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Barkley: Voting for Dems hasn’t helped blacks

by Mark Hensch - 08/28/15 11:16 AM ET

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said on Friday that the years African-Americans had spent supporting Democrats had not improved their economic standing.

“Black people have been voting for Democrats their whole life, and they’re still poor,” the television broadcaster said on “The Dan Patrick Show,” according to The Chicago Sun-Times.

{mosads}“Republicans don’t do anything for poor people either,” he added. “Neither one of the parties is doing anything for poor people. They’re both full of it.”

Barkley, a longtime Democrat, also admitted on Friday he is underwhelmed by his party’s current 2016 presidential field.

“Ah, well, I vote Democratic most of the time,” he said. “But the Democrats don’t have a candidate I really like.”

The basketball legend then reiterated past claims that he is most impressed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a GOP White House hopeful next year.

“He’s the guy I’m supporting right now,” Barkley said of Kasich. “You know, Dan, it’s tough for me to vote for a Republican but he’s the guy I’m voting for right now. He’s the leader in my clubhouse.”

Barkley added that he also respects Donald Trump, the outspoken billionaire currently leading the race for the Republican nomination in 2016.

“I like Trump,” he said. “The few times I’ve been around him, he’s always treated me cordial. But I’m going with — I can’t pronounce his name, the governor of Ohio — John Kasich.”

The latest RealClearPolitics average of national polls has Kasich ranked eight in the GOP’s crowded field of 17 presidential candidates.