A campaign we can all get behind
I know that political discussion is discouraged on this site, but this is actually anti-political, and in my opinion, would be great to see.
Gov. Kinky -- the next leader of Texas?
DALLAS (Reuters) -- Kinky Friedman, the best-selling author, country singer and friend of the stray dog, next week will officially toss his ten-gallon hat into the ring for the 2006 Texas governor's race, his campaign said Tuesday.
Friedman will announce his bid to run as an independent on February 3 near the Alamo from a hotel where former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt founded the Rough Riders.
Friedman, frontman for the group "The Texas Jewboys," is known for songs such as "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed" and writing books including "Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned."
The humorist however, is deadly serious about his campaign to unseat current Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican who succeeded President Bush.
"I have achieved a lot of my dreams in life and I want to see that young Texans achieve some of theirs,' Friedman said in a telephone interview. He added, "I want to be governor because I need the closet space."
Friedman said the main priorities in his campaign will be reforming the Texas education system, adding safeguards in the judicial process where Texas ranks as the nation's leader in capital punishment and establishing a peace corps for the state.
Plus, he wants "to fight the wussification of Texas."
"I am determined to get back to a time when the cowboys all sang and their horses were smart," Friedman said.
Friedman would like to borrow a page or two from the campaign books of other celebrity candidates such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura, the former pro wrestler who ran as an independent to become governor of Minnesota.
Political observers said the Friedman campaign will be entertaining, but it will be hard for an independent to win in Texas, where every major statewide office is held by a Republican.
"The real race will be within the Republican primary," said Sherri Greenberg, a former Texas legislator who now teaches at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs.
The Republican primary for governor of Texas is shaping up be a bruising affair. Likely candidate Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has been firing shots at incumbent Perry for several years and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison may also take on Perry in the primary.
Friedman has said he expects his campaign to be unconventional, irreverent and star-studded. He knows it will be tough to win in the heavily Republican state, but he thinks he can win votes from people fed up with bland politicians.
"We hope the people of Texas are going to reject the choice of paper or plastic," he said.
Gov. Kinky -- the next leader of Texas?
DALLAS (Reuters) -- Kinky Friedman, the best-selling author, country singer and friend of the stray dog, next week will officially toss his ten-gallon hat into the ring for the 2006 Texas governor's race, his campaign said Tuesday.
Friedman will announce his bid to run as an independent on February 3 near the Alamo from a hotel where former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt founded the Rough Riders.
Friedman, frontman for the group "The Texas Jewboys," is known for songs such as "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed" and writing books including "Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned."
The humorist however, is deadly serious about his campaign to unseat current Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican who succeeded President Bush.
"I have achieved a lot of my dreams in life and I want to see that young Texans achieve some of theirs,' Friedman said in a telephone interview. He added, "I want to be governor because I need the closet space."
Friedman said the main priorities in his campaign will be reforming the Texas education system, adding safeguards in the judicial process where Texas ranks as the nation's leader in capital punishment and establishing a peace corps for the state.
Plus, he wants "to fight the wussification of Texas."
"I am determined to get back to a time when the cowboys all sang and their horses were smart," Friedman said.
Friedman would like to borrow a page or two from the campaign books of other celebrity candidates such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura, the former pro wrestler who ran as an independent to become governor of Minnesota.
Political observers said the Friedman campaign will be entertaining, but it will be hard for an independent to win in Texas, where every major statewide office is held by a Republican.
"The real race will be within the Republican primary," said Sherri Greenberg, a former Texas legislator who now teaches at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs.
The Republican primary for governor of Texas is shaping up be a bruising affair. Likely candidate Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has been firing shots at incumbent Perry for several years and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison may also take on Perry in the primary.
Friedman has said he expects his campaign to be unconventional, irreverent and star-studded. He knows it will be tough to win in the heavily Republican state, but he thinks he can win votes from people fed up with bland politicians.
"We hope the people of Texas are going to reject the choice of paper or plastic," he said.
posted by david at 1/21/2005 04:29:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home