Kinky is a fun guy and I have enjoyed him throughout the years. The New Yorker article was typical fun about Kinky. However, why the hell "yes". He will make Jesse ventura look like the greatest politician ever. Kinky has not shown the sutained interest to be governor of Texas. The last time we gave the job to another dilletante with no political experience it was George Dubya, who Kinky voted for, and the result did not turn out well.
C Bell is my choice since at least he supports Democratc principles that I look for in a candidate. Kinky is more or less a closet conservative, voting for Bush twice.
I hate to tell you, Tex, but Kiny broke based on that performance. He couldn't even get through his prepared closing comments. He and Grandma were the hardest to watch.
No kidding... I probably said "Thank God" every time she was interupted during her incoherent, used car salesman babbling. Kinky wasn't as bad. He lost his cool and as a result, his focus. But I am at least glad he's out there throwing barbs and criticisms at the establishment. I think he could have a future in politics... but he needs to start with something smaller and gain experience while not sticking his foot in his mouth.
Someone like Kinky isn't going to start off with city council or something like that. He doesn't have the interest or know-how to run for Congress. He's more or less proving a point about the Governorship of Texas. It's supposed to be weak. If Bush and Perry did nothing else, they made the position of Governor of Texas stronger that it's ever been. I think it was nice while it lasted, Kinky, but you now have to realize what is best for the state and it isn't you staying in this race. You made your point. Now please go endorse Chris Bell and let's get that s***bag Perry out of office. With power becoming more and more centralized in Texas, someone has to do something. A Kinky endorsed Chris Bell might just crush Perry...and that's good for everyone (not linked in someway to the Trans-Texas Corridor). Strayhorn is not going to finish in double digits. She's going to be so far in 4th that it will destroy her political career. We won't be seeing her again after election day.
I thought I would post this, since Molly is the subject of the thread. At least she's in the title. Humorist Roy Blount Jr., left, joked that if a bomb were dropped on the Molly Ivins event, 'all the liberals in Texas would be wiped out.' On Sunday, friends and fans, including Fred Head, the Democrat running for comptroller, gathered at an Austin hotel to pay tribute to columnist Molly Ivins and help raise money for the Texas Observer. Molly roasted to raise money for Texas Observer Music and political stars align to pay tribute and poke a little fun at columnist. By W. Gardner Selby AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Monday, October 09, 2006 Serenaded by Joe Ely and Garrison Keillor and saluted by characters spanning the globe of liberal politics, Molly Ivins raised money Sunday night for her beloved Texas Observer. Over dinner with about 800 fans at the Capitol Marriott, the liberal columnist and former Observer co-editor sported a wispy mohawk of regrowing hair, reflecting her looking-good battle against recurrent breast cancer. She was hailed by 18 speakers. They were led off by Keillor, the Minnesota radio man, who, with Ely, sang "Today I Started Loving You Again" and "Waltz Across Texas." Keillor said, "It's good to be in a roomful of Texas liberals, especially in these rocky times." Humorist Roy Blount Jr. agreed, speculating that if someone dropped a bomb on the hotel, "all the liberals in Texas would be wiped out." Master of ceremonies Kirk Watson, a former Austin mayor and the Democratic nominee for the Texas Senate seat being vacated by Gonzalo Barrientos of Austin, hailed Observer editors and writers past and present. The twice-monthly magazine that prides itself on investigat- ive journalism with a liberal bent stands to reap $1 million if contributors match $500,000 given by a foundation that has not been identified. About $450,000 had come in before the end of the program. Ivins, giving thanks, said her funeral is "not coming anytime soon." She jokingly referred to her cancer battles by saying the fundraiser could've been called "a tribute to Molly not dying yet again." Watson brought Frances "Sissy" Farenthold to her feet so the crowd could sing "Happy Birthday" to the former Democratic gubernatorial candidate who just marked her 80th. Farenthold, who lost to Dolph Briscoe in a 1972 Democratic runoff, called the evening with Ivins — billed as "not a roast but a barbecue" — an "outpouring of affection, regard and respect." Guest Chula Sims of Austin wore a "Farenthold for Governor" T-shirt. Sims said, "If you can't have the candidate you want, just imagine." Speakers Sandy Richards, Marilyn Schultz and Sara Speights poked fun at the come-as-you-are Ivins' lack of interest in fashion. Ivins, they said, "just needs something she can wash and wear and wear and wear and wear." Lewis Lapham, editor emeritus of Harper's magazine, credited Ivins with consistently breaking from the herd as a journalist. Of late, Ivins has called for commentator Bill Moyers to run for president in 2008 and urged Texas voters to support Democrat Chris Bell for governor to honor the last Democratic governor, Ann Richards, who died last month. Lapham, drawing a standing ovation, said, "She reminds us that dissent is what rescues democracy from a quiet death behind closed doors." http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/09/9molly.html Sorry, but I'm pretty depressed about this. I hate seeing such a vibrant person in such bad shape. She's taking it with good grace and, of course, humor, but from what I've heard she's not doing well at all. Keep D&D Civil.
