Dallas Observer profiles Kinky
Robert Wilonsky in the Dallas Observer has a long and interesting profile of the man who hopes to be an independent candidate for governor.
Friedman on immigration:
Friedman insists that the campaign, not yet out of its bassinet, has invigorated and inspired him. For hours he pitches proposals that land somewhere between crackpot and genius. There's one called The Five Mexican Generals, which he insists would stem the flow of Mexicans illegally crossing the Texas border. The plan is simple: Divide the Texas-Mexico border into five districts, appoint a Mexican general to guard each, keep $1 million in a bank account for each official and then dock the accounts for every immigrant who slips across the border.On being taken seriously and fundraising:
One of Barkley's first jobs in Texas will involve getting Friedman on the phone with his rich and famous friends and asking them to pony up. By the time of the election, Barkley would like to have $5 million, which is but a fraction of the $60 million Democratic candidate Tony Sanchez spent to get his ass handed to him by Rick Perry three years ago. Barkley insists that if Friedman can raise the money, that alone will prove to the media he's a candidate to be taken seriously.I think what Barkley meant to say is "Adios mofo." But he's not from Texas, so maybe he's not hip to the current politico lingo."My old pal Evan Smith [editor of Texas Monthly] told me, 'Kinky, enough of the one-liners. Where's the real substance?'" Friedman says. "Yet he listens to Kay Bailey [Hutchison] or Rick Perry or John Sharp or Chris Bell and he thinks he's hearing substance, and that's ludicrous. I'll tell ya about one-liners. The kings of one-liners are probably Kinky Friedman, Henny Youngman and Oscar Wilde throughout history, but the defense of a good one-liner is that the cowboy uses one line between his saddle horn and the steer he's roped, and hopefully that one line is true and strong. Travis at the Alamo drew one line in the sand for the men to walk across. Jesus had one line on the cross: 'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.' So if a one-liner is true and strong, it can save a soul. That's my defense of the one-liner. And I'm telling you, the campaign with the most substance is ours, merely because the candidate and the people around him don't come from politics. The closest we get to politics is Dean Barkley..."
"Hey, I resent that," Barkley barks. "Fuck you, asshole."
Barkley is right. They need to raise money, and then commission a poll showing Friedman with palpable support.
On rednecks:
"I think we're going to win Fredericksburg, and as Fredericksburg goes, so goes the state," he insists. "There are rednecks still left in this state, and the rednecks are for Kinky Friedman. That's the fact, OK?"Color me unconvinced. How will Friedman's left-leaning social views play?
Posted by Evan @ 07/04/05 02:17 AM
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" How will Friedman's left-leaning social views play?"
because when ya get right down to it, rednecks don't give a damn about left-leaning social views. they care about kitchen-table issues just like everyone else. it's just that the Right will only talk about left-leaning social issues and the Left will only talk about right-wing bigotry and political corruption. i'm not saying kinky can rise above that stuff, but i bet if kinky gets out there and says, "ya know what, i'll make you a deal - you stop worrying about gays getting married and i'll stop every illegal immigrant from crossing that there border," you'd have a lot of rednecks lining up to support the first independent governor since Sam Houston.
Posted by casey @ 07/05/05 04:35 PM
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