Have I ever mentioned that I love Charles Barkley?

(Last photo is from Crooks & Liars)

When he played in the NBA in the 80s and 90s, Charles Barkley was one of my favorite players. Since he retired I've loved him just as much. Usually he does NBA broadcasts on TNT and is a constant source of hilarious, biting commentary.

However Barkley is also outspoken about a lot of things beyond the NBA. One of those things is politics. For years he's been an vocal Republican. But recently when he went on Wolf Blitzer's show, he laced into some of his "fellow" Republicans. Also he noted that he'll be voting Democrat in the upcoming election.

From Crooks & Liars:

Charles Barkley appeared on The Situation Room to promote Barack Obama’s candidacy. As you may remember, Barkley was a very vocal Republican not that many years ago. Well, no more. Barkley’s disgust with the Republican Party was so palpable that Wolf Blitzer could only flounder to try to make it a little less vitriolic.

BARKLEY: Hey, I live in Arizona. I have got great respect for Senator McCain. Great respect. But I don’t like the way the Republicans are taking this country. Every time I hear the word “conservative,” it makes me sick to my stomach, because they’re really just fake Christians, as I call them. That’s all they are. But I just — I’m going to vote Democratic no matter what. [..]

BLITZER: All right. One quick point before I let you go. You used the phrase “fake Christians” for conservatives. Explain what you’re talking about.

BARKLEY: Well, I think they — they want to be judge and jury. Like, I’m for gay marriage. It’s none of my business if gay people want to get married. I’m pro-choice. And I think these Christians — first of all, they’re supposed to be — they’re not supposed to judge other people. But they’re the most hypocritical judge of people we have in this country. And it bugs the hell out of me. They act like their Christians. And they’re not forgiving at all.

BLITZER: So you’re going to get a lot of feedback on this one, Charles.

BARKLEY: They can’t do anything to me. I don’t work for them.