The God of Politics

My first memory of politics was Ann Richards in a blue frock behind a lectern adressing the Democratic National Convention. That was 1988, and I, at the tender age of six, had no idea what was really going on, except that the lady on TV looked like she'd be a great granny. She had to be, because my granny liked her.

Now, as the morning after her death is settling, I returned to that speech that as a toddler, I could not understand. I wish that I had been able to, though, because as I read those words that she spoke, they still ring true today. When Ann Richards addressed that Democratic National Convention in 1988 she spoke of war being waged against terrorists, collusion with those we thought were our enemies and lies echoing from the centers of those institutions that were formed to protect us. She batted a thousand, Ann Richards did.

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

Ann Richards opened doors for women. In 1991 she was elected governor of Texas, the second in our great state's history.

George Bush hasn’t displayed the slightest interest in anything we care about. And now that he's after a job that he can’t get appointed to, he's like Columbus discovering America. He’s found child care. He’s found education. Poor George. He can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.

And even though Ann was talking about George H.W. Bush, the same rings true for his son.

Under this Administration we have devoted our resources into making this country a military colossus. But we’ve let our economic lines of defense fall into disrepair. The debt of this nation is greater than it has ever been in our history. We fought a world war on less debt than the Republicans have built up in the last eight years.

It's like Ann Richards was looking into a crystal ball, but all she had to do was see our past, take and honest look at it, and it really did forecast our future. This year has been devastating. Lloyd Bentsen, another great moderate and fighter for us average joes, passed away. And now, our divine Ann Richards, the only real human politician I've ever known, has been taken on the great campaign trail in the sky.

The God of Politics must be lonely for some of our best. Ann Richards, your bright humor and big heart will be missed. You tell it like it is, sister.