Kinky's ballot drive is funded by Perry supporters -- YOU CAN HELP

[Czolgosz]

We need to expose the fact that Kinky's petition drive is being financed in part by Perry Republicans.

Here is how you can help uncover this blatant attempt to Nader the gubernatorial election.

First, read Kinky's contributor list (here <http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/php/filer.php?acct=00056764coh>) to identify donors who you recognize as likely Perry supporters.

Then, confirm the contributor's donations to both Kinky and Perry or PACs that support Perry (here <http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/php/cesearch.html>).

Here is just one example of a contributor who has given $2,578.36 to Kinky after giving $750 to Perry: <http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/php/fsearch.php>

[sonias]

1. Top givers from his last filing

(Top givers to Kinky's campaign)

IND MCCALL JOHN H SPICEWOOD TX $216,000.00 Office Space
IND MCCALL JOHN H SPICEWOOD TX $150,000.00
IND MCCALL JOHN H SPICEWOOD TX $100,000.00 Teacher
IND Levy Eddy Austin TX $24,656.00 Teacher
IND Shurley Mark Fredericksburg TX $15,000.00
IND Constanza Mike Haltom City TX $12,000.00 Office Space
IND Crosland Lucien Dallas TX $10,000.00
IND Floyd Robert Austin TX $10,000.00 ARC INC
IND SHURLEY MARK FRIEND FREDERICKSBURG TX $10,000.00
IND West Jo Dallas TX $10,000.00
IND Gray Brenda Louisville KY $5,000.06 Peri's Inc.
IND Cavnar R.L. Houston TX $5,000.02 Milagro Explorations
IND Abrams Farhood Jacki Houston TX $5,000.00
IND Burnett Kay Alpine TX $5,000.00
IND DeGeurin Mike Houston TX $5,000.00
IND DeGuerin Dick Houston TX $5,000.00
IND Grace Barnett Little Rock AR $5,000.00
IND Hixon Steve San Antonio TX $5,000.00 retired
IND Joekel Charles Houston TX $5,000.00 T.E.A. Inc
IND King Allan Houston TX $5,000.00
IND Stone James Yoakum TX $5,000.00
ENT MEAn Woman Grill Levelland TX $4,895.00
ENT Thirteen Days Ltd Dallas TX $4,640.00
IND Levy Eddy Austin TX $4,412.00
ENT Railroad Blues Alpine TX $4,382.00
IND Shurley Mark Friend Fredericksburg TX $4,000.00
ENT Twelfth Sight Dallas TX $3,300.00
IND Jaffee Noah Houston TX $3,000.00
IND Shurley Mark Friend Fredericksburg TX $3,000.00
IND Emery Jon Austin TX $2,995.00
ENT Third on 3d Dallas TX $2,770.00
IND Loeb Leon Corpus Christi TX $2,500.00
IND Lomax Brad Corpus Christi TX $2,500.00
IND Nunn Alan Scroggins TX $2,500.00
IND Tomblin Anthony Austin TX $2,500.00
ENT McGill Corpus Christi TX $2,500.00
IND Boynton Steve & Pam Bandera TX $2,183.00
IND Lesher Mark Clarksville TX $2,000.00 Lesher & Associates
IND schiller Fred Houston TX $2,000.00 Self Employed
IND Steger H. Dennis Highlands TX $2,000.00 Teacher
IND Duvall Charles Foristell MO $1,500.04 Duvall Taxidermy
IND Canter Iragene Albuquerque NM $1,500.03 Builders Carpet
IND McAlister Harold Jacksonville OR $1,500.03 Orange Country Sheriff
