Kinky Friedman Announces for Governor, Doesn't Like How LBJ Passed Civil Rights

Utopia (1.00 / 1)

I really admire the work with homeless animals he does out at his ranch. He needs to go back there and shut up.

Really, can't Willie Nelson or someone just go have a quiet word with him? The last thing we need is anyone splintering the Democratic vote this year...or worse, making Dems look any more pathetic than we do ourselves.

---

by: cronopio @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 15:07:01 PM UTC

pathetic? (3.00 / 1)

i don't agree that "we" Dems make ourselves look "pathetic".

"our" party in texas is on the rise...big time.  we have gained seats in the house, senate and local level.

we have legislative leaders that literally drive debate on big issues. we have more resources available to candidates than in our party's history.

how is any of that "pathetic"???

Please refer to KT's signature.

---

by: colin @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 16:20:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We need a credible candidate (2.00 / 1)

to run for Governor and LT Governor.  Then we will stop looking pathetic.  Why can't one of our legislative leaders step up to the plate?

---

by: tamsterbath @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:31:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kinky needs reminding. (3.00 / 1)

He was a pretty good satirist before he started taking himself seriously. He used to be a pretty entertaining character, until he turned himself into a caricature. And he's always been a half assed musician, that's a fact.

Shoot, he's not even a native Texan.

Riddle: Why does Kinky hate Texas? He doesn't. He just loves himself more.  

:-\

---

by: SamBass @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 15:09:06 PM UTC

That's an awesome riddle (0.00 / 0)

I'm stealing that.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 15:40:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Go for it. (0.00 / 0)

Color me flattered and then steal at will.  :D

---

by: SamBass @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 16:09:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

He'll come in 3rd in the primaries. (0.00 / 0)

A real Texan keeps his word.

If I lose this race I will retire in a petulant snit."

---

by: citizenx @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 15:41:20 PM UTC

due respect (0.00 / 0)

i think there is a misunderstanding.  he did not denigrate the civil rights act.  totally inaccurate statement. no way, no how. that is not accurate.

if you re-read the quote, he actually says:

I think he did a lot for civil rights

additionally, Kinky NEVER said anything about voter id. not sure where you get that from...pretty big leap. the conversation was about letting the ideas drive the legislation or leaning on the process. i know that isn't apparent from the quote, but that was the context.

i understand that there will be a lot of skeptics until Kinky proves that he is serious...i was skeptical as well.

i became convinced through literally months of conversations that Kinky IS serious and that he is right on the big Democratic issues. that is why i signed him as a client.

if you give him a fair chance to win your vote i think you'll see a big difference from 06. i see it.

as typical, i know that we are all going to say horrible things and spin horrible angles and scratch at each other's eyes for a few months, but that is the process we have at BOR and i think we're prepared for it.

i've said from day one "the more the merrier". just a few days ago i applauded gilbert's entrance to the race. i think having people line up to run on our ticket is awesome and exciting.


Please refer to KT's signature.

---

by: colin @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 16:17:05 PM UTC

Agree with you on the civil rights comment (0.00 / 0)

But I don't quite understand his logic in equating LBJ and Madoff.

---

by: George @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 17:32:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, it is accurate (0.00 / 0)

A "Pretty big leap" -- oh come on now, Colin. Friedman used his own words, calling the procedural ways LBJ passed civil rights "petty points of procedure" and then immediately said this:

If you go with LBJ, you could go with David Dewhurst

He compared the arm-twisting of LBJ and the arm-twisting of David Dewhurst. Not me. And I called out that comparison as a denigration of the Civil Rights Act, because comparing those two -- Dewhurst's arm-twisting (which happened with voter ID) and LBJ's (the Civil Rights Act) is disgusting.

Kinky Friedman compared Dewhurst to LBJ; I just explained what he was comparing. Don't blame me for him saying something stupid.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 18:17:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

again (0.00 / 0)

it is not accurate to say that kinky denigrated civil rights. you come on. that is just not true. i agree that denigrating civil rights act would be disgusting. that is not what he did. you are a smart guy, phillip. you know that isn't what he said.

kinky says enough stuff that you can legitimately jump on him about without reading in something that isn't there.

you are clearly excercised about this and brewing for a fight. you're not going to get one here.

i'm not going to be posting a lot about this race. but whenever there is a clear misrepresentation, or in your case a misinterpretation, i'll attempt to clarify from time to time.

calmate, phillip. no one blamed you for anything. i think if you re-read my post you'll see that no one attacked you. i thought i was fairly measured in my reply.


