Kinky

From the great State of Texas, nee The Republic of Texas, the state that gives us great barbecue, great musicians, and sometimes great movies, comes a great candidate for Governor.

Now, I know that Texas has also brought us our last two fiasco wars. President Lyndon Baines Johnson lied us into Vietnam. El Presidente George Walker Bush lied us into Iraq. Well, at least Johnson didn't take a great big dump on America's underclass during his years in office, and maybe he earns a reprieve for the Economic Opportunity Act, the Civil Rights Act and the Great Society. But there's no doubt that the next time we elect a tall-tale-teller from Texas to the most powerful office in the world, it's shame on all of us.

Meanwhile, there's musician and mystery novelist Kinky Friedman, cowboy and onetime leader of the band "Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys". Born in Chicago, raised in Texas, a Peace Corps vet, and author songs like, "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" and "Asshole From El Paso," Kinky has just been certified as an independent candidate for Texas State Governor.

His poll numbers are rising as well. While Republican Rick Perry still holds the lead, Kinky recently jumped 5 percentage points to pass even the Democratic candidate:

The Rasmussen poll of 500 likely voters indicates 38 percent of voters would re-elect Perry while 20 percent would elect Friedman. Strayhorn places third with 19 percent of the vote, while Bell garnered 14 percent.

Now that he's officially on the ballot, I'd expect those numbers to rise. Kinky, er, candidate Friedman explains that such polls only target "likely" voters, and his campaign is targeting folks that don't usually vote.

It's all in good fun, but what about his positions? While some are clearly meant for humor, others make, well, common sense:

Kinky Friedman put forth his most detailed agenda to date Monday, calling for publicly financed political campaigns, a two-year lobbying ban for state officeholders and employees after they stop working for the state and giving residents the right to push an idea onto a statewide ballot.

The independent candidate for governor also said he wants revamped political primaries, voter registration on election days and a nonpartisan commission to draw legislative districts instead of lawmakers.

There's been a couple interesting pieces in the MainStream Media regarding Kinky. For an early look at his campaign and its growing pains, check out this New Yorker article. For an even more MSM view, here's a link to his 60 Minutes interview, which features this classic exchange:

Does he think Texas is ready for a Jewish governor?

"Absolutely. Listen, I tell people, trust me, I'm a Jew, I'll hire good people," Friedman says.

Nettertainment hereby endorses Kinky for Texas Governor. Hey, if Jesse Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger can do it, why not the man who once wrote (Greenwich Killing Time, 1993):

I knew I wasn't as stupid as I looked. No one was.