Friedman may run again for governor (gag)

[sonias]

AAS 2/10/09
AP: Friedman may run again for governor

By KELLEY SHANNON
AP Political Writer

AUSTIN, Texas — Humorist and author Kinky Friedman may run for Texas governor again, but if he does, he says he's serious this time.

First, he'd run with the help of a major party — the Democrats — instead of launching an independent campaign like he did in 2006.

Friedman told The Associated Press Tuesday he learned some hard lessons from his fourth-place defeat to Republican Rick Perry in a race with three political veterans. He said he found out he couldn't win as an independent and that he shouldn't crack so many jokes.

(snip)
"I certainly like the way the Democratic Party is moving in Texas. I think the past four years it's kind of transformed itself into a more populist ... it's in a populist direction. In other words, I think they're moving toward Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards and Molly Ivins and Ralph Yarbrough and Sam Rayburn. That kind of thing," he said.

He had absolutely nothing to do with the populist shift and he had absolutely no chance of winning a Democratic primary either. He just needs to raise more money by selling more of his stuff.

He's got a lot of nerve! :grr:

Anybody but Kinky. ABK - a natural gag reflex. :puke:

Sonia

[johncoby2]

1. He is not a democrat

http://bayareahouston.blogspot.com/2009/02/kinky-aina-democrat.html

[Baby Snooks]

2. He's not a Republican either...

He's really not anything. Truly an Independent. Which perhaps is why Molly Ivins responded with a "Why the hell not?"

Maybe he should run as a Republican - by the time the primary rolls around most Republicans will be wanting to be rid of both Perry and Hutchison and he would probably end up as the Republican candidate. Particularly if he told some racist jokes. And of course he would then lose to the Democrat. Any Democrat. Almost any Democrat anyway.

Of course if he won the Republican primary then Perry and Hutchison would both probably run as Independents. In which case, Kinky might end up with the 39% if he told some more racist jokes and become governor.

The problem with Kinky Friedman is always going to be the racist jokes. It's the one thing he really doesn't get. Maybe if Molly Ivins had banged some pots and pans up the side of his head he might have. I suspect in the end "Why the hell not" would have become "Why the hell bother?"

[sonias]

3. Jesse Ventura will be drafted by the Klingon army

I believe that one could actually happen.

The rest of them I'm with ya!
:rofl:



Sonia

[NoPasaran]

4. Could it happen? A couple of numbers to consider

2006 General election: 547,674 Friedman votes

2006 Democratic gubernatorial primary: 508,602 total votes

And on that cheerful note, I'm off to work.

[sonias]

5. Damn you NoPasaran!

You drop that stink bomb and just walk away.

I think I'm going to be sick all over again.

But wait, we're in the era of "Hope and Change". I believe that we'll get better turnout numbers in 2008 than in 2006. Not falling for your trap.
O8)


Sonia

[Baby Snooks]

6. Not to worry...

Gene Kelly will challenge him and win. And then the Republicans will get confused and think it's Gene Kelly the movie star and we will end up with Gene Kelly as governor. Which might not be so bad. We probably would never hear from him again. Imagine a governor's mansion with no sound bites.

[sonias]

7. I thought Gene Kelly died a long time ago

:evilgrin:


Sonia

[Baby Snooks]

8. He did but...

The majority of Republicans probably don't know that. They just saw him on TMC the other night along with Debbie Reynolds after all.

It's a shame our Gene Kelly isn't a Republican, isn't it?

[sonias]

9. I know we could raise the money to get his name on the R primary

In a heartbeat. In fact I have always suspected that Kelly gets money from the Rs (under the table) he never even files a finance report to run in the Democratic primary.

He's dead to me.

Sonia

[johncoby2]

22. I thought kinky died

[NoPasaran]

11. Hee hee

It's funny, a couple of months ago I suggested that we might consider drafting Gene Kelly for governor and someone replied "I'd vote for the mfer Kinky before I'd vote for that mfer Kelly!"

Anyway, my point was just to demonstrate to all who might think that Kinky couldn't win a primary that the numbers exist to say Yes he could. Of course, this is not the same think as saying that he would win a primary, only that it's not outside the realm of possibility. And if Friedman is actually serious and hired some competent people and mended a few fences, he could be hard to stop. And if the only other names on the ballot are Gene Kelly and somebody who actually worked in the Bush Administration, I'm not sure I'd want to stop him.