IND Galvanauskas Donna Chicago IL $1,500.00 Archstone Consulting LLC
IND Goodwin Jennifer Olympia WA $1,500.00 Alternatives Professional Counseling
IND Groskin Mark Rochester NY $1,500.00
IND Holmes Scrappy Diana TX $1,500.00
IND Laviage Dennis Houston TX $1,500.00 C&D SCRAP METAL RECYCLERS CO.INC.
IND Lifshutz James San Antonio TX $1,500.00 CondoSmartLLC
IND Longhofer Carla Houston TX $1,500.00 LECGLLC
IND overlander thomas lakeway TX $1,500.00 retired
IND Struve Steve Pleasanton TX $1,500.00 South-Tex Wine Distribitors
IND Tapia Robert R. corpus Christi TX $1,500.00 Whataburger
IND Taylor Jacque Austin TX $1,500.00 Seton Northwest ICU
IND White Stephen Houston TX $1,500.00 SELF
IND Wolfe Richard / Sondy Fort Worth TX $1,500.00
ENT PandemoniumLtd. Dallas TX $1,389.00
IND Morales Fernando Spring TX $1,290.00
IND Fraser Jan Harlingen TX $1,000.02 Santa Rosa ISD
IND Verret Mark Covington LA $1,000.02 Mark Verret
IND Black Paul Dallas TX $1,000.00 Paul Black
IND block milton New York NY $1,000.00
IND Block Milton New York NY $1,000.00
IND Boulware Tracy Houston TX $1,000.00
IND Bower Tricia Missouri City TX $1,000.00 Regional Gulf Coast Blood Center - Houston
IND Brooks Henry Conroe TX $1,000.00
IND CARr Christina Camden AR $1,000.00
IND COttingham James Corpus Christi TX $1,000.00
IND Crawford Michael Houston TX $1,000.00 Self
IND Durham Clyde Houston TX $1,000.00 self
IND Fish Bradley Houston TX $1,000.00
IND Gary Roger San Antonio TX $1,000.00 Amazon Forms OneInc.
IND Gentry Adron Round Rock TX $1,000.00 Dell Inc
IND Glassell Curry Houston TX $1,000.00 Self
IND Gordon David San Antonio TX $1,000.00
IND Hathcox Bill Yantis TX $1,000.00
IND Hill Karen Lee San Antonio TX $1,000.00 Unemployed
IND Johnston James R. Bemidji MN $1,000.00
IND JONES DANNY Charleston WV $1,000.00 city of CharlestonWest Virginia
IND Klein Sonja Barksdale TX $1,000.00 Retired
IND LEwis Peggy Decatur TX $1,000.00 Century 21Sue Ann DentonInc Real Estate
IND Lewis Peggy Fox Decatur TX $1,000.00
IND marsh tony weatherford TX $1,000.00 No Scum Allowed Saloon
IND Marsh Roy Houston TX $1,000.00 Everyones Internet
IND Meyer Kenneth Elgin TX $1,000.00
IND Mithoff Ginni Houston TX $1,000.00 unemployed
IND Moore Jay Houston TX $1,000.00 Canyon Lands Corporation
IND Peterson Philip Houston TX $1,000.00
IND Reimer Neil austin TX $1,000.00
IND RULLO CHRIS SAN ANTONIO TX $1,000.00 BUDGET MOVERS INC
IND Safir Larry McAllen TX $1,000.00
IND Santoski Paula Houston TX $1,000.00 NONE
IND schiller Fred Houston TX $1,000.00 Self Employed
IND Soefer Ronald Houston TX $1,000.00 NONE
IND Thomas Louise Wichita Falls TX $1,000.00
IND Van Dyke Gene Houston TX $1,000.00
IND Villanueva Desiree Houston TX $1,000.00 Desgins by Dez
IND WARe Bill Amarillo TX $1,000.00
IND Weaver Gary Cibolo TX $1,000.00 Timber Tech TexasInc.

