And now, from the "This campaign will be one hell of a ride" files and Yahoo! News...

Sudiegirl sez: I admit, I’m inspired by Mr. Friedman. I really am. Any man who is so diverse and unafraid to perform in a group called “Kinky Friedman and his Texas Jewboys” has got to be quite colorful indeed. As I spelunk my way through this article, I may even decide to run for public office myself. Why the hell not? (PS: click on the title of this article to go to Kinky's website.)

Is Texas ready for Governor Kinky?
(They’d better be!)

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
1 hour, 51 minutes ago

The line of well-dressed young executives stretches down a hallway, past a table of Kinky Friedman talking action figures and straight up to the candidate for Texas governor in the black cowboy hat. (And really, isn’t that how it should be?)

"I'll sign anything," country singer and mystery novelist Kinky Friedman assures the crowd arriving for a downtown luncheon speech as they snap up Kinky T-shirts, bumper stickers and posters sold to finance his independent -- and decidedly nontraditional -- bid for governor. (That’s a good attitude…)

With a blizzard of one-liners, a campaign slogan of "Why the Hell Not?" (YES INDEED!!! Great slogan), an eclectic blend of policy ideas from all sides of the ideological divide, the former frontman for the band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys says he wants to "change the world one governor at a time."

Friedman hopes to tap voter frustration with Republican Gov. Rick Perry, Texas Democrats and politics in general to become the latest celebrity governor, following wrestler Jesse Ventura in Minnesota and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in California. (Gee, Iowa doesn’t have as much to offer unless you count Fred “Gopher” Grandy, a US representative, which I don’t.)

"People are drooling for the truth, they are begging for a little honesty from officials and they aren't getting any," the black-clad, cigar-chomping Friedman told Reuters. "This is the moment in history if Texas can grab it." (That’s a great expression…”drooling for the truth”. Usually, I drool for no good reason, but that’s usually if I take my meds at the wrong time. And when I do that, don’t expect much out of me. Seriously.)

Friedman's independent crusade kicks off on Wednesday, the day after the Texas primary, when volunteers can begin to gather the signatures needed to get him on the ballot in November. (I wish I lived in TX just so I could help collect signatures for Kinky. Wouldn’t that be great to put on the annual Christmas letter? “This year, I turned 37, D and I got married and I helped get Kinky Friedman elected governor of TX. Have a happy ’07! Sudiegirl.”)

He has 64 days to get 45,540 signatures of registered voters who did not vote in the primary, a stringent requirement that prompts an urgent plea from Friedman. (What can I, a Marylander/ex-Iowan do to help you, man?)

'SAVE YOURSELF FOR KINKY'
"Don't vote in the primary. Save yourself for Kinky," he tells his audiences, typically split between supporters and the simply curious. (Luckily, I’ve tried to do that for many years. Now I have a reason. Sigh…)

His candidacy already has enlivened a governor's race involving Perry, who took over when George W. Bush moved to the White House, two Democrats and Republican state Comptroller Carole Strayhorn, who also is running as an independent. (And I know absolutely NOTHING about these people…other than – ick – Bush.)

Saying "there's plenty of room in the hot tub," Friedman welcomed Strayhorn, mother of White House press secretary Scott McClellan, into the race. (Now that’s an invitation if ever I’ve heard one!) But there has not been an independent on the Texas ballot for governor in modern times, and the last one elected governor was Sam Houston in 1859 -- a fact Friedman calls "shameful." (Why are people scared to vote independent, anyway? It seems like both parties NATIONWIDE are less than desirable these days. Why not vote independent? Or Green? Or Socialist? Or “Bill ‘n’ Opus”?)

"Independence is the Texas way. It ain't the easy way, but it's the cowboy way," Friedman said. "The parties are doing a disservice to Texas. They are monopolizing democracy." (I’d have to say I agree. We’d better look to Texas and keep an eye on ol’ Kinky. I’d love to see how this turns out.)

Friedman, whose support was at 10 percent in recent polls, hopes to raise $6 million by November, enough to air television ads down the stretch but not enough to make a big splash in Texas, where candidates spent $100 million in the last governor's race. (Well, don’t they have public access TV in TX? Go that route if nothing else!)

His prospects are routinely dismissed by pundits and Texas politicians, but "the people are taking me very seriously. They're taking me more seriously than I take myself," Friedman said. (And sometimes, the ones that you don’t take seriously are the ones that ultimately come out ahead. It’s that old “Tortoise vs. Hare” thing.)

