The Reggie Love Factor
Huh. It seems that Carlos Boozer actually has weighed-in on the election:
One of Jazz All-Star forward Carlos Boozer’s former teammates at Duke University is Barack Obama’s personal assistant Reggie Love, a relationship that helped pave the way for Boozer to chat one-on-one recently with the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
“I had a chance to meet (Obama) in Miami about three weeks ago, and I had a talk with him for about 10 or 15 minutes,” said Boozer, who — though he was raised in Alaska, the home of Republican Party candidate for vice president Sarah Palin — is a big Obama backer.
“He’s so impressive,” added Boozer, a two-time U.S. Olympian who won gold in China earlier this year with Team USA. “He (Obama) has this incredible aura about him. The way he talks, I want that guy leading my country.”
So there you have it. Of course I assume the NBA player demographic tilts heavily in Obama’s favor, even if not every player has specifically remarked on the election.
66 Responses to “The Reggie Love Factor”
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October 23rd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Plus he can stick the 3…
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Matt: “Of course I assume the NBA player demographic tilts heavily in Obama’s favor.”
i’m not so sure about that…the WaPo had an article about a week back where they interview various Redskins players…and they were mixed and conflicted. some wanted to vote for obama but…..they self-identified as millionares more than anything else…and, as such leaned towards voting republican….
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
“Of course I assume the NBA player demographic tilts heavily in Obama’s favor…”
Interesting “of course.” These people are all extremely rich. Do really rich people tend to prefer Obama? Huh.
Or is it that you think other factors will tend to make them vote for the Democrat this year? Health policy? Foreign policy?
What factors? Race? People picking one candidate because of his race, rather than because of specific policies? Couldn’t be. That would be racist. Right?
Just wondering.
Seriously. I am wondering. the preferred “narrative” here seems to be that only really rich people and the people who have been duped by really rich people could vote for McCain. Except maybe some of the “culture warrior” types.
So what’s to make it seem like NBA players would “of course” prefer Obama? If it does come down to race, seems to me that some of the culture warrior stuff might actually mitigate in McCain’s favor.
Anyone actually bother to conduct a poll of the various sports? I agree with Matt that the NBA probably leans Obama, but perhaps not decidedly as he assumes. As for professional lacrosse? Hmmm…
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
The NBA hasn’t had such a clear choice for a candidate since Bill Bradley.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
here’s a taste;
The discussions and mini-debates, however, always seem to come back to money. Days after Daniels expressed his feelings inside the Redskins locker room, teammate Ethan Albright held up a stamped envelope containing his absentee ballot, ready to be mailed to his home state of North Carolina. As he put the envelope in his locker, cornerback Shawn Springs called out: “Why you like McCain?”
“I like him,” Albright replied with a nod, “because he ain’t raising taxes.”
That’s a sentiment reiterated by New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles, also a McCain supporter.
“He is going to tax the wealthy, which is what we are,” said Feagles, referring to Obama. “We are in that category. You look at those kinds of implications, and I hate using that word, it will affect us.”
Feagles’ teammate, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, couldn’t disagree more.
“It’s insulting to think you would vote based on how it affects you financially,” Kiwanuka said. “I had that conversation even before I got my signing bonus. It’s a matter of general policy and what you believe in and what that person stands for. … When you look at it, I spent the majority of my life with an average upbringing to say the least, and that has shaped how I vote a lot more than the last couple of years living this lifestyle.”
here’s the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002166.html
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
How long until Petey arrives to tell us that football is for Republicans and basketball is for Democrats?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
For what it’s worth, Spencer Hawes of the Kings is a Republican.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Spencer Hawes of the Kings is a Republican.
He’s also not much of a basketball player.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Here’s my made-up McCain starting 5.
G Sarahcuda Palin
G Doug Christie
F Keith Van Horn
F Spencer Hawes
C Shawn Bradley
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I forgot to mention that the McCain starting 5 is unwatchable because of it’s poor work ethic, awful team chemistry, and lacking assertiveness for loose balls.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:20 pm
The suckitude of Ethan Albright’s political acumen is matched only by the poverty of his Madden avatar’s skills:
http://www.thephatphree.com/features.asp?LayoutType=1&SectionID=2&StoryID=3159
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Sam,
actually the very rich do tend to vote Dem, it is the marginally rich who are most worried about taxes. Which kind of fits the NFL vs NBA as well. Feagles has had a much longer career than most players but as a punter probably makes $500K a year. A lousy NBA player is making several mil a year with a much longer career. Your average NFL career is what 4 years or so?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Mathias Kiwanuka is an intellectual giant compared to Feagles and Albright. I don’t know what the balance of pro athletes voting will look like and won’t guess, but it definitely appears that among those who speak out and take public stands, white athletes go more Republican and black athletes go more Democratic. Should we be surprised? It really breaks down along the same cultural/demographic lines as the general electorate. Feagles is a white guy from Arizona, Albright is from North Carolina. No surprise there.
