I'm hooting it up over this.
Sounds like some career politicians are afraid of a guy named Kinky!

Dixie
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Article www.wfaa.com

Bell wants Kinky to drop out

08:27 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 10, 2006

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

Texas Gubernatorial Debate (full debate)
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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.

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.

Mr. Bell said he placed the call at his staff's request. He 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 arguments for stepping 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 that shows them bunched in a pack with less than 20 percent support each. 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 uplifts 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."

Mr. Bell, who stopped in Dallas on Tuesday evening for two campaign events, apparently planned to discuss the two men's common criticism of Mr. Perry's policies and appeal for a united effort. Mr. Friedman, though, has argued that Mr. Bell is a standard politician, just like Mr. Perry and Mrs. Strayhorn, the state comptroller.

Mr. Bell acknowledged that he has little leverage over Mr. Friedman, other than to discuss what's best for the state.

"I'm not going to tell anybody what they should do," he said.

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

E-mail rtgarrett@dallasnews.com and gjeffers@dallasnews.com