'COMPASSIONATE REDNECK'
"I'm a compassionate redneck, I'm an unabashed dreamer, but I'm not a politician," said the author of more than 20 books, including a string of mystery novels featuring a detective named Kinky Friedman. (“Compassionate redneck”? I can dig it. As my dear ol’ dad used to say, “There’s no prude like a good ol’ boy.” When you get rednecks all riled up for a cause, you’d better watch yourself.)

He is best known for his days leading the Texas Jewboys, an Austin band known for politically incorrect blasts such as "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" and "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven & Your Buns in the Bed." (Now THAT is quality music. Right up there with the line, “If you go where huskies go, please don’t eat that yellow snow.” Truly for the ages…)

"I wrote the songs to express truth as I see it, and that has not changed. From the music to the books, I've been a truth teller," he said. "Being a humorist helps, because you can sail as close to the truth as you can get without sinking the ship." (I’ll bet Mark Twain is rollin’ in his grave because he didn’t think of that line first. And you know what? I never really liked Mark Twain. Too wordy. ANYWAY…)

He announced his campaign last year with a quip -- "I need the closet space" (Good one, Kinky!)-- and he fires off a steady stream of one-liners and slogans like "How Hard Can it Be?" (Apparently, he doesn’t need my help in coming up with campaign slogans, but if he’s reading this, I’ve got one. Here we go…”Kinky for Governor – chicks dig governors.” Could you imagine that being on a t-shirt? I’d wear one proudly, be photographed in it and post it on this little ol’ blog of mine.)

"He Ain't Kinky, He's My Governor," reads a Friedman bumper sticker, while his 13-inch-high (33-cm-high) talking action figure, a popular seller at $29.95 each, spouts lines like "I'm gonna de-wussify Texas if I have to do it one wuss at a time." (OK, if anyone wonders what I want for Christmas, one of each of these items would be just fine.)

Kathryn Lott, who bought three bumper stickers, a poster and a button before listening to Friedman in Houston, said she plans to vote for him. (YEAH! GO KATHRYN!)

"We need some freethinkers in government. Why not take a chance with someone new?" said Lott, a marketing director for the Houston Grand Opera. (Indeed…why not?)

Mary Lane, a Houston realtor, said Friedman has "a definite shot. People are tired of politicians and politics." (Kinky…if you’re reading this…I would think long and hard about using the chicks dig governors line for your campaign. It couldn’t hurt!)

He promises to bring musician pals like Willie Nelson into his administration, and says he will rename major highways after Texas musical icons like Nelson, Bob Wills and Buddy Holly. (What I wanna know is if he’s going to create an Austin Lounge Lizards State Park or something? I think that’d be mucho sweet.)

"Musicians can run this state better than politicians. We won't get a lot done in the mornings, but we'll work late and be honest," he said. (And hey, isn’t that really what it’s all about?)

Friedman, whose parents were educators, is serious about the state's education system, promising to turn school choices back to teachers and create a "Texas heroes" program to lure retired experts into schools. (Very good…and maybe other states could follow his cue if they haven’t already.)

He would boost pay for teachers, police and firefighters, he says, and fund it with legalized casino gambling and a 1 percent tax surcharge on Texas oil and gas companies. (Also good.)

He supports gay marriage, saying "they have every right to be as miserable as the rest of us," (AMEN!) and prayer in the schools. (That’s unusual, but I can see his point. Prayer is between a person and his/her maker anyway, and if it’s done right it can benefit all involved – in my opinion, anyway…)

He is against the death penalty -- a view he likens to "looking into your political grave" in Texas. (That is a bit unusual, but if he can make a case as to why it shouldn’t be around and come up with strategies to fund the prisons so they can afford to keep the extra prisoners, I’d be open to hearing it.)

"I just want Texas to be number one in something other than executions, toll roads and property taxes," Friedman says. But if he loses he promises to ditch Texas and head to Hawaii. (Another good strategy.)

"If I lose this race I will retire in a petulant snit," he said. "I'm not going to go out gracefully, I promise you." (Good for you, Kinky! Honesty is the best policy.)

Sudiegirl’s final opinion?

I wish I could vote for Kinky. He’s the first politician I’ve heard make sense in years.

Maybe I should run for governor someday…my slogan would be:
“Sudiegirl for governor: vote for me or I’ll stop taking my meds and come live with you forever.”

I think I’ll win, don’t you?