Kinky Friedman? It's just pathetic that anyone would fall for that "challenging the establishment" spiel. He's a confused lightweight who would follow two other lightweights. I wouldn't want a doctor, or pilot who got their job based on the ability to write novelty songs. I certaintly don't want another politician who is elected on the basis of their personality. Incidentally, Molly Ivins on chemotherapy on her death bed has more life, political insight and substance than Kinky Friedman on his best day.
I'll vote for Kinky because this world is f*ucked up from being too serious. We'd all been better off being monkeys, just eatin' and f*ckin' and dying young.
Exactly what power does the Governor of the State of Texas have, GPenny? That's right....the same meat that the Pope eats on Friday.....none. And that is precisely why Kinky Friedman is the best candidate of the four. He'll use it as a bully pulpit for the people. Chris Bell will use it as a bully pulpit for his contributors, nothing more. That's what professional politicians do. And if Molly has more "life, political insight, and substance" than Kinky, than Kinky has more of the three than you will ever hope to have....once you graduate from high school, that is. Thanks for playing, juniormint.
It wasn't much of a "debate" per se. It was more like the four of them repeating their campaign slogans. That being said....you could easily tell which of the four was not the professional politician, and that was Kinky Friedman. I heard that from alot of people on Saturday and Sunday. Whether that translates into votes remains to be seen. He still has my vote, because he is the only one of the four candidates I could vote for with a clear conscience.
Dam I love the way Ivins writes. The Coiffure AUSTIN, Texas (CREATORS) -- I sacrificed an hour Friday evening to watch the Texas gubernatorial debate on your behalf, since I knew none of you would do it. Democrat Chris Bell looked and sounded like the only candidate who won't embarrass the state -- he was intelligent, well informed and even funny. But the question remains: Can Texas afford to lose that hair? The Coiffure was in his usual form. As one opponent after another attacked his record, Gov. Rick Perry stood there proudly behind that 35 percent voter support he has so richly earned and simply disagreed. The Coiffure seemed to consider blanket denials a fully sufficient and adequate response. At one point, the debate actually became more interesting, as a panel of reporters with Belo Corp. changed formats. Doing a quick pop quiz, they asked independent candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn who won the election in Mexico. She informed us the winner had won by a narrow margin, and she is ready to work with him. They asked Goodhair the interest rate on a home mortgage. He said 5.9 percent, and it is 6.4 percent (I don't think I would have known that, either). Independent candidate Kinky Friedman didn't even try to guess the average cost of a year's tuition at the University of Texas ($7,630). They asked Bell when the battle of the Alamo was fought. He correctly answered 1836. One overall impression: It seems to me both Strayhorn and Friedman damaged themselves. Lots of people are voting for Kinky for the fun of it, but the thin-skinned Texas Jew reacted badly to questions about his recent racist remarks. He first became defensive and then petulant -- sort of, if you can't take a joke, to hell with you. The politically incorrect humor didn't work because it wasn't funny ... in fact, it was painfully bad. Strayhorn seemed over-prepped and over-amped. As Texas political guru Bob Armstrong said, she talked 40 mph, with gusts up to 70. So that leaves us with two Protestant white guys again. Just FYI, the percentage of minority citizens working for the state government has gone down steadily since Ann Richards. Rick Perry and Chris Bell: Compare and contrast. Rick Perry has really good hair. Chris Bell has everything else. Obviously, you think my prejudices are showing here, but others who reported on the debate, while often taking shelter behind the "no major blows landed" dodge, rather clearly thought Bell had done best, even if Perry won on the politics of it by not actually saying anything totally idiotic. According to the post-debate "fact check" article in the Dallas Morning News, Perry claimed he had pushed a tax bill through the Legislature "lowering property taxes by a record amount." He didn't mention that the bill is not a tax cut, it's a tax-swap -- it didn't lower taxes, it just moved them over to business and smokers. He also claimed teachers could get a $12,000 raise under his school plan. Actually, the pay raise for teachers is $2,000 across the board, with the stated recommendation to the school districts that they add merit pay raises between $3,000 and $10,000. That's some mighty fancy slicing and dicing there. Bell picked up a $1 million pledge that night from John O'Quinn, the Houston trial lawyer. The trial lawyers have almost blown a good shot here -- all it takes is one more vote than 36 percent, there is no run-off, this is winner-take-all, sudden death. Polls show two out of three Texas voters ready to vote against Perry. The Democrats have a base vote around 40 percent. I think it would be a real tragedy to throw this one away, and you know what is tripping us up? We think we can't win. We're in a real "why try, why work, why contribute?" spiral, believing our guy doesn't have a chance. Nonsense. You couldn't ask for an easier win. http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/09/ivins.perry/index.html
