WTF? Kinky Step Down?!

Everyone knows that the battle for Texas Governor has come down to Independent Richard "Kinky" Friedman and Republican Rick "Perfect Hair" Perry.

Yesterday in what can only be called a comical lapse of reasoning, Democrat Chris "Who the fuck is that" Bell called on Kinky to step down because Kinky is taking votes from him. He claims that Kinky supporters would back him if Kinky would step away. He also claims that he made the call to Kinky's cell phone voice mail at the request of his staff -- yeah, right.

The fact that Carolyn "One Tough Grandma with many surnames" Strayhorn is even in the race is a joke. No one expects her to win -- not even her many husbands.

Now what should happen is Chris Bell step down from the race because people in Houston may know who he is but those of us in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, etc. have no idea who he is, what he stands for or his objectives.

Anyway, without further venting here is the article on Bell's il-timed phone call:

Bell calls on Kinky to drop out
Exclusive: Democrat points to debate performance; Friedman insists he's in

By ROBERT T. GARRETT and GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News

Democratic nominee Chris Bell is trying to persuade independent Kinky Friedman to quit the race for governor, but Mr. Friedman insisted Tuesday that he's in to stay.

Mr. Bell left a voice mail message on Mr. Friedman's personal cellphone Tuesday, asking for a meeting at the mystery writer and former bandleader's ranch near Kerrville, Mr. Friedman said.
Mr. Bell later confirmed he sought a meeting so he could try to talk Mr. Friedman into dropping out of the four-way race, which is in its home stretch. The election is Nov. 7.

"I had hoped to talk to Kinky privately, but now that it's been reported by the Dallas Morning News, I'm going to ask him publicly: Please join me in defeating Rick Perry," Mr. Bell said in a statement his campaign issued late Tuesday.

"Kinky and I agree on some very important issues and our supporters all have a lot in common: they want change."

Mr. Bell credited Mr. Friedman with energizing voters but made it clear he thinks only he has a chance to win.

"Now is the time for us all to unite," he said. "So I'm asking for Kinky to join me."

Bell campaign aides said that Mr. Friedman performed poorly in Friday night's candidate debate and that Friedman supporters have told the Democrat that they'd support him if he could persuade Mr. Friedman to step aside.

Interviewed as he headed to evening campaign events in Dallas, Mr. Bell acknowledged that Mr. Friedman is siphoning votes away from him and Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
"He's taking from both," Mr. Bell said. "But he's taking more from me."

Mr. Friedman, campaigning in Brownsville, said of Mr. Bell and his advisers: "They're desperate and scrambling."

Asked whether he would consider the Democrat's request to step aside, Mr. Friedman said: "No. You're kidding ... for Chris Bell? What do you take me for?"

Mr. Bell, Mr. Friedman and independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn each trail far behind Mr. Perry, according to a recent Dallas Morning News poll of likely voters. But Mr. Bell's debate performance has won generally strong reviews, giving the Democrat hope he can emerge as the main challenger to Mr. Perry.

Mr. Friedman, who acknowledged he "didn't bring my A game" to Friday's debate, insisted he still finds strong support everywhere he travels this week. And he believes he can win a plurality of votes – all that is needed to win – if the anti-incumbent mood he sees sweeping the nation lifts voter turnout in Texas.

To drop out is unthinkable, he said: "I'd be letting a lot of people down."

But he took delight in Mr. Bell's message that the independent is taking a toll. "What can it possibly mean other than that we're killing him?" Mr. Friedman said. "We're getting all of the liberals. We're getting all of the conservatives."

Robert T. Garrett reported from Brownsville, and Gromer Jeffers Jr. reported from Houston.

**On a side note - even though the mainstream press (especially those owned by Belo) keep saying that Perry is far ahead in the polls, every single online poll I've seen from Dallas or Austin in the past 4 months has show Kinky either sweeping the floor and leaving his opponents far behind or he and Perry are the two serious contenders. If anyone should quit -- it should be Bell & Strayhorn.