My sense of things, with no data to back it up, is that basketball is much, much more Dem-leaning than baseball and football. There’s the Bill Bradley connection, and he is really popular among senior NBA front office/coach types, Bill Russell is a straight-up old-time lefty, Charles Barkley flirted with the Republicans in his early years but is a pretty outspoken Dem these days. I believe Phil Jackson has done some campaigning through the years, wouldn’t be surprised if Popovich votes Dem, Dean Smith is a big-time Dem, even at the ownership level, Bob Johnson is lame but he supported Hillary. Something tells me that Clay Bennett is a Republican. I recall an Arenas blog post where he wrote that he was voting for whoever cut his taxes, but I also saw something where he wrote about admiring Obama, but who knows if he’ll even get away from Halo long enough to cast a ballot. Coach K is a Republican, but he is from Chicago and I haven’t heard him make an endorsement this year (he supported Liz Dole back in 2002). I bet the Van Gundys are Dems. Just a feeling.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Where does Mark Cuban come down, anyone know?
I once saw a list (maybe it was MY that posted it, I dunno) that showed political contributions of athletes/coaches. I seem to remember that basketball players sent more more money to the Democratic party.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Where does Mark Cuban come down, anyone know?
I don’t know. He has said on his blog that he’s more the Libertarian type.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Chris Duhon is also an ex-teamate of Love and an Obama fan.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Most basketball players may or may not be pro-Obama, but a lot of the mighty Portland Trail Blazers sure are. Greg Oden has recorded ads for him to run in Indiana and Ohio. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge are supporters. And Channing Frye and James Jones (formerly a Blazer) held a GOTV basketball game for Obama during the primary.
At the Blazer fan fest earlier this month Oden was wearing a t-shirt featuring an image of Obama dunking on McCain. It was pretty awesome.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
The big question now is, how long will it take Boozer to accept a bigger offer from McCain and say that he never actually met Obama.
As to the whole “he’s voting for him because he’s black” thing – I mean, if you are a minority of any type, including a woman, who on earth would you vote for John McCain? The guy has race-baited in the ugliest way, and spent millions of dollars trying to insinuate that make people afraid of Barack Obama and believe he’s a terrorist. If you are a minority, you would have strong reasons to be afraid of someone running a campaign like McCain’s running this country. Because he’s trying to get people to hate you. He’s inciting hate. It’s disgusting.
Anyway, Boozer is from Alaska, right?
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:09 pm
The real Republican sport is baseball, right? I mean, baseball’s ownership gave us (spit) George W. Bush, and the Hall of Fame canceled a celebration of Bull Durham because Robbins and Sarandon are such big mean liberals.
I guess that speaks to management rather than players.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Reading the comments on that article was a bit of a revelation. I guess I’m just a liberal who sees racism everywhere, but the big message there is “shut up and play basketball for us.” I grew up in Utah, and am considering moving back for a job; shit like that reminds me exactly why I hate that place so very very much.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I’ve always thought the conservatism of baseball players had something to do with the “conservative” nature of growing up learning the game. It kinda requires an environment that respects the older ways of doing things (getting down on ground balls and such)…I mean, the whole enterprise exists in this cocoon made possible by not allowing things to change too much.
Maybe that’s just BS, but that’s how it seemed to me growing up an absolute diehard baseball player in Southern Indiana. Of course, now I’m as liberal as the day is long. But when I see those conservative Steve Largent types (football, I know), I recognize my baseball coach.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Unrelated to politics, seeing Reggie Love mentioned made me smile. I’ve been a Duke fan all my life, and he was crucial when Boozer’s foot was broken in the 2001 championship season. I’m extremely happy to hear what he’s up to.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
The WashPost ran an article today about NBA players and the election – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102203607.html?hpid=sec-sports
“This presidential election, featuring an African American nominee for president and a female nominee for vice president, has prompted even NBA players, known for their political apathy in recent years, to take interest.”
