Former Texas Governor Ann Richards Dies at 73

Former Texas Governor Ann Richards died Wednesday night after a six-month battle with cancer. She was 73 years old. A longtime Democrat, Richards served as Texas governor for one term before losing her reelection bid to George W. Bush. Her family says she was most proud of two actions that likely cost her re-election. Richards vetoed a bill that would have allow people to carry concealed handguns and another many feared would have allowed the destruction a major underground water system that now serves nearly two million people in south central Texas.

During her keynote address to the 1988 Democratic National Convention, she famously said of then-Vice President George HW Bush, "Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth." Under the banner of promoting a "New Texas," Richards appointed more women and more minorities to state posts than any of her predecessors. One of her last projects, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders is scheduled to open in Austin next year. Shortly before leaving office in 1995, Richards said: "I did not want my tombstone to read, "She kept a really clean house." I think I'd like them to remember me by saying, "She opened government to everyone.""

At the 50th anniversary of the Texas Observer in December 2004, Ann Richards was one of the keynote speakers. We play an excerpt of her address.

* Ann Richards, speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Texas Observer on December 4, 2004.

For more on Ann Richards we speak with veteran Texas lawyer Sissy Farenthold.

* Sissy Farenthold, Veteran Texas lawyer and political figure. Served 2 terms in the Texas legislature. Co-founder of the National Women's Political Caucus, a grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in the political process.


LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/14/1351255