The
Texas grand dame is gone. She was a great broad.
She would have liked that description, I bet, because not every woman can be
one. You have to have a certain amount of experience, pain and grit; have known
ups and downs, well, you catch my drift. There's also a measure of class that
comes with the title. Richards oozed class.
One of the things that always got me was that Karl Rove beat her by spreading
rumors that she was a lesbian. I never met Ms. Richards, but I bet Ann would
want us all to remember that about the skunk we're fighting this next election
and beyond.
Blessings to this powerful politician. She was something to watch. She will
be missed.
Ann Richards brought a vitality and outrageousness to the governorship that
had not been seen in decades. Born Dorothy Ann Willis, she grew up in Waco,
where she made her mark early on as an outstanding student who excelled at
debate and participated in Girls State. She married her high school sweetheart,
David Richards, and the young couple moved to Austin, where Richards became
a teacher. The couple had two daughters and two sons.Richards spent her free time volunteering on political campaigns for candidates
such as Henry B. Gonzalez, Ralph Yarborough, and Sarah Weddington. Encouraged
by her husband, she eventually entered politics herself, winning election
in 1977 as the first female commissioner of Travis County. Unfortunately,
Richards' triumph ushered in one of the most painful periods of her life.
Her marriage to David broke up, and she was also forced to confront her heavy
drinking. Richards later admitted, “I smoked like a chimney and drank
like a fish.” She entered rehab and emerged sober.She was elected state treasurer in 1982, the first woman to hold statewide
office in years. Her devastating wit and folksy speaking style made her a
national figure when she gave the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic Convention.
Two years later, she was elected governor of Texas.
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