NBA / Jul 29, 2008 / 12:16 pm
LeBron Donates $20 G’s to Barack Obama
LeBron James (photo. Mannion)If you’re into keeping track of who your favorite players support in this year’s election, the L.A. Times reported yesterday that LeBron donated more than $20,000 to a committee dedicated to getting Barack Obama elected president.
It definitely doesn’t hurt that Barack can give people buckets…
Source: LA Times
July 29th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
doc says:
Hey thats whats up.Dudes in the 90’s wouldnt be caught dead showing who they perfered in shit like that.Mike would’ve putup 20 G’s on everybody shit.Democrat and Republican.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Zach says:
good to know LeBron has a stance on something, i applaud this finally someone major in the sports world takes a (semi)active approach to politics. To bad Tiger can’t do the same.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Celts Fan says:
To each his own. As a white guy, I find it offensive that the media keeps asking the black dudes who they support, why they don’t get involved, etc. I’m all for guys like Jim Brown who put their all into their movements and beliefs, but being a black man (or any other race, religion, gender, etc.) doesn’t mean you should have to say or do anything. We live in a country where you have the right to choose. Tiger chooses to walk the same line MJ did, LeBron wants to show who he supports and where his political beliefs lie. Both are completely ok and should not draw criticism.
As an athlete, we (all sports fans) put you on a higher pedestal on the court. We expect certain things when you step between the lines like hustle and hard work. The only fair thing to ask of ANY athlete when he’s not playing is to not go home in cuffs. If you want to disclose your political views, your personality, or any other personal things about you, great, but there should be no expectation to do so just because you have that stage.
Having said all of that, I’m glad LeBron’s on the right side and I do applaud his decision to put it out there.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Check out that LA Times link. Quotes a famous Mike line from back in the day. He was asked why he didn’t take any political stands and he came back with something like, “Because Republicans buy sneakers too.” Says it all right there.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Zach says:
I didn’t mean Black athletes, Bron and Tiger are just 2 of the biggest sports stars of our time. I would like Farve, Carson Palmer, Peyton etc to do the same. That Jordan line sums up perfectly why they don’t, but when you have as much money as they do I think its cool to say you know what I do stand for this and do something (against Nike and other endorsers wishes). I will get hated on for this but I wouldn’t care if he gave money to McCain as long as he takes a stance. We wonder why young people don’t vote. Its cause the people we idolize make it almost uncool to do so and seem to show no interest in the process and they are still rich so why do i need to vote. I just believe this is a good thing
July 29th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Blue says:
I agree with Zach. I mean, musicians and actors no matter what race they are, get involved. So, athletes, who kids probably emulate just as much as other celebrities should get involved!
And it’s not that they ask them because they’re black, it’s just that most major pro stars happen to be black.
i never really liked lebron, but this gives me a newfound respect for him.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Sith Lord 24 says:
i dont care what no one says. i would Cross Obama up and smack boards hard as hell on him. then put it on my website and youtube!!!!!
July 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
fiyaman says:
I agree with everything Celts fan said
July 29th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
GayforRudy says:
READ IN A SARCASTIC TONE:
Yeah this is great news! Since I am unable to think for myself, Dime has included a link so that I can see who my favorite player supports and then do exactly what they do (since I am a sheep). Thanks Dime!
PS: If you could include a story about who Hollywood supports that’d be really helpful too.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Celts Fan says:
@Zach and Blue, didn’t mean you guys in particular, it’s just funny to me that no one’s bugging Steve Nash to get involved w/ Darfur or that people aren’t asking Peyton Manning over and over about his political views.
and yes, it’d be nice if more athletes did get involved, but like MJ said (paraphrasing here) everyone buys shoes. If your goal is to make $ and sell your stuff (not a damn thing wrong with that btw) then that may not be your best bet.
Those athletes that do feel really strongly have a platform to express their opinions and do so at their discretion. I just don’t think anyone should be pressured to get involved in something. It’s their choice.
I applaud those that do, just hate that others get pressured to.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Blue says:
celts fan…
i see what you mean bro. i wasn’t doggin’ on you! just a healthy dicussion of ideas!
