Charles Barkley, analyst for TNT’s NBA coverage, called out Mitt Romney at the playoff game Sunday night. Romney attended the game along with his wife and longtime friend, Bob White. During the broadcast the camera cut to Romney, who was busy mingling with the crowd, as Barkley said, “You’re going down, bro.” According to Barkley the statement was nothing personal, just him expressing what his predictions are for the upcoming presidential elections.
The competition between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks was not enough to distract Barkley from the upcoming elections in November. Charles Barkley, former member of the Republican Party, couldn’t hold his tongue as the cameras revealed Mitt Romney in the crowd.
“We’re gonna beat you like a drum in November,” Berkley said as the camera remained locked on Romney, who was seated about twelve rows back at mid-court.
The statement was clearly not meant to be a personal attack on Romney, however, as Barkley went on to say, “Don’t take it personally. I like you. You seem like a nice guy.” Nonetheless, Barkley still claimed that Romney was “going down in November.”
Although he is most famously known for his prowess in basketball, Barkley has quite a bit of experience when it comes to political commentary. Back in December he came after the GOP presidential field when he called their potential nominees “idiots” who unfairly criticized President Obama. Barkley even considered running for governor of Alabama in 1995, although this never came to fruition. In 2010, he brought his hopes of being governor back to life, but this time he would be running as a Democrat.
Despite his famous switch between political parties, Barkley doesn’t see himself in a very political light. “I do not use words like liberal or conservative. You can ask me a question and I will give you answer,” Barkley told the New Republic during an interview in 2008. He believes terms like liberal and conservative are only used as a strategy by rich people to “divide and conquer.” No matter what Barkley believes the terms are used for, he used the sports broadcast to provide some brief liberal support for President Obama and the Democratic Party.
