2010: "The Tea Party Folks are Like Barbara Jordan"

Politician and humorist Kinky Friedman told a group of Libertarian Party of Texas delegates he was one of them “in spirit” and that the Democratic Party has become so self-interested that it’s "phenomenal."

Friedman was one of the LPT’s guest speakers at their state convention Saturday at an Austin Holiday Inn, where the former gubernatorial and agriculture commissioner candidate was given rock-star treatment as he hurled insults at the two major parties, which he likened to the “bullies on the playground.”

He kept his criticism of the GOP mainly directed at Gov. Rick Perry, but he chided the Democratic party as a whole. The party's primary voters bypassed Friedman in March in the race for agriculture commissioner, instead giving the nod to Hank Gilbert.

“I was surprised the last time around,” he said. “The Democrats’ self-interest was phenomenal. They weren’t interested in the future of Texas, or winning. I really think the Democrats and the Republicans have become the same guy.”

The Democrats should lay off the Tea Party, Friedman said, because it now represents what Texas heroine Barbara Jordan embodied.

“The Tea Party folks are like Barbara Jordan: They think the Constitution is important. In fact, the Tea Party is what the Democrats used to be. So let me say that I am disappointed in the Democrats. Republicans I never expected that much from.”

Regarding Debra Medina's “truther” flap, in which the darkhorse GOP gubernatorial candidate stumbled when Glenn Beck asked if she thought the terror attacks in 2001 were part of an inside job, Friedman offered an alternate response: “Of course it wasn’t, because our government's not efficient enough to do that.”

Friedman also recounted advice that his friend Willie Nelson gave him before his most recent campaign: “He said, ‘If you’re going to have sex with an animal, always make it a horse, because that way, if things don’t work out, at least you know you’ve got a ride home.’”