July 29th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
rangerjohn says:
1st, more “media love” for hussain obama! thats awesome. the media sure loves that guy, but then it doesnt mater who he is running against or what his stands are, they would still love him because the bias left media loves all things dem. (when was the last time ANY senator or pres candididate has made a trip over seas with reporters from all the major news agencies? NEVER! regardless of views)
2nd, obama claims to not be making it a “race issue” yet that is all that comes up, maybe he is not, but the election is about race no mater how you slice it.
3rd, steve nash is a canadian citizen so why would they ask him?
4th WHO CARES who labron is supporting? aparently the media wants you (the reader/listener) to care. used to be a “no-no” to ask someone who they are voting for, now it is like if you dont ask them you are breaking some rules or something. 2 things you are never supposed to talk with “friends”, religion, and politics.
that being said, i have no issues with labron supporting who he likes but i say this, the media has so many people brainwashed on hussain obama that apparently it is spreading to sports.
nice little tax writeoff for labron too.
MCCAIN IN ‘08!!!! sink the obama ship!
July 29th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Celts Fan says:
@Blue, knew you weren’t dogging me, just wanted to make sure that was understood both ways.
@Rangerjohn, really? You’re gonna go there w/ that guy? I’m assuming that means you’re a Republican, so you support the party that’s bungled our national finances, screwed the war on terror, completely lied to us about Iraq’s involvement w/ terrorists/nukes which led to a ton of my friends getting sent over there and Osama STILL running loose IN THE COUNTRY WE BASICALLY LEFT TO WASTE RESOURCES IN IRAQ, and has completely ignored things that don’t benefit them (let’s put it this way, had Katrina been bearing down on some white collar hood, there’s no damn way it takes Bush 4 days to react. NONE.) Bush just made his first trip to the middle east in his entire presidency. 7 years, 2 wars, and the first trip is with less than a year left?!? W. is the Jim McIllvane of Presidents…
and to sorta bring it back to ball, Nash is the white boy the media fell in love with and Darfur isn’t relocated to just a US issue (which is why I went w/ that over political POVs on the race for him.)
July 29th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Celts Fan says:
and Ranger, there’s nothing Barack can do about the media making it a race issue. Jackie Robinson probably didn’t try to make it a race issue either and just wanted it to be about him being the best guy for the job, regardless of anything else, but sometimes the reporting of something and its circumstances make it that way whether we try to or not. It’s our evolution as a people that eventually makes things stop being about anything more than qualifications for the job.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
fiyaman says:
A celts Fan leave him alone u cant argue with ignorance
July 29th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
fiyaman says:
and he says everyone else is brainwashed…lmao
July 29th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
rangerjohn (McCain in '08) says:
ok 1st celt, lets see the republicans, dont own congress, and the dems took over congress at the 04 elections and the economy was fine before then (last 2 yrs so 2 yrs after the dems took over)
2nd the repulicans are not the ones who gave the information to the ENTIRE WORLD on iraq. people look at it as if bush is the one who went out to iraq and said “hey i think there are WMD here” time to get those facts right. and yes as most of you know i was over there myself so i know all about the place and what is there.
3rd where do you get bush made his 1st trip this yr, i think you mean hussain obama made his 1st trip to afganistan, and his 1st to iraq in 4 yrs. bush has been there many times including almost every 4th of july since the war started. hell bush’s wife has made 3 trips herself, 1 with him, and 2 without him (and she has only been 1 time this year and it was alone with out him)
4th when we left afganistan to go to iraq very few resources where sent from one to the other, myself being one of those resources.
5th katrina huh, we are going there? better go check the facts, the united states federal govt CAN NOT issue aid to any state with out the governor of said state requesting or allowing aid to be administered. case in point, the 1st day after the storm was gone, 2 navy ships where just out of state waters waiting for gov. blanco to give the OK for them to come in to help, this took 3 days before she gave the ok. again i live in houston where about 70% of the people where “relocated” so i know all about how that thing went, the people of houston are still paying for that. and then there are those same people who are STILL getting federal aid and living in federal housing, including “free rent” on aprtments here in the houston area, all the while not even attempting to find gainful employment. dont get me started on that mess. after the “relocation” the murder rate in houston went up 24% and yet to go down.
