|
Wed Aug 08, 2012 at 03:03 PM CDT
|
 After losing the Democratic primary for Ag Commissioner in 2010, humorist and songwriter Kinky Friedman is once again making waves in the political press by signaling his interest in running for Texas Governor in 2014. In conversations with reporter Wayne Slater, Friedman outlined a number of his 'mistakes' in his last run for the state's highest office.
He says he made mistakes last time - running as an independent rather than a Democrat, emphasizing the comedian instead of the problem-solver, disciplining himself around a message that voters really care about. "If I could establish the seriousness, that I am a serious soul that nobody takes seriously, to quote my old friend Billy Joe Shaver, then I think you've really got something."
Friedman says he would be committed to running as a Democrat this time.
"The main thing is to defuse the idea of being a comedian or even being an independent. I'm an independent-thinking Democrat and I've been a Democrat way further than most of my detractors," he said. "It would have to be what you show the Democrats during that primary, and if you can show them a different side of Kinky Friedman, and it's definitely there. Most of us realize the real comedian is already in the Governor's Mansion."
Being a comedian would imply that Rick Perry's tenure in office has been funny- if anything, Perry's leadership has been sad, not funny. There are hundreds of thousands of Texans without healthcare and quality public schools that aren't laughing. Plus, the last story Burnt Orange Report wrote about Kinky Friedman was about his appearance alongside Republican Congressman Lamar Smith for a fundraiser in 2010 shortly after his failed bid as a Democrat for Ag Commissioner.
Kinky needs some better material lest he make himself the laughing stock of Democratic primary voters once more.
Update: One of the joys of Burnt Orange Report having being around over 9 years is that we've seen this story before right here on our own pages. How little things change. |
|
|
|
|
|
