Why the Hell Not Redux: Kinky, Now a Dem, Brings Texas Guv Tour to Dallas on Wednesday

By Robert Wilonsky Mon., Aug. 31 2009 at 5:23 PM

Categories: Politics

Guess it's time to bust out those "My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy" bumper stickers too.

Kinky Friedman's been running for Texas governor ever since, oh, March, far as I can figure; that's when he told folks at the Texas Film Hall of Fame dinner in Austin he was running as a Democrat this go-round, rather than the indie he ran as in '06. He's already got the "Kinky For Governor 2010" tees, and he's about to hit the fund-raiser circuit: On September 16 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, matter of fact, anyone with $1,000 can spend a "Bloody Mary Morning" with the Texas Jewboy and Willie Nelson, where you can "eat with Willie, drink with Willie, listen to Willie, get autographs from Willie, get silly with Willie, argue with Willie, dance with Willie -- anything else depends on you and Willie!" Like what?

Tomorrow down in Austin, though, Richard Friedman makes it official: He's in the race. But there will be no formal announcement, he tells Unfair Park, merely a series of interviews during which he'll start making his case that he's a serious candidate and not just a spoiler. "I'm not gonna stand behind a podium and say, 'I hereby...," he says. "I'm running as a Democrat, and I am playing by the rules."

Which means?

Not sure quite yet: Friedman's tour of Texas will bring him to Dallas on Wednesday, and we're scheduled for a longer sitdown. For now, all he'll say is this: "I'm the only man of the people in the race. The other candidates are super-rich guys and gals who fly around on private planes, and I'm a Southwest Airlines man myself. I went into HEB last week in Kerrville, and a guy said, 'Kinky, you're forcing me to be a Democrat!' And I said, 'No, I'm allowing you to be a Texan.'"

Mark it down: You will read or hear that quote 149 times between now and Friday.

