Charles Barkley Dunks Bill O'Riley, Takes Bank Shot at Bush

I was just settling in to watch my Cavs (go LeBron!) take on the Bulls on TNT.  During the pre-game, Kevin Johnson was interviewing NBA analyst David Aldridge about matters around the league.  At the close, Johnson said to Aldridge, "Merry Christmas!"  Before Aldridge could respond, Charles Barkley added, "And Happy Holidays, too!"  There was a pause and then Barkley said, with a gleeful smirk, "I just like to piss off the Republicans whenever I can"  Then, with an exaggerated look beneath his desk and up towards the lights. Barkley said, sotto voce, "I better watch my step ... they probably have this place bugged!"

When Barkley, who I heard was being groomed by the Republican Party in his native Alabama to run for office, begins making cracks like that, it's pretty obvious to me that Gooper shananigans are being talked about on all levels, and well beyond the Beltway, too.  This trend has legs .....