John H McCall from Spicewood, TX gave him $466,000.00 and Tom DeLay's lawyer Dick DeGuerin gave him $5,000. Anyone know who John McCall is? I didn't recognize anyone else. The IND means individual and ENT means enterprise and if they provided an employer or occupation that's the last column.

Interesting.

Sonia

[Texas_Kat]

2. McCall : the "Shampoo" King

"A review of Mr. Friedman's latest report, covering six months of fundraising ending in January, indicates that more than one-third of his donations – $576,000 in contributions and donated office space – have come from one person: Dripping Springs hair products executive John McCall, a longtime Friedman friend."

Profile at: http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2001-11-02/books_feature.html

I've been convinced for a long time that Kinky will wind up pulling at least a small percentage from the Republican base rather than from the Democrat. Mostly Repubs who are tired of Perry, see Carole 4+ as a harridan, but can't vote for a Dem. Pretty much the "who cares?" vote.

The more progressives that know about him, the less they support him. By November, Democrats will have determined that Kinky is a Right wing joke and that Stayhorn is as right-wing as she always was. Dems currently are "confused" because they seem to think he's a Kucinich Democrat like Willie Nelson. They couldn't be more wrong.

The issue by then will be where do Democrats turn?

If we don't have a fire-and-brimstone candidate to pull the Democratic base out to vote and SUPPORT THE WHOLE ticket, then the Democratic party will be at an end in Texas.

[Czolgosz]

5. On this list, I checked the contributors from my home town, and there is

another contributor who's given Kinky $2,500 and who has given $4,425 to the Texas Restaurant Assn PAC which has given Perry $45,000 in addition to the other contributor who has given Kinky $2,578.36 after giving $750 to Perry.

[Baby Snooks]

9. Endorses Bell, Gives to Kinky, Votes for?

IND Mithoff Ginni Houston TX $1,000.00 unemployed

She signs the letter from the Dirty Dozen claiming that Bob Gammage is not pro-choice and can't be trusted and endorsing Bell who of course can be trusted and then runs off and writes a check to Kinky Friedman for $1,000. Makes you wonder who she'll vote for. Also makes you wonder about that letter. And makes you wonder if you can trust Ginni Mithoff. Or anyone else who signed that letter.

[Czolgosz]

10. That's a disappointment. The Mithoffs' donations are not always inspired

by progressive values, but I'd take their mostly good donations along with their sometimes bad donations rather than have them waste all their money on Repukes.

I nevertheless agree that her donation to Kinky wholly undermines the credibility of her endorsement of any Democrat candidate for governor.

[merci_me]

11. I don't have the dates off-hand

but I believe the donation made at the Carolyn Farb fundraiser for Kinky won't be reported til the next filing. If so, then Ginni gave the reported $1,000 to Kinky before she signed the Bell endorsement and whatever the Farb/Kinky funraiser set her back. It would really be interesting if she donated to Kinky on both sides of the letter being signed. I wonder if she'll be voting in the primary or signing his petitions. You don't suppose she'll try to do both, do you. hahahaha

edit to add: Carolyn Farb isn't listed as a contributor, even in-kind, so the report must pre-date her River Oaks fundraiser.

[WolverineDG]

22. Brad Lomax

Property owner/developer in Corpus. Owns a few restaurants downtown.

dg

[sonias]

3. I missed listing the loan from McCall

John "Shampoo" McCall also lent Kinky $110,000 according to that last campaign filing. This is in the addition to the monies he donated. I'd say Mr. Shampoo in single handedly financing the Kinky machine.

I couldn't find any donations from this McCall to Perry or any other people in 2005-2006.

Sonia

[bluestateguy]

4. He would still be better than Perry

Perry's approval rating is in the high 40's now, and much of that decline comes from Republicans who will never vote for a Democrat. I suppose I'll vote for the Democrat in November (if I am still here), but all of the odds are stacked against Bell or Gammadge. Kinky would be a marked improvement from Goodhair Perry.

[Czolgosz]

6. Kinky = Perry. Kinky has no chance, and -- in a 4 way race -- neither does

the Democrat. Frankly, there is no likely outcome in a four-way race other than a Perry reelection, but 4n3p and the Democrat both stand a chance in a three-way race. If you liked Nader '00, you'll love Kinky '06!

[sonias]

7. I agree that Kinky is the spoiler

And it doesn't surprise me one bit that repukes that support Perry would be throwing money Kinky's way. He is a republican too after all.

Sonia

[sonias]

8. Here are Perry's top givers last filing

IND Baker Johnny Mr Houston TX 77055-6408 $33,333.34 Baker Managers LLC/Real Estate/Investments
IND Adams Phil Mr Bryan TX 77802-3056 $25,000.00 Phil Adams Company Insurance Broker/Owner
IND Monty Jacob Mr and Mrs Houston TX 77084 $25,000.00 Monty Law Firm/Attorney
IND Janecka Danny Mr Waelder TX 78959 $15,200.00 Air travel (2/J & B Foods Owner)
ENT TRUCKPAC- TMTA Austin TX 78701-2663 $14,580.46 aircraft travel (1)/PAC
IND Morrison John Mr and Mrs San Antonio TX 78239-2512 $10,000.00 Worldwide Pest Control President
IND Powell William Mr and Mrs San Antonio TX 78218 $7,550.00 Bitterblue Inc/Real estate developer
ENT American Airlines PAC Washington DC 20036-4718 $5,000.00 PAC
IND Conner Douglass Dr Beaumont TX 77707 $5,000.00 Radiology Associates/Physician
IND Franklin Larry Mr and Mrs San Antonio TX 78291-0269 $5,000.00 Harte-Hanks Inc/Chairman
IND Hurt James Mr Odessa TX 79760-0072 $5,000.00 Self/Rancher
ENT Lockheed Martin Employees' PAC Arlington VA 22202 $5,000.00 PAC
ENT RAMPAC Dallas TX 75221-0239 $5,000.00 PAC
IND Rush W Mr and Mrs San Antonio TX 78265-4630 $5,000.00 Rush Enterprise Inc Chairman and CEO
ENT Texas Veterinary Medical Assn. PAC Austin TX 78754 $5,000.00 PAC
IND Abrams Jon Mr Austin TX 78701-4083 $2,500.00 J.D. Abrams L.P President
IND Grace Guy Mr and Mrs Austin TX 78735 $2,500.00 GTM Corporation/Investment Management
IND Herndon H Mr and Mrs Austin TX 78703-1106 $2,500.00 Graves Daugherty Hearon Moody/Attorney
IND Purvis J Mr and Mrs Midland TX 79702 $2,500.00 Self/Rancher Oil & Gas
IND Wood Donald Mr Odessa TX 79765-8914 $2,500.00 DEW Investments LLC/President
IND Zeidman Fred Mr Houston TX 77019-1504 $2,500.00 Corporate Strategies Inc/Consultant
ENT Texas Optometric PAC Austin TX 78701 $2,168.12 event expense
IND Tamburro Donald Mr Round Rock TX 78680-1568 $2,000.00 Classic Auto/Auto Dealer
IND Wood Clay Mr and Mrs Odessa TX 79760-0711 $2,000.00 Western National Bank/Banker
IND Hall Kathryn St. Helena CA 94574 $1,680.00 event expense/self/Vinter
IND Fletcher Neil Mr and Mrs Double Oak TX 75077-8422 $1,500.00 Neil Fletcher & Sons Concessions/Business Owner
IND Allen Roy Mr and Mrs Odessa TX 79762 $1,000.00 ICA Properties Inc/Sr. VP
IND Allen Gordon Mr and Mrs Texarkana TX 75501 $1,000.00 retired
IND Andarza Ivan Mr Austin TX 78701 $1,000.00 The Andarza Law Office P.C Attorney
IND Barry Dean Mr Texarkana TX 75503 $1,000.00 Best Efforts
IND Camarillo Mariano Mr Austin TX 78739-1593 $1,000.00 Texas Govlink/President
IND Claybar William Mr and Mrs Orange TX 77630-0529 $1,000.00 Self/Funeral Director
IND Craig Earle Mr and Mrs Midland TX 79702-2638 $1,000.00 Self/Oil and Gas Producer
IND Dawson Samuel Mr and Mrs San Antonio TX 78230-5651 $1,000.00 Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc/Engineer CEO
IND French L Mr and Mrs Midland TX 79702-8327 $1,000.00 Self/Oil Operator & Rancher
IND Gagnon Paula Mrs Mauriceville TX 77626-0556 $1,000.00 Invista/Manager
IND Harrison Sam Mr and Mrs Bryan TX 77802-4309 $1,000.00 Best Efforts
IND Holt Robert Mr Midland TX 79705-5421 $1,000.00 Self/Independent Oil and Gas
IND Houseman Tony Mr and Mrs Orange TX 77630 $1,000.00 Self/Business Owner
IND Hudson Bill Mr and Mrs Brownsville TX 78521 $1,000.00 Paseo de la Resaca/CEO
IND Jenkins John Mr Hankamer TX 77560-9602 $1,000.00 Self/Farmer
IND Kasling Roy Mr Austin TX 78731 $1,000.00 Kasling O'Toule Hemphill & Dolezal LLP/Attorney
IND Keith Austin Mr and Mrs Odessa TX 79762-8018 $1,000.00 Pinkie's-Odessa/President/Owner
IND Kreisle Matthew Mr and Mrs Austin TX 78703-1051 $1,000.00 Page Southerland Page/Architect
IND Kuntz Hal Mr Houston TX 77027 $1,000.00 Best Efforts
IND Le Tourneau Tom Mr and Mrs Beaumont TX 77702-1606 $1,000.00 Self/Prosthetist
IND Ledwell Steve Mr and Mrs Texarkana TX 75501 $1,000.00 Ledwell & Sons Trucking Sales Owner
IND Lee John Dr. and Mrs Port Neches TX 77651 $1,000.00 Self/Doctor
IND Lewis Steve Mr and Mrs San Antonio TX 78209 $1,000.00 Self/Ranch Real Estate
IND Lombardo Randy Dr. and Mrs Beaumont TX 77706 $1,000.00 Self/Physician
IND Osborn William Mr San Antonio TX 78217 $1,000.00 Self/Oil and Gas
IND Pardue Howard Mr Breckenridge TX 76424-0388 $1,000.00 Best Efforts
IND Pettit Chris Mr San Antonio TX 78248-1327 $1,000.00 Self/Attorney
IND Sherman Chester Mr Beaumont TX 77705-1364 $1,000.00 Ritter Lumber Consultant
IND Steves Sam Mr San Antonio TX 78297-1866 $1,000.00 Steves & Sons Inc
IND Wood Janet Odessa TX 79765 $1,000.00 Best Efforts
IND Wright Harrold Mr Tyler TX 75701-6926 $1,000.00 Best Efforts




Talk about your bundling. There are 88 different donations in this report by a group of people whose employer is Best Efforts for a total of $13,690. These people are all over the place too, from Austin, Odessa, The Woodlands, Texarkana, Waco, San Antonio, Brownsville. I couldn't find out what this group is. Anyone know anything about Best Efforts?

Sonia

[merci_me]

12. Sonias, this seems to be a catch-all

checking the FEC. I guess any of us (IF we had big $$$s) could get away without telling who our employer is. It seems you just don't list the info required and the campaign can fill it in as "Best effort", meaning they tried (Oh lawdy, I swear, I tried my bestest.) but they couldn't come up with the info. Notice, they don't have to return the cash, they can just chicken scratch in "best effort"

How can it be illegal to not provide the info, but you can just shrug and say "best effort"?

http://www.campaignfinancesite.org/structure/terms/b.html

[sonias]

13. What a load of crap, huh?

Someone like MoFo Perry, who has been in politics his whole life can't collect the required information from his donors. He only had 302 donors on this last report, so almost a third of his donors are people he can't list an employer for. He should be fined for that.

Sonia

[Zen Democrat]

14. In one regard, Kinky's the most liberal candidate in the race ....

He opposes capital punishment.

He has made the comment "I'm not against the death penalty, just against executing the wrong person" -- but Kinky opposes capital punishment. All the powerhouse Democratic defense attornies in Texas are Kinky supporters for that very reason -- including Racehorse Haynes, Dick DeGuerin, and Mike DeGuerin.

Also, Kinky was a HUGE supporter of, and campaigner for, Ann Richards.

I think he really is a middle of the roader. His agenda pisses off everybody because some of it is liberal and some of it is conservative.

I suspect he'll draw his votes not primarily from Republicans, and not primarily from Democrats, but from the traditional apathetic non-voters.

He's for allowing Indian tribes in Texas to have casino gambling, so he won't get any of the fundie vote, that's for sure.

Politicians have glommed onto Kinky for years -- not the other way around.

[Czolgosz]

15. Show me where Gammage or Bell have taken a position to the right of Kinky

on this issue (or any other)?

I'm just curious because I'm interested in this issue and I keep myself reasonably well informed about the candidates and I'm not seeing where they have given you the idea that they are to the right of Kinky -- I'm not saying it's not out there, I just haven't seen it so I'm curious.

Also, Racehorse Haynes, Dick DeGuerin, and Mike DeGuerin expressed interest in Kinky before Gammage announced. Gammage goes back a long way with Haynes and Dick DeGuerin, and I doubt Kinky has their support if Gammage gets the nod. Aside from Haynes and DeGuerin, I know MANY defense attorneys who are supporting Bob Gammage, and I'd be surprised if there weren't several who are supporting Bell too (although all the defense attorneys I know are supporting Gammage).

[sonias]

16. He's pro-war

He totally supports the war, even now. Still think this is a smart man? He supports forced prayer in schools. Oh that's going to go over, real well. What prayer should all our Texas school children say? And you think he's liberal? On what planet does this constitute being a liberal?

I don't give a rat's ass what politicians have glommed onto him. He would be a bigger disaster than Arnold "the Gropinator" Schwarzenegger in California. We have enough problems in this state, to have another celebrity screw-up, f**k over the state some more.

Kinky is a republican, he may be a weird republican, but he is a republican. Just because he campaigned for Ann Richards doesn't make him a liberal. He just likes to hang around with the popular crowd. She was in power, so he was right there. When bushie was governor, he was there. Dropping names like Dick DeGuerin doesn't do Kinky any good either. Dick DeGuerin is defending Tom DeLay for money laundering, and conspiracy. Doesn't matter if DeGuerin is just doing a job. Tom DeLay is the scourge of the earth and defending him certainly doesn't play well with real liberals.

The traditional non-voters aren't going to vote anymore this election, than they did the last election.

Sonia

[Zen Democrat]

17. Well, that's not correct. He supported the war at the beginning.

But now thinks it's a mistake. He said "I think Willie was right about this one."

Also, he doesn't support forced prayer in school. If you don't understand satire in politics, then perhaps it seems that way to you. Kinky always says "I support gay marriage and prayer in school" -- that's a laugh line. Then he follows that with his reasoning ... why shouldn't gay people be as miserable as everybody else ... and a kid should believe in something. He doesn't say what, but Kinky is not a Christian so he wouldn't be pushing Jesus prayers.

And this business of tar and feathering Dick DeGuerin for representing Tom DeLay needs to stop. People apparently don't understand the justice system in this country. If we had a system where lawyers refused to take cases if they didn't like somebody's politics, we'd be in bigger trouble than we already are. Almost all of the truly great defense attorneys in this country are Democrats. When Republicans get in trouble, they almost always hire Democrats to defend them. Just like Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, Tom DeLay hired a Democrat with a magnificent reputation. Dick DeGuerin is the Racehorse Haynes and Percy Foreman of these times. DeGuerin was also David Koresh's attorney, if you recall. And he successfully defended Robert Durst, unbelievable as that was.

As for Gammage ... I'd certainly be happy to see him as governor. But I remember that when he was my representative in Congress he was way too conservative for me. He wasn't what I consider a "real" Democrat when he was in office. If he's changed, I'm glad -- but just as you have doubts about Kinky's real agenda, I'm not so sure that the Democrats in this race are all that true-blue.

Seems that whoever gets in that governor's mansion, Democrat or Republican, sooner or later is just doing the bidding of the oil companies. I'd love to be proven wrong about this one day by a damn good Democrat who stands for something and doesn't wither on the vine.

[Czolgosz]

18. You're not the least bit troubled that Kinky hasn't voted but once in the

last 12 years, and that was to vote FOR BUSH/CHENEY '04? So let's review: Kinky sat on his ass when the homophobic constitutional amendment was passed, Kinky sat on his ass when Texans' right to jury trial was cut off at the knees, Kinky sat on his ass as the religious right took over the Texas supreme court and the Texas statehouse, but when that lying mother fucker of a warmonger ran for re-appointment, Kinky got off his moss-covered ass because he'd finally found a good enough candidate to vote for?

And then you question whether Gammage is "way too conservative" for you and whether Bell is "true-blue" and yet you're thinking BUSH/CHENEY'04-voting Kinky might be your man because he's truly the most liberal because you think Kinky's against the death penalty (notwithstanding the fact that Kinky has said "I'm not against the death penalty")?

PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS -- I FEAR THAT I WILL GO INSANE IF I CANNOT COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW A NICE WELL-SPOKEN GENTLEMAN LIKE YOURSELF COMES TO THIS DECISION.

[Zen Democrat]

20. Please don't go insane!!!

I just happen to believe that there's a few people here that have overblown Kinky angst -- while I see him as a free-spirited individual who is not what his image always projects. After receiving his degree from UT he worked in the Peace Corps. He returned to form the Texas Jewboys and wrote and performed politically incorrect songs that were satires of homophobes, chauvinists, and religious intolerants, just to name a few of his targets.

His best friends are Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Billy Joe Shaver and Steve Fromholz -- not Bill Clinton or George W. Bush, although both forged relationships with Kinky by inviting him to the White House. Kinky has said he personally like George W., but that "he's a nice guy trapped in a Republican's body".

Kinky may have voted for Bush in 2004, but he didn't campaign for him. The only candidate he ever campaigned for was a Democrat and a woman -- and he worked hard for Ann Richards.

Kinky has some very strong positions that I agree with:

He's against the death penalty (The other stuff is a joke. He's against the death penalty, saying that because only the poor and the minorities are subject to it, he wants it stopped. Hardly a Republican position).

He's for putting money into the public school system to restore art, music and physical education programs -- including a volunteer program for retired artists, musicians and athletes to work in the public schools.

He's for huge payraises for teachers, policemen and firemen -- in order to attract and bring back talented and committed individuals who had to leave those professions for monetary concerns. He has huge support among teachers, and former teachers. Kinky's father was a teacher.

He's against "teaching the test".

He's for letting the Indians in Texas have casino gambling.

He's for state-sponsored health insurance for all uninsured children.

He's against mandatory sentencing and thinks the drug laws are insane.

He's an animal rights activist - and runs an animal rescue operation at his Hill Country home.

And he's been writing and singing and talking about these things for 30 years.

But the bottom line for me is this. No matter how much you may want to believe it, no Democrat will be elected governor this year. So many people are anti-Democrat in this state now that even though they can't stand George W., they'd vote for him again rather than pull the lever for a Democrat. They've heard too much Rush Limbaugh, and they all watch FoxNews. There has to be a bridge back from the abyss. And I see that Kinky can be that bridge. He's not my ideal candidate. But he's not Rick Perry. And the fact that he's an outsider doesn't bother me. Somebody needs to shake this state up, awaken the voters and set a fire under the legislature to do something about education and healthcare in this state.

I don't see Kinky as anything other than our best hope. So, while he's not a Democrat, he's not a Republican either -- he's too controversial for either party, and that's a step in the right direction. Although Kinky may act a clown, and do weird things and say outrageous things as he's been doing for 35 years now, he's neither a clown nor a fool.
And he's not doing this as a fluke or a publicity stunt. He's hired Paul Wellstone's media guru and will have lots of Texas characters and celebrities jumping on the bandwagon once he's officially on the ballot.

But the big question, why did Kinky vote for George W when he rarely votes? Kinky himself says that he's rarely voted because he's usually on tour with book tours and concerts and has found himself outside the state during most of the elections. He has stated that he would have voted against the constitutional amendment against gay marriage, had it been a contest and not a foregone conclusion.

He's never had anything nice to say about John Kerry. And I am only surmising here that a blue-blood type like John Kerry just wouldn't appeal to Kinky. While George W. is also the blue-blood type, his lack of manners and polish is something that did appeal to Kinky -- and Kinky did support the Iraq War until just recently. He bought the whole business of taking out a dictator killing his own people. This also may have contributed to his vote for George W. But Kinky publicly acknowledges now that he was wrong and that going into Iraq was a mistake. Lots of people are having that epiphany these days.

My principal reservation about Kinky is not his support of George W. Bush, but his admiration for Rudy Giuliani. He thinks Rudy Giuliani should have been put in charge of the Katrina catastrophe. I don't know why people believe this Giuilani BS. Like the guy actually did something on 9/ll other than talk! Giuliani and his hype make me sick.

But, frankly, Kinky will face the biggest resistance this year from Republicans in the oil patch. They hate Kinky. He's a bio-diesel fanatic, just like his friend Willie. He'll make the big push for alternative fuels in Texas. It should be an interesting election year.

Oh, and by the way, I'm no gentleman.

[David Van Os]

21. It's not about just betting at a horse track

You say --

"No matter how much you may want to believe it, no Democrat will be elected governor this year."

So your relationship to the political process is merely that of a spectator at a horse-track deciding which horses to bet on? I must demur. Citizenship in a self-governing democracy requires much more. Be a horse, not just a bettor. Fight to win, not just to place the right bets.

[Czolgosz]

23. I sure will be proud when you're our AG

[Zen Democrat]

26. Hey, I have NO horse in this race.

I'm thinking big picture, long term. I'm telling you that right now, at this point in time, the Democrat is a loooooong shot to win. Because in Texas, "Democrat" is like saying "Yankee". Perceptions have to change in order for Democrats to win. The old yellow dogs are dying out -- and a new generation of Texans has to have a reason to turn Democrat after their parents and grandparents turned Republican.

I'm no spectator at a horse race. And my preference is to have Howard Dean be governor of Texas. But since that's not going to happen, I'm thinking the Kinky candidacy can be a huge boon to anti-Republicanism in this state. And I'm for that. Period.

You're free to argue the point. I'm not wedded to it. It's just how I see things -- I've seen a lot of elections in Texas. Here's a clue, I remember when Allen Shivers was the Democratic governor of Texas -- and there was never a more right-wing, big-business loving man in that job. He subsequently headed up "Democrats for Nixon" in Texas. In the long run, whoever is elected in Texas tends to become oil company employees. I see in Kinky Friedman someone who would never be an oil company employee, or a stooge for any partisan agenda.

He's got his own money, his own celebrity, his own philosophy. He's weird and he's profound.

I've just loved a whole bunch of different politicians over the years, but there's nobody yet that I agreed with on everything. They're all wrong about something. I tend to prefer people who have guts, speak up for what's right, stick up for working people, defend human rights, and have the ability to think and speak and write intelligently.

[Czolgosz]

24. I'm also against the death penalty, I cannot find where Bell or Gammage

have taken a position on this issue, but I can confirm that Kinky's official campaign confirms that Kinky is "not against the death penalty." Do you know Kinky personally or what other source of information do you have which makes you believe Kinky is against the death penalty when his campaign says the contrary?

Also, you say that having reservations about the death penalty is not a Republican value. Illinois's Republican Governor George Ryan imposed a moratorium on the state's death penalty. New Mexico's Republican Governor Gary Johnson declared the death penalty bad public policy. Justice shouldn't be a partisan issue.

Finally, you said Kinky isn't a Republican. Well, he ran for sheriff as Republican (and lost) and the only time he's voted in the last 12 years is when he voted for a Republican. Scandal-ridden Jack Abramoff and many of his Republican colleagues are pro-casino-gambling so that's not really a partisan issue either. It seems to me that Kinky is a Republican who favors animal rights and bio-diesel. That puts Kinky ahead of Perry or Carole 4Names in my book, but he won't get more than 15% of the vote (TOPS). Both Democrats are polling ahead of Kinky and that lead will grow as we pick the nominee. I wish you would consider the Democratic nominee instead of Kinky.

[Zen Democrat]

25. Regarding the death penalty ...

I heard it with my own ears, in person, this week. He was speaking and made a point to say ... "while I have often said 'I'm not anti-death penalty, I'm anti-giving the wrong person the death penalty', the fact is I do oppose capital punishment. Look at the execution of Karla Faye Tucker. There's no doubt she committed a heinous murder, but by the time they executed her even the warden was calling her an inspiration. It was wrong to kill Karla Faye Tucker." And, to paraphrase, "When you have judges and a judicial system that refuses to grant appeals for exculpatory DNA evidence, this has to be changed." Then he said he would appoint Racehorse Haynes to oversee judicial reforms in Texas.

Of course you're absolutely correct about the Republican governors. Ryan did a great thing in Illinois. A great thing. While government-sanctioned killing really isn't a partisan issue, it is most pervasive and accepted in a right-wing environment. I do remember a time when most people opposed the death penalty. But the Republican "tough-on-crime" platforms of the 70's, 80's and 90's strengthened a public perception that the death penalty was a necessity for crime fighting. The truth is, the Democrats went in the same direction, tagging behind the Republicans in a race to see who was tougher on criminals. Bill Clinton's record on capital punishment certainly never impressed me.

I think Kinky has a shot. And a better shot than you think at getting Republican votes. There are very many Republicans who are Democrats at heart, but have no fricking idea. They vote against their interests, year after year and are a slim bet to EVER vote for a Democrat. Kinky has a shot.

Whether I'll ultimately vote for him remains to be seen. I'm always open to change my mind.

[crispini]

27. If the Dems would all vote for the Dem candidate

and let C4N and Kinky and Goodhair split the R vote, we would win.

Period, end of story.

[sonias]

19. Kinky may be a good satirist, but he would make a horrible governor

We already have a whole lot of miserable failures, who don't know how to govern, at the State legislature. Why do you want to add more crap to that pile? How about we make Kinky the official state mascot? He would be much for effective and beneficial to the state as the state mascot. He could travel and promote Texas - yeah, that's the Kinky ticket.

Hey I didn't say Dick DeGuerin wasn't a good attorney, I said he wasn't a liberal. Which he is not. And whether you like it or not, anyone who sides with Tom DeLay is not going to win any votes with liberals who want that thug in jail. DeGuerin is impeding justice by defending that piece of crap. The fact that DeLay hired him does speak volumes for DeGuerin's talents as an attorney. It does not however make a good endorsement for Kinky getting the support of the liberal base.

Vote for Kinky, Tom DeLay's lawyer Dick DeGuerin, supports him. ;)


Sonia