Photo by Glynn Wilson

Charles Barkley says he'll run for governor of Alabama "and win" in 2014

by Glynn Wilson

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 9 - Former Auburn and Philadelphia basketball star Charles Barkley came to Birmingham on behalf of Senator Barack Obama's bid to be the first black president of the United States, and said he still planned to run for governor of Alabama – in 2014. He said he would run either as Democrat or an independent – definitely not a Republican - and that he would definitely win.

"The Republicans are off the deep end now with this war, immigration, you name it," he said.

When asked what he thought about the political prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman and the President George W. Bush's commutation of the prison sentence of Scooter Libby, he said, "Libby has bigger friends in high places, I guess. It's unfortunate Libby got off."

Barkley said he came to support Senator Obama because he has believed in him ever since he interviewed him for his book, Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?, published in 2005.

"Our political system in America is broken, with the divide between the rich and poor growing, and it's getting worse every day," he said. "And the media talking heads are part of the problem, not the solution."

He introduced Obama as a "uniter," and said all the other politicians on the right and left are simply good at "divide and conquer."

"Obama would make a fantastic president," he said. "He's got the intellect, the charisma, everything it will take."