Please refer to KT's signature.

---

by: colin @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 18:55:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

maybe... (3.00 / 1)

...we are having a hard time with Kinky and legitimate being in the same sentence.

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

---

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:07:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

get it (0.00 / 0)

totally. as did i.

Please refer to KT's signature.

---

by: colin @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:19:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

You said I was not accurate. I simply argued that I was. (0.00 / 0)

The guy compared two things. I pointed out the details of that comparison. Thanks for saying I'm a smart guy, but I don't think it takes intelligence to compare two things.

Now, you may disagree with my characterization or interpretation of what he said. That's totally fine; disagree with my opinions all day. Kinky's supporters have disagreed with my interpretation of his remarks ever since he made those despicable jokes. I'm totally comfortable if they don't agree with my opinions of Kinky, because I sure as hell don't agree with their opinions of Kinky.

But my headline is accurate. I quoted him accurately. The comparison is accurate. I don't think my clarification of the fact that I was accurate in my writing is "brewing for a fight" -- I think it's not letting someone say I'm inaccurate.

I'd love to forget Kinky Friedman and not post a lot about him, too. But when his cigar is chomping up column inches in my newspaper, I will post on this race. Otherwise, if he stays out on the book tour between now and the primary, I don't intend on writing about him at all.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:30:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, but... (3.00 / 1)

Kinky was denigrating the legislative sausage-making process with his comment.  The tone of your post is a tad harsh.  Ok, great, you don't like Kinky/think there are better candidates.  I'm a Hank Gilbert fan.  But this post in particular comes across as the type of noise game that the far right employs, and that I cannot abide.

Otherwise, big fan of all the work yall do here.  Keep it up.

---

by: patknapp @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 20:33:15 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kinky Running in the 2010 Democratic Primary is a Good Thing (0.00 / 0)

Just as soon resolve policy matters and internal party issues in the primary season for both Democrats and Republicans. The less independant candidates running in 2010 the better. We should want our next governor to be atleast Governor 50%, plus 1 vote. Primary elections have runoffs, general elections do not; resulting in Governor 39% in 2006.

---

by: ssuits @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 16:26:02 PM UTC

I guess you're right (0.00 / 0)

Friedman doesn't excite me either, but I heard him on the radio today and he is quite different in tone from 2006.  He is a serious man, although like everyone else here I am mystified by his motivation.  But what motivates any candidate, other than the lust for power and glory?  If he plays it straight and gets some money to campaign with, he could be one tough hombre to campaign against.  What would happen in a Friedman/Schieffer or Friedman/Gilbert runoff?  I shudder to think.

---

by: Dale Napier @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:38:40 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kinky is correct (0.00 / 0)

He's not saying he disagrees with the Civil Rights Act just that there is a similarity of how Dewherst and Johnson "twist arms".  He probably doesn't like Voter ID and is saying that if Dewhurst could have twisted arms as well as Johnson we may now have Voter ID.  

Johnson was able (with assistance) to procedurally get the legislation to a vote against strong opposition from many in his own party.

---

by: sdhook @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 16:36:38 PM UTC

Bad call, Phil. (0.00 / 0)

I agree with the other Colin.

Kinky didn't say anything that a reasonable person could in any way, possibly assume was denigrating toward civil rights.

You've just used some really tortured logic and assumptions to paint the guy in a bad light.

So what if he doesn't like Johnson? The guy was a murderer.

You're simply smearing Kinky because you don't like him.

Leave that crap to Republicans.

The netroots are supposed to be reality-based.

"There's nothing new except for the history that you don't know."
-HST

Justice Addict

---

by: Colin Kalmbacher @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:03:43 PM UTC

OK (2.00 / 1)

I respect that people may not think LBJ is a hero; I think that's a valid point to make, if put in the context of the Vietnam War.

But the guy compared one person's arm-twisting to another, specifically in regards to Civil Rights. The results of that arm-twisting was to pass Civil Rights (LBJ) and to limit minority participation in elections (Dewhurst). I think that is an awful comparison, and I said so.

