NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is considering running for governor of his home state of Alabama. Best known for spitting on a 9-year old girl during a game and throwing a man through a plate glass window [not during a game], Barkley would be running as a Democrat. Why? In his words, "I was a Republican until they lost their minds ... What I've said is I'm rich like a Republican. But I'm not one."

I think this would be great. I love Barkley, not only for his basketball prowess, but also his ability to tell it like he sees it. I mean, in terms of quotability, Kinky ain't got shit on the Round Mound:

• "The only thing Christian Laettner has in common with Larry Bird is they both pee standing up."
  
• "I'm rich, man. I can't be hitting people. It's a liability issue. Especially with all these white people in the crowd at golf tournaments. I can see the headlines: 'Charles Barkley kills white dude with a golf ball.' I don't need to be looking for my Al Cowlings."
  
• EJ: "Did they recognize you in South Dakota?" Charles: "Yes, they did. It was easy because I was the only black person there. When they see me walking down the street they say 'There he goes again'. And when I come back the next year they say 'He's back y'all!'"
  
• "My goals are to play the piano and get really, really, really fat."

It was great to see that the Republicans are already taking pot shots at him now that he's stated his intentions publicly:

Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, said Barkley was never involved with the state party when he identified himself as a Republican, and she has no idea whether he's serious when talking about a future race for governor as a Democrat.

"To be governor requires more than a publicity stunt. It requires real leadership," she said.