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Actually RoB, to not drink water or eat food from sunrise to sunset is quite a challenge. Now, I don't know what modern Christian equivalent you'd point to. The Catholics abstain from land based meat on Fridays, and hopefully abstain from some vice for the forty days of Lent. Since I grew up Episcopal which is a church that still celebrates Lent, I am familiar with this tradition. I don't intend to mock it, but it hardly compares to the example Jesus left us, DANIEL fasting for 40 days and forty nights in the desert. Actually Daniel even in the old testament there are similar accounts of fasting. Fasting is later encouraged in Acts as well. To say it has no corollary in the judeo-christian scriptures is flatly wrong. RoB, while Food and Drink are not abstained from for an entire month Ramadan is a time where believers are encouraged to strive to be righteous. I've perhaps conflated these two traditions somewhat, though they are the same tradition. The Quran names Moses, Jesus and Mohammad an equal number of times. Not a bad trick for an illiterate trader if you take the cynical view that Mohammad composed the Quran himself. If I seem too much of an advocate for Islam, it is to afflict the comfortable and confort the afflicted. Voltaire argued a similar line in his day, though to be fair the Muslims ruled the Med in those days. Finally, to say that a righteous Muslim could smoke is certainly contentious from a doctrinare position. Though, to say that the Israelis are expanding Jewish settlements in Arab land in East Jerusalem comports with the genocidal ethnic cleansing celebrated in the Book of Joshua. Sorry to be nasty, but stealing land would seem to conflict with the command to not covet thy neighbor's house, crops or animals. Just saying, the Quran never condones killing innocents, children, animals or even the felling of a tree in anger. Facts on the ground speak for themselves, as does the silence from so many ignorant of their own traditions and of others. We accuse Islam of being a violent faith, though we ignore who invaded, attacked, and stole the resources of whom first. I don't condone violence, but to be silent in the face of injustice does violence to the concept of fairness and justice. I believe in the golden rule absolutely. The exceptionalism endemic in the US, the West and Israel makes it well nigh impossible to love your neighbor as yourself, especially when one considers themselves chosen, elect or what have you. The Quran argues that all will be judged according to their deeds and righteousness. It says righteous Christians, Jews and those who fight for justice and righteousness will be blessed. Whereas some Christians argue that solely belief is enough to earn some great reward to such a radical degree they believe Hitler to be saved and John Lennon damned. The Jews have no consensus on the afterlife as the Torah and Talmud are equivocal on the nature of the afterlife. I'm not seeking reward, but seek truth, perhaps too ardently for most. I believe that the golden rule offers it's own reward and is a universally applicable codex that all can embrace and live together peacefully. This ethos can be found in every religious tradition, though no tradition offers a guarantee of righteousness nor deserves special favor. I am an imperfect person, and am not trying to declare myself superior to anyone. I have many doubts and failings. Perhaps I too vigorously state my case and drone on and on. Though, following my own drummer as I do, I do perhaps have a few uncommon thoughts. Finally, Jesus challenges us to focus on the log in our own eye before we point out the splinter in another man's eye.
When Kinky comes to town tomorrow ask him why he didn't include LBJ in his book "Heroes of a Texas Childhood" and why he criticzed Barach Obama's speech on race relations in the United States last year.
Knotty, and I bet you its a fine hide as well LOL
Knotty, shame on you! I should come over there and give you a hide-tannin' accordingly ;) ********* Sadly, my hide is pretty tanned already. Darn sun exposure!
Kinky the novelty candidate. Its all empty under the black hat. However, I must admit he's entertaining until you delve deep into issues.
Toots, actually I have made fun of Christians -- Bible Girl and the creationists are two examples that come to mind. But thanks for playing.
P.S. I guess the New Testament isn't actually written in Hebrew. Actually, the concept of Lent is nowhere in the Bible found.
It's true that a righteous pilgrim would be allowed to toke out before sunrise and after sundown. Also, during Lent, Sundays don't count. So really, Lent is like having Mardi Gras every week for five weeks or whatever, so long as every day but Sunday you're a self-abnegating putz (or, in the orginal Hebrew, a ????? ?? ?? ?????). Betcher rector never told you <i>that.</i>
Im hoping he's received plenty of coaching on how to do so, similar to Obama did in the dem primaries last year. ================================== Yeah, the same coaching Palin ignored.
Knotty, shame on you! I should come over there and give you a hide-tannin' accordingly ;) I agree, Kinky is going to have to come out strong in the primary debates to win the nomination. Im hoping he's received plenty of coaching on how to do so, similar to Obama did in the dem primaries last year.
religion of bacon says: Toots, I don't hear you whining about "intolerance" when people make sarcastic comments about Christians. ================================ You never make sarcastic comments about Christians, just Blacks, Mexicans, the homeless, Muslims, etc.
I enjoyed the hell out of the Kinkster as a candidate last year, but when it came down to it I just couldn't vote for him no matter how much I wanted to. I'm all for his intentions, attitude, and spirit. Just didn't have the confidence he'd make a decent gov. I'm afraid Kinky blew his load last time around and won't get much attention this time. I'm interested in learning more about Debra Medina as a candidate for Gov.
Daniel, I was commenting on Scott's off-topic comment about Eid. Toots, I don't hear you whining about "intolerance" when people make sarcastic comments about Christians.
BaconAss is just getting his intolerance out early for the month of Sept.
Like the last time we had to endure Kinnky, he'll loose it in the debate. The boy just can't cut it...... ********** Yep, he sucked majorly in the debate I saw last year. Get him away from zingers and into issues, and he's really bad. I want to like him and I want to vote for him, but he talked me out of it last time with his lame showing. He even made Gov. Goodhair look not half bad, and that is truly saying something. I voted for Chris Bell. Me and about 5 other folks state-wide, I guess. So far, looks like the pasty white former ambassador is getting my vote, but it's early days yet.
Ironic for a guy called "Religion of Bacon" to comment on Ramadan. Also confoundingly off-topic.
Its just a damn shame Texas can't produce one decent candidate for the highest office in the state. The Dems that are in are either rich nobodies or jokes, the Republicans that are in are both useless hacks. Bummer.
well, it's either a douche, a turd sandwich or kinky. I like my chances with kinky.
Like the last time we had to endure Kinnky, he'll loose it in the debate. The boy just can't cut it......
"Guinness is the drink that kept the Irish from taking over the world. It would be unthinkable not to have a Guinness during a St. Patrick's Day parade. In fact, it would be spiritually wrong," He will keep my vote for that reason alone
If it's anything like the rest of Ramadan's so-called "fasting," it would be more like smoking a joint before sunrise, several joints after sundown, and "fasting" during the daytime hours, not 30 days of abstinence. A harrowing ordeal of self-denial, that Ramadan stuff.
Great, looks like we'll get to hear the same two jokes he's been telling since 1985 over and over again. Ol' Willie thinks George W. and Dick Cheney and teh evil neocons were behind 9-11, guess Kinky feels the same way.
Robert, Where will he be on Wednesday, other than the comforting confines of the Observer compound? Is he fundraising anywhere?
Kinky is charming and funny, but Kinky doesn't know shit if his speeches are any barometer. He was a big proponent of ethanol which is a total boner. He took a few other positions which sounded good and clever but really didn't add up. I don't suppose I have much fondness for any other the others. I think his heart is in the right place but Kinky doesn't strike me as a due diligence kind of guy. I love Willie and would vote him as the Prairie Messiah, if that's a thing that could be voted for. I would like to see Willie as leader of the DEA, Agriculture secretary or guy I'd like to see in Eid day--though after 30 days of abstinence dirt weed hits like KB.
voted for Kinky last time, and I'll do it again.
Kinky is about the only guy id trust in the governors office in this current day, as Guv'nor Goodhair and KBH are basically the same person, except one has sagging tits and jowls and the others Kay Bailey Hutchinson. On the dems side, Tom Schieffer reminds me too much of his best friend g-dummy, which is to say a pasty looking old white guy who has nothing in common w/ the typical 20-30 yr old in the state of TX. That's why I'll be voting for Kinky in the primaries. I like kinky as he tells like it is and isn't afraid to take a licking either. Yes, My Boss Is A Jewish Cowboy and I like it that way accordingly.