I saw the 60 Minutes piece on Kinky Friedman’s run for governor last night (as usual, I’d heard the news first here on the Dope – someone mentioned it in a bumper sticker thread).
My question is – how seriously is anyone taking this? How seriously is he taking this? How likely is it that he’ll make it to the ballot? Any chance he might actually win?
I’m not trying to start a debate here – I would just like to hear from Texans what this looks like from close up, what folks are actually saying about it.
Huge Kinky fan checking in. Huge enough that I live in Illinois, and popped $100 for the talking Kinky “action figure” in the signed box. Huge enough that I buried the Best Cat Ever, Ernie, wrapped in a snotrag signed by Kinky with “To Ernie, from one fine American to another, Kinky”
He’s taking it very seriously. As seriously as Kinky takes anything, which is to say seriously, but he’s still having fun with it.
I thought the Safer piece was awful - gratuitous and almost making fun of him. CMTV did a pilot of a reality show following Kinky and Jewford (the guy that introduced him under the tent last night) on the campaign trail. If they show that again, or pick up the series, watch that it was a lot better.
Kinky is a pretty well known figure in Texas - I think better known and well thought of than Ventura was in Minnesota before he ran.
His website is a good place to see what kind of organization he has. I have little doubt he’ll get the signatures, and he seems to be raising some decent, not great, but decent money. The know-it-alls in the press rag that he’s running an undisciplined campaign, but hey if it was disciplined, it wouldn’t be Kinky.
I’m not crazy about him, but he’s got as good a chance of winning as any other entertainer-turned-politician. It’s a sad state of affairs when the comedian has as good a chance as the career politician.
Actually, I think it’s a great state of affairs. The words “career” and “politician” don’t belong together. Give me the honest musician over the politician any day.
I’m a long time Kinky fan, and I hope this makes a big splash, because while I don’t think he can win, I also don’t think he’s just having a laugh. This will get attention for some of the causes he cares deeply about.
“I never carry a gun. If somebody wants to shoot me, they’re gonna have to bring their own gun.”
Almost 3 out of 4 voters didn’t vote in Texas’ last gubernatorial election. If more people pay attention to state politics and get out and VOTE! on election day because of Kinky running, I’m for it. Kinky’s website. The first KinkyToon™, ‘I Looove Texas’
I’d change my residence back to Texas just to vote for the Kinkster, but PA needs me to get Santorum out of office, so he’s just going to have to settle for a bumper sticker on my car.
I agree, I think he has a lot of potential to get people interested in what is happening in our state. And, while I can’t say I agree with everything he says, I plan to do my part to get him on the Texas ballot and in office.
I like his campaign slogans, “Why the hell not?” and “How hard could it be?” I do wonder if his stated goal to achieve the “dewussification of Texas” is truly reachable, though.
He makes it clear on his website that because he’s off-party, it’s going to take some serious support & public interest. I intend to throw in my vote/petition as necessary for him to be on the ballet.
From what I can tell, he is very serious. There are bumper stickers all over Austin… My favorite is “Why the Hell Not?” and “My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy”.
Well, last time I looked, Kinky was standing around 12% in the polls. Of course, a large number of the people telling pollsters they support him are people just sick of politics in general. They may not intend to vote for him, but picking him gives respondents a sense of playful protest.
RIght now, there are 3 sure candidates: incumbent Republican governor Rick Perry, Kinky Friedman (running as an independent) and State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn (also running as an independent). No prominent Democrat has expressed any interest in running, so far.
Now, speaking as a very conservative Republican… I think Rick Perry is a lousy governor, This has nothing to do with ideology, in my book. I just think he’s done a piss-poor job dealing with the mundane-but-important issues of running a large state (budgets, taxation, managing growth, providing services, etc.). In almost all the practical ways, Ann Richards was a much better administrator, even if I found her personality aggravating.
Even so… an incumbent Republican with no major scandals hanging over his head will be almost impossible to beat. I’m leaning toward Carol Keeton Strayhorn, but I don’t think she has much of a chance. No Democrat has a prayer of winning.
So… I’d say that Kinky Friedman has no chance of winning, but might wiell pick up a solid percentage of the disenchanted vote. Faced with an almost certain Perry victory, a lot of Democrats and independents might just decide to cast a “Why the hell not” vote for Kinky Friedman.
Rick Perry made me ill last year when he played to the Religious Right with his grandstanding on abortion and SSM and suggesting gays should “leave the state.” True, I know he was trying to prevent a primary challenge from Hutchison.
I’ll vote for Chris Bell, but I know he’ll be lucky to get 40% of the votes.
It would be fun to see Perry get less than 50%, however. Just like Bob Taft, I don’t think anyone really likes Perry.
Kinky seems to have stepped down from his border fence and now favors a different method of closing the border. I wonder how many people who are enamored with the Kinkster have actually read his platform (not that I’d be surprised to see him shift a plank or two yet).
My favorite is “Why the Hell Not?” and “My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy”.