Posted on 09/26/2006 1:05:12 PM PDT by WestTexasWend
-Burnt Orange Report provides recording of 1980 show in Houston-
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura helped Kinky Friedman rally college students for his independent gubernatorial bid Monday as more recordings surfaced that capture Friedman lofting a range of racially tinged comments.
The comments came in an 84-minute audio recording of an April 1980 Houston performance made available to reporters by a pro-Democratic blog, the Burnt Orange Report. The recording features Friedman making nine comments touching on racial topics interspersed with 14 songs. The blog posted an excerpt last week.
Friedman said then that he didn't remember the comments specifically but that he intended them to lampoon racism.
The latest remarks and song lyrics disparage people of various ethnic backgrounds, slighting Jews (he is Jewish) and African Americans. They include a reference to one of his favorite books as "Black Yachtsmen I Have Known," a joke suggesting that Abraham Lincoln was drunk when he freed the slaves and several uses of "Negro" or n——-, including a joke referring to his receiving a blood transfusion from a Negro and another referring to two black prostitutes.
Karl-Thomas Musselman, who owns the Web site, said the recording came from a Houston man who is unconnected to any gubernatorial campaign and who asked not to be identified.
"While he was a fan of his music, he wasn't exactly a fan of (Friedman's) bid for office," Musselman said.
Observers including the head of the Texas NAACP have objected in recent days to Friedman comments referring to remaining hurricane evacuees in Houston as "crackheads and thugs" and a subsequent vow not to pander to Jews or residents of ghettos and barrios.
Last week, independent candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Democratic nominee Chris Bell also took issue with Friedman's gibe in the 1980 concert suggesting that Houston bowling alleys lacked balls since people threw them in the sea thinking they were "n——- eggs."
According to the recording released Monday, Friedman followed the bowling comment with: "You folks know the Friedman family motto now: The Jews own the world. The Catholics run it. The Protestants work it, and the n——— and Mexicans enjoy it, basically."
Phillip Martin, who posted the bowling comment on the Burnt Orange Report on Thursday, is chief of staff to state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. Coleman, a Bell supporter, last week objected to Friedman's "racist mindset" and said he should leave the governor's race.
Friedman did not forswear his comments Monday, and campaign spokeswoman Laura Stromberg said the blog's circulation of the recording did not hurt Friedman's campaign.
"They've helped us reach record days of online merchandise sales and contributions coming into the campaign, and we've seen more volunteer sign-ups last week than any week since Kinky announced his candidacy in (February) 2005," she said.
"Their spin has backfired," Stromberg said.
Ventura, a retired professional wrestler who won election in 1998 as a third-party nominee, said he's not in step with Friedman on all fronts.
In an interview, Ventura disagreed with Friedman on the Texan's vows to bring prayer and the Ten Commandments into public schools.
Friedman foresees Texas schools having a revolving prayer along the lines of "may the God of your choice bless you."
"But what if there is no God of your choice?" Ventura asked Monday.
"If there is no God," Friedman said, "the kids will find out sooner or later. But (for) the time being, let's let them believe in something."
Ventura said government should not define marriage, solely recognizing civil unions between people and leaving marriage to be governed by churches.
"Not a bad idea," Friedman said. "We'll take it under review."
They are scheduled to visit Trinity University, Texas State University-San Marcos, the University of Houston and Texas A&M University in College Station today and Wednesday.
The two political parties have rigged the system so that unless you are a tremendously superior candidate, and independent can not win.
Jesse Ventura was much the better man.
Yeah, tax cuts stink. (/sarcasm)
He wouldn't have been to first person to enter politics as an idealist and came out as a cynic.
Yeah, buying votes is cool.
Perry is making promises as well. Is that not buying votes?
I have nothing against your candidate...I'm just not moved by Jesse the Twit Ventura.
That's funny. Any time I paid a sales call to one of the plants on "da Range," it seemed like the purchasing guys in every other facility knew I was in town. They had some kind of a intruder notification system that the FBI could learn from. On one occasion, a guy looked me up and sat down to have breakfast with me in Virginia, MN. He knew what kind of car I was driving...
I personally think he or Kinky beats the others in this race.
nice post!!!
The problem was that he was going to give $1000 to everyone regardless of the size of their tax bill. So a lot of welfare folks and crackheads would have gotten a "rebate" of taxes they never paid in the first place.
Is it me, or is the content of his 1980 comedic show very mild by comparison to Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, or just about any other 70's comedian?
too bad kinky isn't a lib/dem and a jew....otherwise dean/peolosi/kerry/piaps/ma sheehan would all campaign for him....along with jesse ventura!
I didnt mention discrimination.
What I said was perfectly understandable, It is the double standard that blacks can make white jokes all day, but whites dare not tell a black joke. I can show many examples, from redd Foxx to Chris Rock.
If you wish to argue how many blacks have become Governors we have to argue whether it was discrimination or lack of votes at the ballot box. You see Governor isnt an affirmative action job.
By the way if no black can ever win . How do you explain Governor Wilder. I am sure he got quite a few white votes, and in a southern state too. I also might ask How many blacks ever ran for governor? Ya cant win if ya dont play. thats what they say about the lotto.
It takes a long time to build name recognition and credits with a party to be backed for Governor.
Fact is Kinky Friedman is a maverick, a fluke. It started as a joke and they kept laughing., He isnt a serious contender, or at least he shouldnt be. That he is there at all says a lot about the office. The dem candidate must indeed be horrible if this clown has a chance of besting him. The best thing Kinky has going for him is that he holds no allegiance to any party and can pretty much say anything he likes.
Are you here to lead the crusade?
I am supporting who I think is the best.
What Kinky has going for him is that a plurality wins (there is no run off) and there is a 4 way race and he has got the backing of the anti immigrants as he said he would put 10,000 national guard on the texas border.
I cant say I blame them much. Something has to be done about illegals and the candidates of the parties dont seem willing. Maybe if he wins they will get the message.
What do you think of amnesty?
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