now on to hussain,
1st as a business owner i would never vote for a guy like him, you realize he wants to make it mandatory for me, a small business owner pay for health care for employees. this to a tune of $12,000+ PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR. i have 15 employees, that is an ADDITIONAL $180,000 per year just for my company. he is also in favor of raising the gas tax about 25 cents per gallon. he is also NOT in favor of drill in american water or on american soil. just the mention of drilling here in the usa has dropped oil prices $25. he is also not in favor of “alternative” fuels which leaves us relying on oil, which he will not drill for, which causes us to buy from others, which drives prices up. he is in favor of canceling the smal business tax incentives which where emplimented by both clinton and bush, causing small businesses (like mine) to have to pay higher tax rates and it also eliminates some of the “write offs” i recieve (like owning a truck over 6000 lbs gets me a tax break) he is also one who is all for eliminating that nifty little “stimulous check” you and i both recieved (i assume you got one) which has in turn boosted the economy in the past months.
i could go on for days about the reasons not to vote for him, which will not change any of your minds but i say this, while a couple of you think i am crazy because i cant stand that lier, just wait until he gets elected, and taxes go up, oil goes up, and we leave iraq in as bad or worse shape then it is in now. which will inturn drive oil and gas prices up even higher and cause the middle east to either 1 hate us more, 2 claim victory over us, or both.
so i know i have asked this before but gotten no responce, tell me why you would consider voting for hussain obama, and why you would not vote for mccain, and your answer cant be “mccain is old” or “because bush has screwed us” mccain is not bush
July 29th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
rangerjohn (McCain in '08) says:
and once again celts, i never said obama was making the media do this, and i never said obama was making it a race issue. all i said was it turns into that no mater what and the media makes it that way themselves, they dont need help.
as for nash, the whole point of the conversation was about the election, and the media involved, nash is the “basketball” media darling, but he has nothing to do with anything else in the usa. hell he getsw the hell back north of the border ASAP when he can
July 29th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
fiyaman says:
the murder rate didnt increase enough cause ur still able to talk ur shit
July 29th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
rangerjohn (McCain in '08) says:
man fuck you “fiyaman”
come on over and find out about houston tough guy.
i find it funny how when someone points out the truths about someone elses “candidates” like this, they get all pissed off. i find it funny how when i point out the ACTUAL facts and state my point of view, i get attacked and called an “idiot” and told i should be killed. fuck you man, come do it yourself tough guy, fucking keyboard warriors.
holy shit
July 29th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
rangerjohn (McCain in '08) says:
why dont you tell me where or why i am wrong dick, i see how you like to tell me i am wrong or an idiot yet you have no point of view. pop in and talk a little shit and then disapear with no real point of view or any real facts to back up the notion that you have that i am wrong.
so i ask again, WHY VOTE FOR OBAMA, and again “mccain is old” or “obama is for change” is all bs answers give me some real answers. real reasons
July 29th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
fiyaman says:
never said u were wrong ,.. i realy dont care who u vote for cause everyone has a right to their own opinion.. I didnt want to turn this into a political debate cause I know it would never end .. my whole point is (and maybe I should have said it earlier)
u seem more anti -obama than pro mccain.. they way u talk it sounds to me that anyone who runs against obama would get ur vote and to me that smells fishy.. if u want we can create a separate post to discuss our political views thats fine with me.. but I can see that its people like u why this country is hated everywhere esle in the world.. I bet u got a kick out of killing them iraqis huh..
by the way i didnt say u were an idiot I said ur were ignorant ..big diff
July 29th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
fiyaman says:
and if u want to play stupid and act like im taking ur comments out of context u can play that shit with the media ..that out of context shit dont work with me.. I know exactly what ur trying to say so its ok to go ahead and say it.
July 29th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
rangerjohn (McCain in '08) says:
listen fiyaman
you might be right, i might be for ALMOST anyone over obama. while i would not take john kerry or billary clinton over obama, any one of the men running for the rep side (in this yrs case anyway) would be better then obama. i also like the plans mccain has at least at this point. i like the way he doesnt side with party lines, i like how he votes on the individual issues and not with the reps just because he is technically republican.
i do not like obama because of the things he says and does, and the things he plans on doing. he is already the most liberal demicrat in all of the senate and that bodes very pourly for people like me. i cant stand how the media puts him on a pedistal above all others. i dont like how he treated the soldiers in iraq and afganistan. i dont like how he set his “policy” on the war before even going to see the war 1st hand. i dont like how he still refuses to “condem” the comments by his 20 yr friend and pastor and claims to have never heard anything like what his pastor said on tape.(complete bullshit, no way he was a 20 yr friend and pastor who babtised his kids and married him to his wife and yet he never heard any anti american or anti white comments? BULLSHIT)
the man is a liar, he has ZERO experience to qualify him for the job, and there are no supporters who can actually tell me why they would vote for him except “mccain is to old” and “look what bush did for us” both of which are total bs also. i hear things like “obama is for change” yet nobody can tell me what changes is he planning that would benefit any of us. the only change i can find is he wants to raise taxes and screw small business (and big business also). all of his “new taxes” which are supposed to “hit the rich” actualy afect the middle class more then they do the rich (remember he lives in an almost 2 million dollar house).
the man is a liar and from what i see billary is the only person running that would not be better.
i voted for bush, because of the same thing, better then the alternaive but in a case such as this, we have little options. vote for independents, and obama get elected because the indy’s effect the republicans more then the dems.
and no actually i dont get any joy from shooting iraqis, i never enjoyed seeing my buddies get blown the fuck up either. had a friend get burned over 90% of his body, he had no eyelids, he lived off a feeding tube and a ventilator, he died a few days after i last saw him in a bed at the brook army med center in san antonio. so that being said, i would rather shoot iraqis then be blown up by them. if that makes me a bad person then i guess i am the worst, if that makes the rest of the world hate us, then i say fuckem.
July 29th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
BKS says:
Why is it that LeBron gets applauded for taking a stance when he backs Obama, but when Curt Schilling (first conservative athlete off the top of my head) endorses McCain he is told to just be quiet and nobody cares??
July 29th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Jim says:
Because Schilling is a blowhard and never shuts up and no one likes him?
July 29th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Celts Fan says:
@Ranger, my answer why I won’t vote for McCain is that I’ve seen what W. did to this country over the past 8 years. I’ve also seen the clowns around him, in the Republican party, how they’ve been yes-men and lap dogs. Seriously, they could’ve been balls-deep on W meat and it woulda been less embarrassing than trying to say they back everything he’s done. I actually like McCain as a person and think he’s the best possible Republican you could ask for, but he’s still a Republican. I’ve lost ALL faith in their ability to run this country. I’ve seen McCain go from completely anti-Bush in 2000 to being right there w/ the rest of the Republicans trying to jump on the George meat while distancing himself just enough to not seem as retarded as W (they’ve gone from full on riding, to just a little hand in the past couple years as the full scale of W’s retardation has shown itself. and btw, it may’ve actually be Israel that he first went to, but it was definitely somewhere in the Middle East that was so absurd I remember it and remember thinking how crazy it was it took this long) Additionally, I think what the Republicans do by using religion as their personal code of ethics – fine – and then try to force their beliefs on us with laws is ridiculously insulting. I’m all for religion if it makes you a better person, but that is a strictly personal, individual experience. Reps try to use that to create laws and force their personal beliefs on a country that was founded on the basis of individual freedoms and diversity. This country was founded on not having to deal with that exact kind of bullshit. That he’s associated with these jerk-offs and has agreed with enough of it to get this far is why I’d never vote for McCain. I respect the hell out of the man – true American hero for what he did in ‘Nam, which should never be lost sight of with all the old jokes and postering as the race heats up – but the people he hangs out with scare me enough I would never vote for him anyway (though again, I’ll say he’s by far the best Republican for the job and someone I’d trust to lead us in the war at least. Though Barack can get people to help with that, he just actually has to listen to them.)
That’s not even the point though. It’s not that I don’t like McCain, it’s that I like Barack that much and think he can and will do GREAT things for this country. Barack is the change we need. Change can be expensive, but shit Ranger, so is war (I know you know this, and thanks for serving man, for real, just saying we’re always gonna be paying for something, let’s make it something for the greater good and meaningful, otherwise, you know some dick is gonna figure out a way to waste some $$$ whenever we have a surplus, like that douch from Alaska that somehow got a multi-million dollar bridge built to a tiny island w/ less than 1000 people on it.) This country will be better for having Barack if he’s elected. It may be a tough change, and it won’t always be easy, but if he can deliver even half changes he’s promoting and promising, if he can deliver hope to a generation that’s completely lost it in this country’s government, he’s the man for the job.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Celts Fan says:
@Jim, as a Sox fan that’s seen Schilling’s act up close for the past 5 years, gotta say, that’s dead on. He’s like Gilbert, only if, instead of being funny and a breath of fresh air, if Gil was old, cranky, disliked by most of his past teammates/reporters, and a complete dick.
