Kinky for Perry

The Daily Beast ^ | August 25, 2011 | Kinky Friedman

[Arec Barrwin]

Kinky for Perry Aug 24, 2011 7:45 PM EDT

Kinky Friedman once ran against Rick Perry for the Texas governorship. So would the singer and writer vote for him for president? Hell, yes! The world’s most famous Jewish cowboy on why he wants to live in Rick Perry’s America.

Rick Perry has never lost an election; I’ve never won one. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the world. On the other hand, I’ve long been friends with Bill Clinton and George W., and Rick Perry and I, though at times bitter adversaries, have remained friends as well. It’s not always easy to maintain friendships with politicians. To paraphrase Charles Lamb, you have to work at it like some men toil after virtue.

I have been quoted as saying that when I die, I am to be cremated, and the ashes are to be thrown in Rick Perry’s hair. Yet, simply put, Rick Perry and I are incapable of resisting each other’s charm. He is not only a good sport, he is a good, kindhearted man, and he once sat in on drums with ZZ Top. A guy like that can’t be all bad. When I ran for governor of Texas as an independent in 2006, the Crips and the Bloods ganged up on me. When I lost, I drove off in a 1937 Snit, refusing to concede to Perry. Three days later Rick called to give me a gracious little pep talk, effectively talking me down from jumping off the bridge of my nose. Very few others were calling at that time, by the way. Such is the nature of winning and losing and politicians and life. You might call what Rick did an act of random kindness. Yet in my mind it made him more than a politician, more than a musician; it made him a mensch.

These days, of course, I would support Charlie Sheen over Obama. Obama has done for the economy what pantyhose did for foreplay. Obama has been perpetually behind the curve. If the issue of the day is jobs and the economy, Rick Perry is certainly the nuts-and-bolts kind of guy you want in there. Even though my pal and fellow Texan Paul Begala has pointed out that no self-respecting Mexican would sneak across the border for one of Rick Perry’s low-level jobs, the stats don’t entirely lie. Compared with the rest of the country, Texas is kicking major ass in terms of jobs and the economy, and Rick should get credit for that, just as Obama should get credit for saying “No comment” to the young people of the Iranian revolution.

More to the point, could Rick Perry fix the economy? Hell, yes! Texas is exhibit A; Rick’s fingerprints are all over it. He’s been governor since Christ was a cowboy. The Lone Star State is booming. The last time I checked, Texas is kicking in a hell of a lot of the U.S. GDP. Unemployment is lower than the vast majority of the other states. Hell, we could probably even find a job for Paul Begala.

As a Jewish cowboy (or “Juusshh,” as we say in Texas), I know Rick Perry to be a true friend of Israel, like Bill Clinton and George W. before him. There exists a visceral John Wayne kinship between Israelis and Texans, and Rick Perry gets it. That’s why he’s visited Israel on many more occasions than Obama, who’s been there exactly zero times as president. If I were Obama I wouldn’t go either. His favorability rating in Israel once clocked in at 4 percent. Say what you will about the Israelis, but they are not slow out of the chute. They know who their friends are. On the topic of the Holy Land, there remains the little matter of God. God talks to televangelists, football coaches, and people in mental hospitals. Why shouldn’t he talk to Rick Perry? In the spirit of Joseph Heller, I have a covenant with God. I leave him alone and he leaves me alone. If, however, I have a big problem, I ask God for the answer. He tells Rick Perry. And Rick tells me.

So would I support Rick Perry for president? Hell, yes! As the last nail that hasn’t been hammered down in this country, I agree with Rick that there are already too damn many laws, taxes, regulations, panels, committees, and bureaucrats. While Obama is busy putting the hyphen between “anal” and “retentive” Rick will be rolling up his sleeves and getting to work.

A still, small voice within keeps telling me that Rick Perry’s best day may yet be ahead of him, and so too, hopefully, will be America’s.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Obama has done for the economy what pantyhose did for foreplay.

There's a line that needs to go viral.

[dragnet2]

Kinky Friedman famous Jewish cowboy

lol...

[Tex-Con-Man]

(or “Juusshh,” as we say in Texas)

I can confirm the authenticity of that statement.

[bwc2221]

It’s pretty obvious the GOP can beat Obama in 2012. The question is rather it will do so with a principled conservative or a moderate that appeals to the Kinkys of the world.

[Psalm 144]

Wow.

For those who are not Texans, this may seem an insignificant albeit amusing article. Within Texas, Kinky Friedman is a well known and high profile comedian and perennial candidate for some office or other, similar to Pat Paulsen. He is always fun and cordial, but his political commentary is always only half in jest.

Kinky is a left libertarian with a large following among urban white Democrats in Texas. His campaigns are always hopeless (by design probably), but his humorous commentary has an audience and carries some weight, especially in the cities. The significance is this: If Kinky represents the attitude shift of the somewhat left, somewhat libertarian Oat Willie types in Texas, Obama may be losing the smartest, most productive, and most innovative part of his base in other states too.

This article looks cute and harmless, but it is as ominous for Obama as a Trojan rocking horse outside the gates of Chicago al-Islam. To paraphrase the words of the smarter than you and original too Vice President, “this is a big cuffing deal”.

[smoothsailing]

Kinky gives Rick a trim

[dfwgator]

Well put.

[jagusafr]

I
Love
Kinky
Friedman.

He is quintessentially Texas: irreverent, loquacious and grounded in a “got each other’s Texas back” independence. And is a master of the well-turned phrase.

Colonel, USAFR

[McLynnan]

Kinky is great. Half the time I don’t agree with him, but he’s so darned funny I can’t help but enjoy listening to him. He’s outrageous on purpose and doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’s on to something here.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Three days later Rick called to give me a gracious little pep talk, effectively talking me down from jumping off the bridge of my nose. Very few others were calling at that time, by the way. Such is the nature of winning and losing and politicians and life. You might call what Rick did an act of random kindness. Yet in my mind it made him more than a politician, more than a musician; it made him a mensch.

If this actually came off as described, if Perry gave Kinky a consolation call, yes as the "Juussh" say that was being a mensch -- and as evangelicals would put it, that was showing a very Christian spirit. "Loving your enemy" -- trying to find some way to make someone who was your enemy into a friend, without sacrificing your own principles -- is not easy. Some enemies are impervious to this process, and the bible doesn't say to keep it up when it becomes obvious any further magnanimous gesture is pointless. But the world might have fewer (human) enemies in it if Christians always did this.

[Ron H.]

The question is rather it will do so with a principled conservative or a moderate that appeals to the Kinkys of the world.

Zing! Gee, what a great line. A real keeper. LOL.

Heck, if Kinky is for you then what else does Ricky need!?

[Ron H.]

Well put.

I'll go along with that and let it go with that. Otherwise I would use some much more colorfully descriptive words to describe Kinky the kinky Liberaltarian. I'm glad Kinky didn't choose to endorse any of the other candidates in the Republican race. Speaks volumes.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

On FOX today Kinky also said Perry doesn’t believe in evolution, but Obama doesn’t believe in Israel.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

On FOX today Kinky also said Perry doesn’t believe in evolution, but Obama doesn’t believe in Israel.