Tortured logic is saying that fast food is actually healthy for you because it forces you to gain weight which, in turn, forces you to exercise. Using another's words to compare two like things is not tortured logic.

I stand by my opinion that such a comparison is disgusting. I don't like it, and I think anyone that followed BOR over the past three years is surprised. But I do respect that some people disagree with me.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:44:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I really think you're misunderstanding (0.00 / 0)

his word usage. He wasn't comparing the reason for the arm-twisting. He was comparing the usage of the tactic of arm-twisting. The means, not the ends, if you see what I mean.

That's the way I read it, anyway. And I freely admit, I might be wrong.

Look, I'm certainly no fan of Kinky, and I share your view that he's not really a serious candidate (Sorry, Colin, I'm going to need a helluva lot of convincing before I think this is anything more than another vanity campaign).

I think in the long run he'll eliminate himself by saying something genuinely stupid. No need to manufacture something out of a statement that can certainly be interpreted in different ways.  

---

by: davew @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 21:45:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

LBJ did some great things in 1964 and 1965 (3.00 / 1)

Sadly, they were only possible because of the shock of the Kennedy assassination.  However, if you look more closely at LBJ's history in the Senate, you would not be so proud.  He rose to his leadership by kowtowing to the Southern segregationists -- all Democrats, of course.  He showed absolutely no interest in civil rights until he became president.

His pre-1960 record was a civil rights disaster.  There is no other way to interpret it; Dugger documents it detail.  However, the fact that Johnson passed such monumental civil rights legislation after he became president is testimony how a man can grow and overcome grave errors.  Few men are capable of such growth.

---

by: Dale Napier @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 03:33:23 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kinky's former press secretary dismisses his candidacy (2.00 / 1)

This was also in the Statesman article:

Laura Stromberg, who was Friedman's press secretary in 2006, said the conditions that provided an ideal scenario for his candidacy in that race - a fractured electorate, the novelty of an independent candidate - don't exist anymore.

"If he didn't win in 2006, he can't possibly pull it off in 2010," Stromberg said.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 19:35:59 PM UTC

That's almost a story into itself (0.00 / 0)

Not because of the political "look who was supporting him but now isn't" factor, but because the point Laura made is a very fair one for debate.

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

---

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 20:06:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree (0.00 / 0)

Feel like writing a post?

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 21:00:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yeah (0.00 / 0)

I'll do that.

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

---

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 22:58:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Easy there, killer... (0.00 / 0)

Harsh words.

But look, Kinky has zero chance of winning the nomination; there's no reason to attack him like he's a serious candidate. He's a joke of a candidate, and I'm sure he'll even be an entertaining joke--hell, I'm actually glad he's running, because it'll probably be fun to watch.

And yes, he says stupid things (and this LBJ thing doesn't rank too high on the stupidomenter compared to some of the stuff he said last go-round), but going after him for it like he's actually a legitimate candidate just makes you look silly.

---

by: AlexFerraro1 @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 21:33:42 PM UTC

Yup (0.00 / 0)

n/t

"There's nothing new except for the history that you don't know."
-HST

Justice Addict

---

by: Colin Kalmbacher @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 22:11:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for the feedback.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 22:18:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd argue you on one point (5.00 / 1)

Run a poll for a Democratic primary today and I'll bet you a doughnut that Kinky Friedman leads that field. He was in June and nothing has changed except lesser known candidates to poll.

Eighty percent of Democrats polled have yet to choose a candidate in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Humorist, author, and former independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman pulled 10 percent of respondents' support, while former U.S. Ambassador Tom Schieffer and Texas state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte drew 6 percent and 3 percent, respectively. Van de Putte, of San Antonio, announced Tuesday that she would not run for governor.

Dismissing him is not an electoral strategy with the current field with their current level of campaigning.

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

---

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 22:57:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Why would Kinky have zero chance? (3.00 / 1)

heading into the race, he has relatively high name recogition.

Remember, Gene Kelly won the US Senate nomination in 2000 and made the runoff in 2006 while doing nothing.  Stranger things have happened.

---

by: v2aggie2 @ Tue Sep 01, 2009 at 23:20:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Roll the tape (0.00 / 0)

Before jumping on Phillip, perhaps folks should reacquaint themselves with the man's own words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." -Frederick Douglass

---

by: Ware V. Wendell @ Wed Sep 02, 2009 at 20:18:53 PM UTC