Round mound of sound bite

With all due respect to NBA legend and potential 2010 Alabama gubernatorial contender Charles Barkley, whose heart seems to be in the right place, I'd say the Iraq war is the exact opposite of "stuff that's not important" right now. At best, that was a very poor choice of words. At worst, it was disconnected from reality.

Nonetheless, Sir Charles' pursuit of the governor's chair could be fun to watch, especially if U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, cleared the field by opting for a Senate run instead. Barkley would run as a Democrat in a very conservative state -- "I was a Republican," he says, "until they lost their minds" -- and probably wouldn't win. Still, Barkley's renowned quick wit and candor would liven up the race and help cut through some of the nonsense that can choke the election-time atmosphere.

Besides, he couldn't be worse than Roy Moore.