“Although the NBA is predominantly African American, the Wizards’ Thomas said the enthusiasm for Obama has less to do with him being black than with his views on the economy, health care and education. Obama “is . . . laying out the plans. He’s not talking around the issues. There is a sense that things will be different.” “
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Fortunately, even with some Dukies on his side, Obama showed his ability to work with both sides of the aisle a few months ago — when he shot hoops with the UNC men and legendary coach Roy Williams.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:24 am
On the NBA and politics: the interesting thing here is that the current generation of NBA players — especially African-American ones — now gets to see Sir Charles, for better or worse, as a kind of elder statesman.
Barkley went through the stage of thinking ‘I’m rich, therefore I must be a Republican’ (at least, that’s his story) before getting to where he is today, which is includes, to be frank, a more sophisticated expression of divide-and-conquer class/race politics than you hear on most cablenews networks. You have to assume that the guys who watch ‘Inside the NBA’ also take notice of what he says to his man Isaac Chotiner at TNR.
Fortunately, even with some Dukies on his side, Obama showed his ability to work with both sides of the aisle a few months ago — when he shot hoops with the UNC men and legendary coach Roy Williams.
There was a email circular sent about two weeks ago with Dean Smith’s endorsement of Obama. As others have said, that’s not a one-off: he’s done fundraisers for NC Dems for a while, and his children have worked on Dem campaigns.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:24 am
“He (Obama) has this incredible aura about him. The way he talks, I want that guy leading my country.”
Good for him. But as a Jazz fan, after last season’s playoffs I don’t want Boozer leading my team. No aura there, no defense either.
“This presidential election…has prompted even NBA players, known for their political apathy in recent years, to take interest.”
“Although the NBA is predominantly African American, the Wizards’ Thomas said the enthusiasm for Obama has less to do with him being black than with his views on….”
That’s a pretty lame thing to say, because if there’s an NBA player who is definitely *not* apathetic about politics it’s Etan Thomas. He didn’t start learning about the issues because of Sarah Palin.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:50 am
A lot of people here wonder why Matt thinks the NBA demographic tilts Obama. Now, no doubt, part of that is race, as African-Americans vote Dem (not just black Dems, either, I should add) overwhelmingly. But more than that, my experience is that in so far as people vote their class, they mostly tend to vote the class they grew up in, rather than that into which they presently reside. So NBA players, though themselves now very rich, (mostly) grew up poor, know what it’s like to be poor, still have poor friends and family, had parents who always voted Dem, etc. I’m guessing it’s a pretty D demo, though there probably is a self-interested slice that votes R.
October 24th, 2008 at 5:42 am
dj spellchecka: You’re talking about the Redskins, a NFL team, not a NBA team. Football, not basketball. Totally diferent culture and values. Also has everyone forgotten that Barack plays basketball? That he’s going to install a hoop in the White House?
For another NBA player who’s endorsed Obama, check out LeBron James, an Ohio native, who’s doing a lot to get out the vote and get him elected.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j8AWwPgoxaKbwqgfg8Y6Fzcl35yAD940BAE01
October 24th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Go Kiwi! Nice to hear the BC education wasn’t wasted on him. Nice to see, as Amy Poehler is almost, but not quite, enough to to cancel out Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
And Sam, a young, very wealthy (see eric) black man is right in Obama’s wheel house. As to the racism charge, I’m constantly depressed on how eager white people are to create false equivalence here. I don’t think there’s any problem with Alaskans voting for Palin because she’s from Alaska. That kind of tribalism is unavoidable and widely accepted.
Put it this way: There’s a world of difference between a black man voting for Obama because of race and a white man voting for McCain because of race. The black man is voting FOR Obama, but the white man is not voting FOR McCain, he’s voting AGAINST Obama.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:54 am
“How long until Petey arrives to tell us that football is for Republicans and basketball is for Democrats?”
14 hours.
Democrats go out at night. Republicans stay in.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:20 am
You have to be a pretty pathetic f*ckhead to knowingly vote against the interests of the vast majority of the country so that you can take home a few extra percent when you are making millions a year. For basketball players, I am sure the reality of just how terrible the Republican party is hits a lot closer to home. There are plenty of reasons for the NBA to be very pro Obama.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I’m rather surprised that only one person so far has mentioned that Boozer is an Alaskan. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a better story line: “Rich, Famous Alaskan Supports Obama.”
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