Getting Kinky? Texas Papers Play Up 'Racial' Quotes by Candidate Friedman

By: E&P Staff Several Texas newspapers today dislosed a year-old tape in which Kinky Friedman, the writer/musician/candidate for governor, said sexual predators should be thrown in prison and forced to "listen to a Negro talking to himself."

The interview had aired on CNBC.

The cigar-chomping "Texas Jewboy" candidate (as he once billed himself) already was under fire for recent comments calling Katrina evacuees in Texas "crackheads and thugs."

On CNBC, he had said of predators, "Throw them in prison and throw away the key and make them listen to a Negro talking to himself." He also called Negro a "charming word."

Friedman told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday that anyone who is offended should vote for one of the other candidates. "If I've got to lie to people, sweep the truth under the rug and worry about offending people, I'm not going to be very effective," Friedman said.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, past chairman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, said those remarks are unacceptable from a candidate for governor.

Friedman's spokeswoman said Wednesday the fact that an interview from more than a year ago is resurfacing means Friedman's opponents are feeling threatened.

The Ft. Worth paper observes: "Although some have written off his unusual candidacy as a joke or publicity stunt, Friedman has performed well in public opinion polls - one showed him in second place, behind Gov. Perry - and the candidate says he is serious about trying to win."

A benefit concert with Jimmy Buffett in Austin raised $300,000 for the campaign on Tuesday. ?It's going to be absolutely great to the throw the politicians out of politics and the money-changers out of the temple,? Friedman said then. ?We're going to sweep them. If the people show up at the polls to vote it's a landslide for us and everybody admits that."

Friedman has said he would appoint friend Willie Nelson as a state energy official, and has put forth some rather creative ways to deal with the illegal immigration issue, including putting Mexican generals in charge of the border.