Letters to the Editor
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Here is everything you need to know about Texas politics
In her first campaign for governor Ann Richards, one of the toughest, smartest, most charming politicians I have ever seen, barely defeated a moronic redneck named Clayton Williams. Broadsheet mentions one of the many gaffes that "Claytie" made during the campaign, but rest assured there were many, many others.
In her re-election campaign she lost to George Bush in spite of a booming economy in Texas, dramatic improvement in schools, and a shrinking state deficit. She was a great governor who proved herself in office, and she didn't come close to beating Bush.
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everything you need to know about Ann Richards
I saw her speak at a small women's college in early spring of 2000. Anyone who has ever heard her talk for more than a soundbite knows what I'm talking about so I won't bore with details, but it was her caveat that she gave before the Q&A session that clinched it: "There's nothing I can tell you about George W. Bush that you don't already know."
I think about this a lot when I'm surrounded by family and friends whose sole conversations revolve around how shocked (shocked!) they are about what GWB has done now. Given six months before GWB's first presidential election, Ann Richards' warning still rings true.
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I miss her already
In less than 24 hours (less than 12 hours I just realized), I saw two things that I would have loved to hear Ann comment about:
This morning on The Today Show, Dr. Robi Ludwig of TLC said it is in men's nature to cheat (go to Thursday and watch 'Why Men Cheat'): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633/
And this commercial aired on NBC I think (def a local spot): http://www.sny.tv/multimedia/index.jsp
In brief, a woman goes to see a doctor to have her head replaced with a 'sports' TV in order to attract more men.
Ann will be sorely missed.
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Vaya con Dios, Ann!
We miss you, Ann, and we'll never forget you. God bless you and the Great State of Texas.
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The Leadership of Ann Richards
The best one-liner I ever heard Ann Richards utters was her response to the question of what she planned to do next.
"The next right thing," she said.
It could have been the motto of her term as Texas governor.
Texas never saw her like before and certainly never since. We will all miss her wit and, most of all, her compassion and generosity of spirit.
Sincerely,
Ruth SoRelle
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I'll Miss You Ann.
You were the first person I got to voted for.
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The Best of Texas
When I woke up this morning and NPR was playing that justifiably famous "silver foot in his mouth" quote, I knew. Best political quip EVER, in my opinion (Second best was from another Texan, Lloyd Benson's withering, "You're no Jack Kennedy.") I knew she had to be gone. I'm a native Texan, lived in Austin for many years, and I encountered Ann Richards in person several times at Whole Foods, Book People, and walking around Town Lake. I remember once she was standing right behind me, in line at a hardware store in West Campus. It was funny, because everyone in line was playing it very cool and not saying anything to her. But she was RIGHT behind me, shock of white hair and all, in shades and bike shorts. Probably one of the most recognizable political figures of all time. I was seriously tempted to pull a John Farley Show thing, and stammer, "Uhh... remember that time...when you said that thing...about George Bush being born with a.... you know...huh huh... that was cool..." You get the picture. But I didn't do it. I just gave her a sappy smile. Now I regret not thanking her for her tireless support of women's rights and progressive causes, especially now as Texas has become Red as blood. My home state has a long dark history of regressive rich-take-all so-called Conservatism, with very few rays of hope for us liberal types. Ann Richards was a shining light. She represents the best of what Texas is all about -- while our current president, unfortunately, represents the worst. When I tell anyone I'm from Texas nowadays, I receive contempt like I never have before, and it's totally understandable. We're all and may forever be associated with Bush, who I'm sure will go down in history (if Rove et al don't manage to pull a "1984" deal on us, and I woudn't put it past them) as the Worst President EVER. Like the Dixie Chicks, Bush has made me ashamed to be from Texas, too. Let's hope that the progressive spirit of Ann Richards (and the future women who will attend her school -- hopefully my daughter!) will guide this state, and our country, away from the cynical dynastic tyranny it has fallen into.
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I miss her.
We still need you, Ann. I wish you hadn't gone.
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The Keynote Speech
Ann Richard's keynote address in 1988 is for me the most memorable convention speech I've ever seen - she not only played the room, she spoke the truth and did so with a wonderful humor - and right there I thought that this woman could've been the president - and then, for me, she kind of dissapeared off the map after losing to Bush. It caught my eye when I saw the headline announcing her death - and I felt a sadness. Here's the keynote speech - and it still sounds great:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/mp3clips/politicalspeeches/annrichards1988dncdfdsk.mp3
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oops..
I don't know why that url is way down at the bottom - sorry...
I know you Saloners can fix it!
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She walked the talk. She was one of the good guys.
Anyone who has been in the business of politics for any length of time is mulling over their Ann Richards stories right now. I have a few. Great memories, one and all. The first time I met her, she told me I was "cuter 'n a bug's ear." I was from NJ. I had no idea what that meant. Gov. Richards' speech at the Emily's List luncheon in Boston in 2004 was riveting, with not one dry eye left in the house when she said she was still doing all this for her granddaughter. As she tried to leave the Arizona delegation breakfast that week, people were pestering her for autographs. She politely gave a few and posed for a photo here and there but she tried to explain, as she elbowed her way to the door "I've got 6 more breakfasts to go to and 4 lunches. I'm workin' here. We've all got a lot of work to do."
I helped organize a WomenVote 2006 lunch held today in Portland, OR and I couldn't talk about her without crying. (Aw...you know how emotional we women are.) But I thought about her comments over the years. We - the women voters - are an integral part of her legacy. We are her charges. She has given the marching orders thousands of times. She opened the door to government for many of us. And I, for one, don't want to let her down. We've all got a lot of work to do.