No other Texas Governor’s race has sparked as much debate among younger voters as this years’ race has done. Kinky Friedman has a way of making people talk about him and anything that he is a part of. This time it his politics and his allegedly racist remarks that have people talking about him on television, in newspapers and even the campus of Sam Houston State University.
Kelley Shannon, an Associated Press reporter, states in her article “Friedman accused of making another racist remark,” that there has been a recent revival of a year old interview of Kinky’s with CNBC in which
Friedman was quoted as saying, “throw them in prison and throw away the key and make them listen to a Negro talking to himself,” in reference to sexual predators, has some people painting Friedman in a racist light.
Friedman’s spokeswoman, Laura Stromberg, said that his statements were in relation to a book Friedman wrote in the 1980’s and were taking pretty badly out of context by the riveters of this interview.
According to Shannon’s article Friedman’s Democrat opponent, Chris Bell, said “I was offended by the comments… everyone who’s running as a serious candidate in this race needs to be held to the same standard, I just don’t think those types of comments have a place in this campaign.”
Kinky Friedman is a singer, songwriter, novelist, politician and former columnist for “Texas Monthly.” Friedman is known for his irreverent attitude towards things taken seriously, or too seriously if you agree with him.
After graduating from the University of Texas Friedman joined the Peace Corps for two years and then returned to the United States and formed his second band “Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys.” He has spent the last three decades writing music, writing stories for Texas Monthly, writing numerous books and coming out with a CD every couple of years.
Teachers and students around campus had some comments to make about Friedman and his run for office.
“Why the hell not?” said a graduate student named Chris. A former student who wished to speak anonymously said that he had been a supporter of Friedman’s until “I found out what he said about the Katrina evacuees being crack heads and thugs and now I don’t want to vote at all.”
A professor who also wished to remain anonymous said that Friedman “has the potential to keep the Texas government honest.” He went on to contrast Friedman as governor as compared to Jesse Ventura “who had a two party state to work with, while Kinky just has to deal with the Texas legislators which are predominately conservative.”
A student worker for Computer Services said that Friedman “represents that true Texas, he is irrevent at times, funny at times, serious as a heart attack when it is needed and, above all, caring about his fellow Texans.”
Political analysts have said that Kinky Friedman running for governor of Texas will do nothing but ensure defeat for the Democratic candidates running for office, but the recent polls show that it is still a very close election.
The candidates running for Texas governor are: incumbent Rick Perry (R), former Congressman Chris Bell (D), Kinky Friedman (Ind.), State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn (Ind.), and software analyst James Werner.
According to a recent survey sponsored by KEYE-TV the support of voters for each candidate is as follows: Perry 35 percent, Bell 23 percent, Friedman 23 percent, Strayhorn 15 percent and Werner 2 percent.