Remembering Molly Ivins

Sad day Wednesday when we lost Molly Ivins. We had the pleasure of hearing her in person in Seattle and having her autograph her (then) latest book, "Bushwacked". She was a compassionate, delightful, incisive and hilarious commentator on the world politic in the manner of Will Rogers or Mark Twain. I loved her wit and wisdom and will miss her.

These are especially hard times for those of us who would like to see the people in this country take back their government from the corporate honchos and politicos who have stolen it and misappropriated its resources for their own selfish gain. It's tough to lose the optimistic and forceful voice of Molly Ivins. Molly went to school with George Bush II, whom she says she liked. She also said that liking someone, like a president for example, doesn't mean you approve of his job performance. She flat out states that Bush has done a wretched job as chief executive and she backs up her statements with facts. She saw it all coming having witnessed his tour de incompetence as governor of Texas.

Bill Clinton was quoted as saying," When she praised me, she was good; when she criticized me, she was DAMN good." Molly had a way of lampooning political leaders that was not vindictive or spiteful, unlike Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken, and she generously went after leaders from both parties. Her underlying love of basic liberty and common folk suffused her writing and gave her a kind of moral authority lacking in many leaders today, who seem tied to special interests or petty issues.

I'm generally not a celebrity worshipper, but I loved Molly Ivins.

Bob