Magic Johnson (Courtesy Photo)
By Stephen D. Riley
Special to the AFRO
There wasn’t a bigger story last week than the election of the 44th president, Barack Obama. Seeing the nation’s first African-American president certainly touched everyone in the nation in many ways. Former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson told ESPN that he and his wife “cried all night,” after Obama won last week’s election in convincing form.
“He can motivate people, he crossed racial lines. One of the smartest men I have ever seen as a political figure, common sense as well,” Johnson said. “It’s the right time. We have some big problems in America.”
Cleveland Cavaliers mega star LeBron James explained to ESPN on Wednesday, "It was uplifting, It was something that you can tell your kids, you really can become anything now. You don't have to become a basketball player. You can become president of the United States. It was definitely an unbelievable feeling. It was definitely one of those feelings that you say, 'Wow.”
James supported Obama heavily in the weeks leading up to the election as he donated $20,000 to a committee supporting the democratic representative. James was captured on television wearing an Obama T-shirt as he arrived for a game Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls. Other athletes such as star wide receivers for the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos showcased their support for Obama during Thursday night’s game between the two teams.
Cleveland’s Braylon Edwards sported an Obama cutoff T-shirt during pregame warm-ups. After Denver’s Brandon Marshall scored the game’s winning touchdown, he was seen on camera in the process of unveiling a black and white glove but was later talked out of it by teammates in fear of the NFL’s 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration.