Oh, Ann

[wordplay]

Yours was the first campaign I ever worked on and I'll always be grateful for the opportunity. Thank you for your voice and your presence and just YOU - Texas needed you and so did I. Rest in peace, lady - you earned it.

Ann W. Richards
9/1/1933 - 9/13/2006

Comments

[sundancekid.livejournal.com]

Oh no. Oh no.

[sundancekid.livejournal.com]

I was toying with the idea of asking my Texas Government teacher to see if he could get her to come speak to our class -- he's having people every Friday, and he's been involved in Texas Democratic politics for a million years, so I thought that would be the best chance I'd ever have to meet her.

I was five when she was elected; I have a really clear memory of going with my mom to the little voting booth, and she let me punch the ballot for Ann.

[wordplay.livejournal.com]

I was 18 when I voted for her the first time - it was my first election and, you know, I think it was the only time I ever voted for a state-level candidate in Texas who actually WON. I worked just a little on the next campaign, and met her v. briefly when she spoke to my women's studies class. She was spectacular, and that loss to Shrub - that loss really stung, in part because the received wisdom was that she didn't really run a very strong campaign, and that's a distinctly unfun way to lose. It was the beginning of my long-lived dislike for GWB so, you know, at least I come by this disdain honestly? :)) I wonder if he'll make a statement. He'd better be gracious, dammit.

I'm sorry, Allie. Post about what happens in Austin, will you? I know she won't go unmourned there.