Goodbye Ann Richards, You Will Be Missed

My late mother once paid Ann Richards her highest compliment by calling her an SOB. To my mom, that meant "Salty Old Broad", and it was a title she gave out sparingly. Ann Richards was indeed salty, and God bless her for that. She opened Texas politics to everyone and may have been one of the best Governors Texas ever had. Sadly she is dead at age 73.

Richards once said that she didn’t want her tombstone to read "She kept a really clean house", but rather, "she opened government to everyone". That she did and this Texan will fondly remember her.

My favorite memory of her was watching a CBS new report with Mike Wallace outside the Governors mansion in Austin. In the middle of his report I heard, "Mike…Mike, come on in and have a glass of iced tea." Richards had seen the crew and instead of sending a press liaison, she just walked out and invited Mike in for a chat. Such was here sincerity and hospitality.

I cannot imagine the current governor, Rick Perry meeting with anyone without an appointment or a well-scripted agenda. He comes from the Karl Rove school of politics. Everything is a photo-op.

Speaking of Karl Rove, he is the reason Ann did not win her second term. His malicious use of a whispering campaign designed to spread rumors that the Governor was a lesbian cost her the election. These were literally whispers too; I even heard it from a conservative friend. Sickening tactic, and one that will surface again in a few weeks as the November elections get into full swing.

Don’t believe whispers. Beside, Ann Richards rarely whispered, even about her personal problems. She was open and honest about her battle and recovery from Alcoholism in the 1980’s and her health problems recently that led to her death. She was a Texas icon and she will be missed. On behalf of my late mother, I raise a glass of iced tea to her memory.