Musician, author, jokester and occasional politician Richard "Kinky" Friedman stood before the Alamo on Thursday to officially launch his independent campaign for Texas governor. "We're gypsies on a pirate ship, and we're setting sail for the Governor's Mansion," said Friedman, who calls himself "The Kinkster." "I'm calling for the unconditional surrender of (Governor) Rick Perry."
| "Putcher guns down and come out witcher hands up!" |
Friedman, 60, made his announcement in the predawn darkness while appearing on Don Imus' In the Morning show on MSNBC. Attired in a black, fringed leather western coat and black cowboy hat, Friedman puffed on a large cigar throughout, looking for all the world like the Groucho Marx of the West. Friedman is taking his gubernatorial announcement tour to bookstores across Texas as well as some in New York, Virginia, Minnesota and Georgia to also promote his new mystery novel, Ten Little New Yorkers, scheduled for publication March 8. He is set to appear March 25 at Murder by the Book in Houston.
To get on the Texas ballot as an independent, Friedman must collect 45,540 signatures between March 8 and May 11, 2006, from registered voters who did not cast a ballot in any party primary or runoff. Friedman said he will use volunteers to collect the signatures and is predicting success. "We're definitely going to win this booger," Friedman said.
| He said "booger", heh heh |
Political insiders dismiss Friedman's run for governor as little more than a joke or publicity stunt.
| Seems to me he's engaged in jokes and publicity stunts before... |
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