Better turnout numbers? Of course, we had huge numbers in 2008 because of the Presidential race. I don't think we're going to see anything close to that again. I really don't expect 2010 primary numbers to increase over 2006 unless we have some interesting races. In fact, if it looks like Democrats are conceding the governorship that year, I would expect a lot of crossovers attracted by the presumed Goodhair/Senator Barbie race the repubs will be having.

[sonias]

15. Hey I can change my mind

I was probably really angry at that mfer Kelly at that time. But I wouldn't vote for either one of them - it was just a lesser of two evils kind of statement. Both of those evils are pretty bad though.

There will be a Senate race on the ticket and that has to increase turnout a bit. I know the 08 Obama race was an unusually high turnout and we won't see that in a non-presidential year. But I don't think it will be as bad as 2006 either.

Anything can happen. The economy is going to be an issue.

Sonia

[NoPasaran]

16. A Senate race on the ballot? I don't think so

If KBH does resign her seat, Goodhair gets to appoint a replacement. Then we have a special election. No party primaries, we do it Louisiana style with everybody and his dog on the ballot. (Twenty-four candidates in the 1993 special election for the remainder of Lloyd Bentsen's term.)

[Melissa G]

12. Double Damn to NoPasaran!

[NoPasaran]

17. Don't hate the playa, hate the game!

[Melissa G]

19. No hate for either the 'playa' or the game.

Just bummed about the statement, true tho it may be...
'Course just 'cuz a thing is true doesn't mean ya have to type it!:P

[argyl]

10. He's not a Democrat and as a humorist he's not very funny. Lousy musician too.

[tbyg52]

13. Ick. nt

[GOPisEvil]

14. So your choices to date are:

A guy who is Bush appointee (if Scheiffer runs). Shades of Tony Sanchez anyone?

and

Kinky Friedman.

Good lord, please let there be someone else. If the Keebler Elf can't drum up a real Democrat to run for Governor, he should resign before being run out of Austin on a rail.

[WolverineDG]

18. I know I'm gonna get shot for saying this

but why not just let him have it so he'll go away & leave us alone? I'm not looking forward to another snooze-fest. Since the Republicans are going to beat the crap out of each other, unless we've got someone who's going to light up the race like a Christmas tree, we're either going to get Perry OR Hutchinson for gov. At least Kinky would be entertaining. it would be fun to watch him run circles around Helmet Hair in a debate.

dg

[Melissa G]

20. I'm hoping for a better choice, but there is some entertainment value to Kinky

except for all the bad parts ya have to put up with!
Someone oughta link to all the Kinky gaffe's lest we forget!

[WolverineDG]

21. Well given a choice between a snoozer & Kinky

I'll take Kinky. ;) Focus on getting back control of the Lege so we can rewrite the district lines & undo Tom Delay's handiwork.

dg

[Baby Snooks]

23. In 2006, maybe. In 2010, please, no....

Our economy at this point requires someone with legislative experience and Kinky ain't it. I supported him in the beginning in 2006 because Molly Ivins and others did. "Why the hell not?" indeed. But that was 2006. This is 2009. Things have changed. Including the racist climate in this state. It has gotten worse. Not better.

Looking back, I really did take offense at the jokes. Not so much the jokes but the impression I had that he really saw nothing wrong.

Molly was into pots and pans. And banging them. She might have banged them up the side of Kinky's head. And then again, she may have just said "Why the hell bother?" So, well, "Why the hell bother?" indeed.

We can do much better than what we've had before and what we may have in terms of a Republican.

I really think we should look at Leticia van de Putte. Why the hell not?

[rcrush]

24. I like Kinky.

So there.

[sonias]

25. You can like Kinky and still not vote for him

So how do you feel about Richard S. Friedman? His nickname gets him a lot of attention.

If it weren't for his advertising empire he'd just be Dick Friedman or maybe even Dicky.

:rofl:


Sonia

[rcrush]

26. I'd vote for a guy named Dicky to.