Posted on 10/01/2006 2:33:13 AM PDT by MadIvan
Kinky Friedman, irreverant country singer, satirist and self-proclaimed "equal opportunities offender", was his usual ebullient self as he bounded on to the stage at the latest stop in his remarkable campaign to become governor of Texas.
"You know the definition of politics?" the former frontman of the Texas Jewboys band asked a packed audience at the Flying Saucer bar in San Antonio. "Well, 'poli' means more than one and 'tics' are bloodsucking parasites!"
The crowd roared as Friedman, in his trademark black cowboy hat and vest, ever-present unlit Montecristo cigar in one hand and glass of Guinness in the other, attacked the "failed two-party system" of his Democrat and Republican rivals.
But Friedman's independent campaign has proved no joke. The latest opinion poll gave him his highest rating yet — 23 per cent, level with Democrat Chris Bell and making ground on Republican incumbent Rick Perry on 35 per cent.
Friedman, 61, is riding high on the mood of disillusionment with politicians across US and targeting the 71 per cent of Texans who stayed at home four years ago. If he can persuade another 10 per cent to vote on November 7, he believes he will win the office from which George W Bush launched his White House bid in 2000.
Last week, the former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura threw his considerable weight behind his fellow political outsider on a swing through campuses and bars in eastern Texas. A hulking figure with dreadlocks and braided beard, Ventura stunned the political establishment in 1998 when he won the Minnesota governor election vote as an independent.
Friedman has already signed up Ventura's campaign manager and advertising guru as he attempts to stage a similar shock. Indeed, at this stage in his campaign, Ventura was polling just 15 per cent, 30 points behind the frontrunner.
As he hit the road, Friedman invited The Sunday Telegraph to ride with him while his long-time friend, warm-up act and musical partner Little Jewford (born Jeff Shelby) took the wheel.
Despite a racism row over a 26-year-old tape of him using the word "nigger" during a comedy routine, Friedman appeared relaxed. "I offend everyone," said the man whose best-known musical hit, They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus No More, took satirical swipes at just about every group.
"I have always used humour as a weapon to attack bigotry. I don't pretend bigotry doesn't exist. I'm a realist, not a racist. I've campaigned against racism for years but this is the price you pay for taking on the entrenched interests of the two-party system. Somebody organised this hit job pretty well, but they only attack you when you're carrying the ball, and we're carrying the ball."
He outlined his eclectic political platform: his social policies range from support for prayer in school and more police on the streets to backing gay marriage and decriminalising marijuana to clear space in prisons for real criminals "like paedophiles and politicians". Friedman says he has not touched hard drugs since 1985.
He has a predictably unconventional plan for dealing with the influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico. As well as deploying 10,000 National Guards along the border, he proposes placing five Mexican generals in charge of their side, putting $2 million in a holding account for each and deducting $10,000 for every illegal caught crossing. "It's a joke but it also happens to be a good idea."
Friedman has lined up his friend and fellow singer Willie Nelson — a strong proponent of bio-fuels — to head his proposed Texas Energy Commission. Indeed, he mused, "musicians could do a much better job of running this state than politicians. We wouldn't get much done in the morning but boy we'd work hard late at night." That brought him to the inauguration ball he would throw. "That's the only party I want to hear about in this race," he said. "It would be a People's Ball, $5 a ticket."
Born Richard Friedman, he has been known by everyone as Kinky since a college friend gave him the nickname because of his curly hair. His flamboyant style and message of change — campaign slogan: "Why the hell not!" — is particularly popular among the young. Megan Cleary, a 21-year-old waitress at the Flying Saucer, said: "The two party system sucks. We need someone like Kinky to shake things up."
Despite the constant one-liners, Friedman has shown himself to be a canny political operator. Arriving in San Marcos, he offered a final snippet of political philosophy. "My opponents like to say I'm a flip-flopper. Well, we could use a flip-flopper as governor of Texas. A flip-flopper is open to the notion of change and that's what we need now."
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Considering how Jesse ran Minnesota, I hope not : )
A singer who can't sing, a commedian who's not funny -
I know, let's make him governor!
I always thought his response to whether or not he supported gay marrige to be funny. "Gays have every right to be just as misarable as the rest of us."
I hope he is, he has my vote.
bttt
If I lived in Texas, I'd probably vote for him. Anything to keep Trans-Texas Corridor supporting Rick Perry from reelection. Luckily the democrat, I think his name is Chris Bell, is so irrelevent, so it's not like a vote for Kinky is a vote for Bell.
There's only three things worse than electing Perry as governor - and Kinky is number 2.
Friedman's independent campaign has proved no joke. The latest opinion poll gave him his highest rating yet -- 23 per cent, level with Democrat Chris Bell and making ground on Republican incumbent Rick Perry on 35 per cent.He might do it, but mostly this has an impact on the Dhimmicrat's showing, which explains the attempt in recent days to get Kinky to apologize for something he said in his act -- in 1980...
Anna Nicole Smith? Oh, that's only two things.
"Criticize me if you will. But just don't circumsize me any more."
I am support in Kinky, but if on election day it looks like Strayhorn is evern close to Perry and kinky is not I will vote for her. It is time to get rid of Gov Goodhair.
I saw a bumper sticker Friday - He ain't Kinky - - - He's my governor. Another Kinky song "I'm an a$$hole from El Paso."
However, as I harbor a tiny bit of hope that the GOP will some day become conservative again, neither Kinky nor Bell will be getting my vote.
Don't forget "Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life."
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