Remembering Ann Richards

Ann Richards: September 1, 1933 - September 13, 2006

The extraordinary Ann Richards passed away at 73 from cancer while I was up in Colorado this past week, so I wanted to write something to mark her passing. I always was taken by her ability to connect with ordinary people and work tirelessly, with grace and razor-sharp wit, for a place at the table for all. She was a Democrat through and through. She was a colorful character in the best sense. She exhibited a deep understanding of human frailties and the ups and downs that come with a life lived fully and with zest because she had experienced all of that herself. She had warts and weaknesses and transcended them. She showed us how. And she did it with humility crossed with spunk. People just loved her, as a human, in a way that's so rare in political life today.

Ann came across as compassionate, charismatic and dedicated to inspiring, motivating and sparking others to take that chance, to dream that dream, to stand that ground, to work like hell for positive change and to have fun doing it. Every woman I know was a fan. In an era of bland, spineless, self-serving politicians, she was a disarmingly honest, charmingly persuasive and flamboyantly present whirlwind. She was elegant but grounded. She swore and told kickass stories, articulate but earthy. She rocked. And she did so with an uncommon combination of dignity and downhome grit.

I got to personally experience Ann's unique brand of often ribald humor, political passion, no-nonsense wisdom and plain old common sense only once, at a 2004 women's event at Albuquerque's Tiguex Park in support of John Kerry's presidential run. It was a doozie. She was wonderful and as down to earth as anyone in public life I've ever run into. She hung around and took the time to talk with everyone who cared to do so, just folks, with her sparkling blue eyes and her spectacular white hair and her awesomely lined face crinkled into a smile, intently listening.

It's a shame that her special cross to bear was losing to George W. Bush when she ran for a second gubernatorial term. It became our cross to bear too. The suffering continues. But Richards continued to take a stand against the madness. We continue, too.

I could never capture Ann's spirit better than another plain-talking Dem from Texas did, so I'm including the words of another national treasure, Molly Ivins, in memory of Gov. Richards. Ann was a pistol, but never needed one to persuade:

REMEMBERING ANN RICHARDS by Molly Ivins

AUSTIN, Texas -- She was so generous with her responses to other people. If you told Ann Richards something really funny, she wouldn't just smile or laugh, she would stop and break up completely. She taught us all so much -- she was a great campfire cook. Her wit was a constant delight. One night on the river on a canoe trip, while we all listened to the next rapid, which sounded like certain death, Ann drawled, "It sounds like every whore in El Paso just flushed her john."

Read the rest .

Austin's American-Statesman has the story on Richards' funeral  and other coverage here and here. You can find out more about Gov. Richards at Wikipedia. So many will miss her. She mattered and she helped so many of us believe that we matter too.

My favorite Ann Richards quote? This one, which was part of her famous speech at the 1988 Democratic Convention, when she first burst onto the national scene:

Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.

Yes, maam! You can listen to or read that speech here. And you can watch an unedited video of Ann's memorial service here.