Personal experience: Two years I had the opportunity to play golf (if you can call it that) with Charles. First I'm a middle aged white man. Charles was a pure pleasure. Funny, smart, politically informed and knowledgeable, and most of all - honest. The man played by the rules and called penalties on himself throughout the round. "hey I'm taking a drop over here - stroke on me".
I liked him.
Who knows what the future holds - this might be simply a money play for him.
He's smart - no one can convince me otherwise.
I've met him a few times at the Bruno's Memorial Classic here in Birmingham. I don't doubt anything you said. However, I do know he has claimed to be a Republican in the past despite the spin he tried to put on it in this article. I know it because I heard him say it with my own ears.
Maybe he was just fooling around. He has been known to say things just to get a reaction, but......
the article seems pretty straight-forward to me.
IF he said it and was being serious - he was lying.
"Republicans and Democrats want to argue over stuff that's not important, like gay marriage or the war in Iraq or illegal immigration."
Sorry, I can't reconcile this recent statement of his with your earlier impression of him. I appreciate your personal insight though.