Even with Texas politics’ colorful history of larger-than-life characters, observers might have to go back to Sam Houston to find a more fiercely independent, free-thinking candidate vying for the top office in the Lone Star State.

And it is OK to call him a candidate, just don’t call him a politician.  Friedman has stated since his campaign started that the common man and woman in Texas would be better represented by beauticians, musicians…anything but professional politicians.

“The only problem with musicians is they won’t get much done in the mornings.,” the independent candidate told the audience in Sherman. “But they work late,” he added.

Along with the humorous anecdotes that seem to characterize Friedman, there was time to discuss the issues that should play pivotal roles in defining the gubernatorial election: education, alternative fuels, toll roads, property taxes and illegal immigration.

Friedman feels some states did a better job of setting up their lottery to help pay for public education and now he says a sizeable, constant flow of funds is needed to remedy the situation.  In places such as Corpus Christi and Padre Island where local voters would be likely to approve legalized gambling, the state’s share of those monies could be dedicated to improve public education.

“We’re 50^th in education right now, with Guam and Samoa sneaking up on us,” Friedman remarked.

He believes TAKS testing has created ritualized memorization with little time left to understand the fundamental philosophies of the people that shaped our nation.

“MLK is not a street and JFK is not an airport,” Friedman told the crowd Wednesday.

Alternative fuels need to be another important focus, with Friedman supporting farmer’s co-ops as a way of promoting agriculture and stretching fossil fuel reserves.

The Jewish candidate for governor says cheaper gas would certainly help out with his “Yom Kippur Clipper” which he describes as “a Cadillac that stops on a dime…and then picks it up.”

Friedman says illegal immigration would screech to a halt, too, under his Five-Mexican-General Plan.  Many illegal immigrants are victimized on both sides of the Rio Grande.  Then states are forced to pick up the tab for health and social services.  Small businesses are being scrutinized for hiring practices and the difficult task of verifying IDs and paperwork.  Everyone gets punished except the Mexican government that enjoys a thriving tourism industry and massive fossil fuel deposits while their citizens must leave homes and families in search of a living wage in such numbers that the exodus has destabilized border states to the point the National Guard has been called in.

Friedman says a much more cost-efficient solution would be to divide the U.S.- Mexican border into five equal sections that would be the responsibility of the top five Mexican generals.  Their motivation?  Friedman says to place $2 million dollars into separate accounts for each general and then every time someone sneaks through, just deduct $10,000.  He says he relayed his idea to former President George Herbert Walker Bush and Arizona Senator John McCain.  According to the story, Senator McCain chuckled and said it made as much sense as anything we are trying now.

 

About the time you start wondering about the difference between being entertaining and being electable, Friedman introduces his campaign manager, Dean Barkley.  That’s former Minnesota Senator Dean Barkley, but more important in the context of this election, Barkley was also campaign manager for an independent candidate that became Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura. 

 

To notch the unexpected win, Ventura knocked off the Republican mayor of St. Paul and Minnesota Attorney General Hubert H. Humphrey III, a member of the Democratic-Farm-Labor party.  At the same time, Ventura spent far less than the major party candidates.  However, Governor Ventura is credited with being the first major candidate in the U.S. to truly utilize the leverage of the Internet.

 

Campaign manager Dean Barkley

So what correlations do Barkley see between Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Kinky “The Cigar” Friedman?

 

People are desperately searching for someone that will simply give them the truth, warts and all, Barkley observes.  Seventy-nine percent of eligible voters in Texas didn’t cast a ballot in the last gubernatorial election and if just 10% of that crowd is motivated by Friedman’s message, the campaign manager believes, his man wins.

 

“The public is looking for someone that will be honest,” Barkley says.  “People are yearning for that.”

 

Barkley also explained that his current candidate is in the same position as Jesse Ventura was in the days leading up to the gubernatorial election in Minnesota. 

 

Jesse Ventura never pulled over 24% in any election polls, although he went on to became the 38^th governor of Minnesota with about 37% of the vote.  Friedman is currently pulling about 21%-22% in the governor’s race.  If that previously mentioned 10% turn out to vote for a fundamental change, the same thing could possibly happen in Texas that happened in Minnesota.

 

“Voter turnout,” Barkley says “is the key to this campaign.”

 

Friedman sees parallels between what he wants to accomplish in Texas and what Governor Jesse Ventura did in Minnesota.

 

“Jesse spent four years as governor and never met a lobbyist,” Friedman says with obvious admiration in his voice.  “I will be the first governor of Texas to follow in his footsteps.  The only problem with Jesse was…he just didn’t know wrestling was real and politics are fixed.”

 

Kinky Friedman makes a point to the audience in Sherman.

Kinky speaks out on property taxes: “It’s all a shell game.  The rate may be slightly lower, but higher appraisals mean we pay more.  It is time for a fundamental change.”

On showing a friend around Austin recently:  “He said, ‘That’s a beautiful statue of Rick Perry you guys have.’  I said that’s no statue…that is Rick Perry.

On the Trans-Texas Corridor:  “I’ve never met a Texan that is in favor of the Trans-Texas Corridor.  It will destroy little farms and old towns across Texas.”

On why Jesus and Moses are his heroes: “They died broke, but will live forever.”

On why he likes Cuban cigars:  “I’m not supporting their economy…I’m burning their fields.”

On his age:  “I’m 61.  That’s too young for Medicare and too old for women to care.”