Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Nicknames and Slogans: The Crazy Politics Begins

Well, this isn't new news...I'm just finally getting around to commenting on it.

Both independents running for Texas Governor asked for a nickname to be used on the ballot. Kinky Friedman was granted his request to be called Kinky, not Richard (his given name). Carole Keeton Strayhorn was not allowed to be called Grandma. (Full Article Here)

They said that there was evidence that Friedman had gone by the name Kinky for many years, while Grandma was a slogan, not a nickname, for Strayhorn.

Now, here's my comment. That Strayhorn was trying to get Grandma on the ballot at all is so political it makes my skin crawl. And I'm not a fan of Kinky or any other candidate. In fact, when I first learned that Strayhorn was going to try to run, I went to her website to find out about her because I didn't care for my other choices. Not finding out much that was substantial, I contacted her campaign by e-mail and said, basically, that I was interested in signing her petition to run but I needed to find out more about where she stood on various issues and what she planned to do as Governor before I could give her my suppport. Soon afterwards I received a packet with a petition sheets and a stack of bumper stickers--but nothing to convince me that she was a worthy candidate. The letter that came with the package thanked me for my support (which I hadn't offered yet) and said that the important thing was to get people to think of the phrase "One Tough Grandma" when they thought of Strayhorn.

So great...you're one tough Grandma. I know a lot of tough grandma's I wouldn't want for Governor. Give me something more.