| (CNN) — Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, whose brassy, tough-talking persona and trademark white hair cut an indelible profile in Democratic politics, died Wednesday evening at her home in Austin, surrounded by her family, her spokesman, Bill Maddox said.
She was an amazing wit, and often quoted. After winning the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in a brutal primary in 1990: “I have seen demolition derbies much like (this primary). ” In her 1991 inaugural address: “Today we have a vision of a Texas where opportunity knows no race, no gender, no color — a glimpse of the possibilities of what can happen in government if we simply open the doors and let the people in” On why corporate leaders listen to her economic development pitches, in 1992: “I’m like a two-headed cow. I’m a curiosity” On the shortcomings of the news media, in 1992: “I’ve expressed many times the concern that I feel that good news is no news and that the only news that seems to be disseminated to the public is what is bad news or inflammatory information” Venting against George W. Bush’s challenge to her re-election in 1994 : “You just work like a dog, do well, the test scores go up, the kids are looking better, the dropout rate is down, and all of a sudden you’ve got some jerk who’s running for public office telling everybody it’s all a sham and it isn’t real and he doesn’t give you credit for doing your job” And my Favorites, 2 from her 1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention: “Poor George [Bush], he can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.” I am delighted to be here with you this evening because after listening to George Bush all these years, I figured you needed to know what a real Texas accent sounds like She will be missed! |