Schilling’s also a GREAT example as to why I always support an athlete going the MJ route and not saying a word. You see it w/ Schill (actually not him, everyone’s always known he’s a dbag,) you see it with Gil, and you see it with Chad Johnson. The mainstream media’s funny. Exactly what they love you for today will be the reason to throw a target on your back tomorrow. AT first, they love you and everything you’re saying and that you’re saying it. Then, after a little while, there’s a slight backlash and people are asking why you won’t just stop talking, then, suddenly you’re the bad guy that’s always gotta say what you think. Chad Johnson had a HILARIOUS interview today talking about kicking Carson Palmer in the knee and how they fight in camp, and people on ESPN are calling it “bizarre” and questioning CJs work ethic. If this was 2006, those same guys woulda been laughing and talking about the fun he brings to the game. I know that’s not exactly politics, but if I’m a pro athlete and I see that happening with guys just doing light-hearted interviews and stuff, why would I put myself out there like that?
July 29th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
rangerjohn (McCain in '08) says:
celt
i understand where your coming from, BUT i have to say this, while the repulican party may be a bush lover, they are not the ones doing things in this country. stop and look at how the country works, the 3 parts of govt, the executive branch- bush, he “runs stuff” and he has a ton of power, but not all the power. the judicial branch- the supreme court, apointed mostly by either regan or clinton with 1 or 2 by bush and bush (they happen to be mostly republican in nature and yet they are CONSTANTLY ruling AGAINST forcing religion on the people) and then there is the house and senate, both completely and overwelmingly run by the dems (used to be the republicans but they lost it 4 yrs ago).
i know you know all of this,
now congress and the senate are the ones who really put things in motion, such as the war money, bush asks for it and they give it to him, the DEMACRATIC congress gives it to him. the “lies” he told to get us in the war is the same lies he was told, along with congress, and britan and germany and france and russia and everyone, sure he pushed harder but THE WHOLE WORLD fell for the same lies bush was told. sort of like me telling you a lie and you telling your wife believing me, and she falls for it to only to find out to late that it was a lie.
see you did give me the “i hate bush” type answer as to why you will not vote for mccain with no real “reason” for voting for hussein obama. i admit to voting against obama more then for mccain but i like mccains policies also, and i HATE obamas policies as well as the lies he tells also. his stories never add up. he defends himself and his family with “hey thats not right” and “leave my family out of it” all the while telling everyone to check out his opponents family, like cindy mccain and even bill clinton before. he is a hypocrite like that.
the biggest issue i have is hi policies though, i dont like taxes, and i especially hate RAISING taxes which he has told everyone from the get go he is going to do.
i mean do you like paying so much in taxes, not just income but tax on groceries, cloths, what ever, he is going to raise them all. and then he wants to add to the gas tax, like we dont pay enough as it is.
think about this, like i said earlier, he is against drilling, and alternative fuel research. this will drive oil prices up, then he wants to increase gas tax. now the kicker, the more money we pay at the pump, the more money the govt makes. not only do you pay .18 per gallon to the govt but the oil company has to pay a % of thier profits to the govt. now a % is exponential so if they make 1,000,000,000 in profits, and they pay 25% (to use a number) then they are paying 25,000,000 in taxes now ad a zero if they make 10 billion, and they made what 43 billion LAST QUARTER? and on top of that obama wants to TAX THE OIL COMPANIES MORE! so what will happen if he does that? the oil companies will turn that tax over to us the people buying fuel so they can make the money they will have to pay in taxes. the ONLY answer is to drill and research alternative fuels, both of which the republicans are all for ESPECIALLY mccain. yet the dems WILL NOT EVEN LET IT GO TO A VOTE because they dont want to drill because they get to much money from crazy people like the “activists” such as peta as an example.
this country was founded for 2 reasons initially, freedom of religion, while the reps like to “preach” christian values, they are all for letting you practice how ever you like, and 2nd freedom from over taxation by the british, yet now we have a person who wants to drive tax rates up to the highest in history.
there is no right answer when it comes to the 2 parties, but as a citizen, a vet, and a business owner, I DONT WANT MORE TAXES! big business fuels this country, big govt taxes this country.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
rangerjohn says:
good read
http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=302137342405551
socialism LMAO good idea OR NOT!