Posted on 06/02/2004 11:08:08 PM PDT by John Lenin
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA - Don King, the wild-haired boxing promoter, is touring the country with Republican National Committee (news - web sites) chairman Ed Gillespie to tout President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election.
"Only in America," as King often says — and he did at a stop in Philadelphia Wednesday.
"People understand that George Walker Bush is the man with the plan to make America better," King, sporting an American flag tie and plenty of diamond-encrusted jewelry, told a group of black business leaders at a downtown jazz club. "Sometimes, just sometimes, it ain't too bad to be in the Bushes."
The latter line is the flip side of Jesse Jackson's warning at past Democratic conventions for Americans to "stay out of the Bushes."
King's rap sheet makes him an odd choice for Bush front man. He was convicted in the 1967 beating death of a man who owed him money and spent nearly four years in prison. In 1954, he killed a man who was robbing a numbers house he operated in Cleveland, but it was ruled self-defense.
King also has beaten tax evasion and fraud charges, faced numerous lawsuits from boxers and their handlers and endured three grand jury investigations and an FBI (news - web sites) sting operation — all while cementing his status as one of the world's top boxing promoters.
Republicans see King as a way to reach the ever-elusive black vote. Bush managed just 9 percent of the black vote in 2000, matching Ronald Reagan (news - web sites)'s percentage in 1984 and faring just slightly better than Republican Barry Goldwater's 6 percent in 1964.
"I said to him, you know they are going to come after us, they are going to attack us, and they are going to try to smear us," Gillespie said Wednesday. "But the fact is, I know the man, he is a friend of mine, and I'm proud to stand with him today."
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tara Wall, who called King a "patriot," said the GOP supports "those who support us. Don King has come out to support us and he supports President George Bush. That's something he chose to do on his own and we're glad to have him."
In May, King attended a Republican fund-raiser in Washington and shook hands with Bush.
King and Gillespie, who began their "Economic Empowerment Tour" in Detroit last week, also plan stops in New York and Miami. The duo was joined in Philadelphia by Miss America (news - web sites) 2003 Erika Harold, who is black.
"Where have you see a Republican chairman standing up with us in the heart of the ghetto? We're going to talk about how we can make that change, to educate and uplift and enlighten our people," King told reporters.
The Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) avoided commenting on King, instead saying that blacks in the city have been hurt by Bush's economic policies.
Ted Kennedy: Vote for me or I'll put you in my oldmosbile.
So what? It is just a funny development. Damn is there no capacity for irony anymore?
You're savvy enough to know that. It's all a matter of erasing that phoney DNC black line.
Considering most politicians are crooks he'd fit right in anyway.
How much money did you lose on the Spinks fight zarf ?
he'll impregnate ya first...if at all possible.
Don King has a sense of humor and doesn't take things too seriously. He enjoys telling a story on himself about the night George Foreman upset Joe Frazier for the heavyweight title. King says he rode to the fight in the champ's limo (Frazier's) and rode back in the champ's limo (Foreman's). Not only is he verbally quick on his feet, he knows how to ride with a winner!
Yup. A lot of my male customers get VERY animated about boxing but could care less about politics.
Yes but many in the GOP would tell you that you are "immoral" for those views just as you are calling the GOP "immoral" for allowing this man to support Bush. I am just pointing out your own double standard here.
I did not call the GOP immoral but simply that the Party must always have higher standards than the Democrats. And I simply to not think that King meets the GOP Standard.
LOL. I was going to say it's not like we're talking about ministers or priests here, but with the state of the world today, I guess that's not exactly an opposing example!
I think he's miffed Don King is smart enough not to follow in the same mindless herd that follows behind Jesse Jackson.
Okay, I must know what you mean by male customers!
I am amazed at the lack of humor many conservatives exhibit.
LOL
And to think they're still funnier than democrats.
After seeing the blood, soul and money this SOB sucked out of Mike Tyson and the race baiting hatred he pumped into the kids head to gain his trust.....i have nothing but contempt for the jerk.
LOL Poor Mikey.
I found this story absolutely hilarious.
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