Charles Barkley takes a bat to Donald Trump, his supporters and CNN

During TNT’s National Basketball Association coverage last night, Charles Barkley took CNN to the woodshed for its coverage of the 2016 primaries.

The similarities between Donald Trump and Charles Barkley are pretty obvious. “It’s been sad to watch every time he insults people, his poll numbers go up”.

“To be honest with you, CNN has done an terrible job in this election, an very bad job”, he said during TNT’s “Inside the NBA” program on Thursday. I guess network executives figured he’d have nothing bad to say about it, considering that he’d wanted to run for Alabama governor as a Republican.

Only Barkley can really opine in such a way and be given that kind of forum to talk about anything relating to sports and culture. “It’s been sad and frustrating that our company has sold their soul for ratings”. Living in Arizona, I think Hispanics are incredible people. Turner employs him in large part because of his willingness to say what he thinks, but that tendency gets most employees in trouble when it involves criticism of the company itself.

A CNN spokeswoman said the cable network has no comment on Barkley’s remarks. To lump all Hispanics together, that was insulting.

Barkley also referred to Trump’s loyal following as “losers” who are “afraid to look in the mirror and see why their lives suck”.

Barkley then rejected Trump’s call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US earlier this week. “They have to blame other people”, Barkley said. To lump all Hispanics together, that was insulting. “If [Trump] keeps going and he actually becomes president, he might just get around to you, and you better hope that there’s someone left to help you”, the quote reads.

“[But] to try and divide and conquer – which is what the Republicans always try to do – is just sad”, Barkley added. “Your life sucks because of you, not because of Hispanics”.