is the same author that blamed racism for the lack of blacks at the Winter Olympics.

If Emil Guillermo is cut off in traffic, is it because of racism. If Shawn Bradley blocks Steve Francis' shot in basketball is that racism?

[Jeff Chandler]

Sir Charles is an intelligent man, he just doesn't always use his intelligence, tends to jump to conclusions. And if you ever saw him on the court, you know he could really jump!