By Dr. Steven Taylor
Via Reuters: Ex-Texas Gov. Ann Richards dies
Former Texas Governor Ann Richards, who sparred with former President George H.W. Bush and later lost the state’s top job to his son, President George W. Bush, died on Wednesday. She was 73.[…]
Richards served as Texas governor from 1991 to 1995, when she lost the job to George W. Bush.
Richards jumped to national prominence at the 1988 Democratic National Conventional for her jibe about then-Vice President George H.W. Bush.
“Poor George, he can’t help it … He was born with a silver foot in his mouth,” she said.
Most non-Texans probably remember Richards for that quote from 1988. Although she did have a national presence, partly as the result of the power of her personality. She also was considered a possible Democratic Veep candidate in the 1990s.
As Chris Lawrence rightly notes:
It’s not often that a one-term governor makes as large a splash on the national political scene as Richards did
Richards was Governor of Texas during a large chunk of my graduate school career, so I very much remember her time in office. Indeed, the 1990 election was first chance I had to vote in the state of Texas. It was an ugly campaign. I recall Steven L. quipping two years later that he thanked God for the Louisiana governor’s race, as it was the only thing that made the Texas race look better (that was the year the Louisianans had to choose between David Duke, former Grand Dragon of the KKK and Edwin Edwards, who had serious corruption allegations dogging him, i.e., voters had to choose between the crook and the Klan).
The NYT has a more extensive obituary: Ann Richards, Ex-Governor of Texas, Dies at 73.
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Indeed. And, frankly, hard to believe.
Comment by James Joyner — Thursday, April 13, 2024 @ 6:35 pm
[…] my last meal is a steak and a good glass of wine rather than a salad and Co-Cola. Hat tip: Steven Taylor Related posts below the fold. ________ Elsewhere: “The Crimson Hide, […]
Pingback by Logan Young, Key Figure in Alabama Scandal, Murdered » OTB Sports — Thursday, April 13, 2024 @ 6:43 pm
Very hard to believe the latest report from the Memphis police Department. The first report was that the memphis police department could not ID the dead man “Logan Young Jr.” until dental records were checked and finger prints were scanned. He was beaten beyond recognition. Some veteran detectives told the media that it was the most brutal crime seen they had worked in over 20 years.
Now the Memphis police department is saying this old cracker fell down a flight of stairs, bumped his head then went to bed and could not get up in the morning.
I guess every member on the Memphis police force is either a media whore or the stink of Ol plantation money is still able to buy out the truth and integrity of the Memphis police Department. MPD has had numerous scandals in the past years ranging from running whores, and drugs in Tunica. To operating chop shops and taking bribes. What’s next murder for hire? One federal operation dealing with the corruption of the Memphis police department was called “Tarnished Blue
Comment by JR Goodwyn — Thursday, April 13, 2024 @ 8:46 pm
According the portion of the press conference I heard on the radio yesterday, the body was visually identified by the housekeeper.
I had heard the dental records thing mentioned by the talk show host, but had not heard it from any official account.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Friday, April 14, 2024 @ 6:52 am
Memphis Police Sergeant Vince Higgins said, “We’re treating it as a mystery homicide.”
Higgins said officials assume the victim was Young but needed to use fingerprints and dental records to confirm the identity.
Defense attorney Jim Neal says he had been told the body was found by a housekeeper. Reached at his Nashville office, Neal said he received two or three calls about it and they all said Young was found “killed in his home.”
Young was 65.
He was free on bond while his lawyers appealed his conviction for peddling the talents of defensive lineman Albert Means.
Copyright 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Comment by JR Goodwyn — Friday, April 14, 2024 @ 11:06 am
JR,
All I am saying is that the police spokesman yesterday, a member of the department, but I remember which, stated that they used the housekeeper to identify the body. This doesn’t preclude that they also used other methods, but may quell the notion that he was beaten beyond recognition.
It may be a nefarious plot on the part of the Memphis police, or perhaps the initial reports were more dramatic than they should have been. Quite frankly, the latter seems more likely to me.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Friday, April 14, 2024 @ 11:18 am
I some how want to believe the police over reacted and hope they have learned a good lesson about speaking to the media before the facts are gathered. But…. it is hard to believe that Logan Young was able to walk around the house and take a shower after such a deadly fall and not have the strength to place a call to 911. For conspiracy theories if there was no forced entry into the home, then he had to have opened the door to a friend or loved one or to a person that was pretending to represent a police office or some type of security officer. I guess no one will ever know the truth.
Comment by JR Goodwyn — Friday, April 14, 2024 @ 9:49 pm
I some how want to believe the police over reacted and hope they have learned a good lesson about speaking to the media before the facts are gathered. But…. it is hard to believe that Logan Young was able to walk around the house and take a shower after such a deadly fall and not have the strength to place a call to 911. For conspiracy theories if there was no forced entry into the home, then he had to have opened the door to a friend or loved one or to a person that was pretending to represent a police officer or some type of security guard that patrols the area. I guess no one will ever know the truth.
Comment by JR Goodwyn — Friday, April 14, 2024 @ 9:50 pm