One of the great political stories in generations is about to unfold, as Richard ‘Kinky’ Friedman, humorist, performer, mystery writer, animal activist, habitual cigar smoker and Texas Monthly columnist, has announced his run for the governorship of the state of Texas in 2006.
Friedman views the success of Jesse Ventura in Minnesota and Arnold Schwarzenegger in California as a sign he can prevail similarly in Texas.
After graduation from University of Texas, Friedman joined the Peace Corps and spent two years in Borneo. He had some modest success on the entertainment circuit with his band, The Texas Jewboys, attracting the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine in 1972 and eventually touring with the famous all-star Bob Dylan Rolling Thunder Revue in the mid 1970s.
A decade later, he traded music for a typewriter and wrote the first of 17 mystery novels. His readers include President Bush and former President Clinton and both had him as an overnight guest at the White House.
If elected, Friedman plans to appoint his friend, Willie Nelson, as Energy Czar and work with him to make bio-diesel a viable reality. He also plans to improve education, abolish politcal correctness and “beat back the wussification of Texas if we have to do it one wuss at a time.”