Oh, Kinky, You Crazy

If at first you only get 12% in a governor's race, try, try again.

According to today's Daily Texan, failed 2006 independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman wants another pop at Gov. Rick Perry. This time, the Kinkster would like to run in 2010 as the Democrat candidate. Possibly he's thinking that if he put together his '06 showing and the Democrat's 29.79%, they could take down the incumbent.

Of course, in classic Kinky style, he then runs through his policies. Like getting rid of the death penalty but giving convicted murderers a rope so they can hang themselves. And, of course, overturning smoking bans, which has nothing to do with the fact that he's JUST started selling his own brand of cigars.

He also probably doesn't help his case by comparing the Dems to "a bad junior high debate team." Mind you, he'd also have some pretty serious bridge-building from back during the last campaign when the *ahem* light-hearted prankster called Katrina refugees in Houston "crackheads and thugs." Which never went down well with, erm, anyone.

A lot of Kinky's failures in '06 could be put down to to William "Wild Bill" Hillsman, the maverick campaign manager who made a big rep by turning unelectable nobodies into political insiders. So, under his often erratic but creative ministries, lecturer Paul Wellstone became U.S. Senator Wellstone, NFL MVP Alan Page became Associate Justice Page, and pro-wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura became Governor Ventura. Unfortunately, Kinky just went to being a spoiler against Democratic candidate Chris Bell. Even worse from the Democrat point of view, he was Mr. Razzle-Dazzle when Bell lacked what campaigners call "a litte bit of Elvis." More than a few Dems thought that in a two-horse race between Bell and Perry, or even keeping Perry-spoiler Carole Keeton Strayhorn in there, Bell had the edge. Kinky just jostled the field, and let Perry edge his way through an over-crowded pack.