Dorothy Ann Willis Richards (September 1, 1933 - September 13, 2006) was an American politician and 45th Texas Governor (1991-95). As a Democrat, he first became a national concern as the Treasurer of the State of Texas, when he delivered a keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards is the second female governor in Texas and is often noted in the media because of his vocal feminism and his one-liners.
Born in McLennan County, Texas, Ann Richards became a school teacher after graduating from Baylor University. He won the election to County Travis County Court of Justice in 1976 and took over the position of Treasurer of the State of Texas in 1983. He delivered a candidacy speech to Walter Mondale in the 1984 Democratic National Convention and a keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
Ann Richards won the Texas governor election in 1990, defeating Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox in Democratic first-round elections and businessman Clayton Williams in the general election. Ann Richards was defeated in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election by George W. Bush. He remained active in public life until his death in 2006.
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Ann Richards was born Dorothy Ann Willis at Lakeview (now part of Lacy Lakeview), in McLennan County, Texas, the only child of Robert Cecil Willis and Mildred Iona Warren. She grew up in Waco, participated in Girls State, and graduated from Waco High School in 1950. She studied at Baylor University on a Debate team scholarship, and earned her bachelor's degree. After marrying David's high school lover "Dave" Richards, he moved to Austin, where he obtained a teaching certificate from the University of Texas. David and Ann Richards have four children Cecile, Daniel, Clark, and Ellen.
Richards taught social and history lessons at Fulmore Junior High in Austin from 1955-1956. He campaigned for Texas and progressive liberals like Henry B. Gonzalez, Ralph Yarborough, and US District Judge in the future, Sarah T. Hughes.
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Political career
early political career
In the 1970s, Richards was a top political worker, having worked to elect Liberal Democrat Sarah Weddington and Wilhelmina Delco to the Texas Legislature, and after presenting a statewide training session on campaigning techniques for women candidates and managers. He supported the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution, submitted an amendment to the delegates of the National Women's Conference, held in Houston in 1978, but the amendment was never ratified by states sufficient to become part of the Constitution.
In 1976, Richards challenged and defeated a three-position candidate in Travis County, Texas Commission, which had four members; he took 81.4 percent of the vote against Libertarian opponent Laurel Freeman to win re-election in 1980. During this time, his marriage ended, partly because of political tensions in relationships. Richards's drink became clearer, and he sought and completed treatment for alcohol in 1980.
State Treasurer
After the incumbent Texas State Treasurer Warren G. Harding (no relation to the US president) became mired in legal matters in 1982, Richards won a Democratic nomination for the post. Winning the election against Republican opponents in November of that year, Richards became the first woman elected to a state office in more than fifty years. In 1986, he was re-elected treasurer without opposition. Richards is a popular and proactive treasurer who works to maximize the return of investment in the state of Texas. Richards said that when he took office, the Treasury ran something like a 1930s state bank, with a non-interest-bearing deposit. At the 1984 Democratic National Convention, Richards delivered one of Walter Mondale's nomination nominations, and he actively campaigned for Mondale/Ferraro tickets in Texas, even though President Ronald Reagan enjoyed great popularity in his country.
Democratic National Convention 1988
Richards' main message to the 1988 Democratic National Convention placed him in the national spotlight. The speech was very critical of the Reagan Administration and then-Vice President George H. W. Bush. The address is notable for including some funny comments that feature Texas charms in his home like: "I'm happy to be here with you tonight, because after listening to George Bush for years, I think you need to know what a genuine Texas accent sounds like" "Poor George, he can not help it, he's born with silver legs in his mouth", "... two women in 160 years is about par for the course but if you give" We have a chance, we can perform. After all, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did. He just did it backwards and put on high heels. "And" When we pay billions for a plane that will not fly, billions for a tank that will not fire, and billions for a malfunctioning system, the old dog will not hunt. And you do not have to from Waco know that when the Pentagon makes rich criminals and does not make America strong, it's a lousy deal. "The address of the Richards convention has been cited by rhetorical experts as a historically significant speech The speech set the tone for his political future.In 1989, with coauthor Peter Knobler, he wrote his autobiography, Directly from the Heart: My Life in Politics and Place Other .
Leadership
In 1990, Texas Republican Governor Bill Clements decided not to run for the third consecutive elections. Richards painted himself as a progressive-minded person, and won the Democratic governor's nomination against Attorney General (and former US deputy) Jim Mattox of Dallas and former Governor Mark White of Houston. Mattox conducted a very rough campaign against Richards, accusing him of having drug problems outside of alcoholism. The Republicans nominated the multimillionaire multimillionaire breeder Clayton W. Williams, Jr., from Fort Stockton and Midland. Republican political activist Susan Weddington of San Antonio, a Williams proponent, placed a black wreath that read "Death to the Family" at the door of Richards' campaign headquarters in Austin. After a series of legendary gaffes by Williams (especially jokes about crime of rape), Richards narrowly won on November 6, 1990 with a margin of 49-47 percent. Libertarian Party candidate Jeff Daiell drew 3.3 percent in an effort that included television venues and a sizeable personal campaign. Richards was inaugurated by the governor next January.
Although officially the second woman to hold the top job in Texas, Richards is regarded as the first woman elected as governor of Texas in her own right, because twice elected Miriam "Ma" Ferguson is often disiscovered as deputy governor James E "Pa" Ferguson, her husband.
The Texas economy has slumped since the mid-1980s, compounded by the US economic downturn. Richards responded with an economic revitalization program, generating growth in 1991 from 2 percent when the overall US economy shrank. Richards also sought to streamline the Texas government and regulatory agencies for business and the public; his attempts at second-hand try but failed to help revitalize the infrastructure of Texas firms for explosive economic growth later in the decade, and his audit of the state bureaucracy saves $ 600 million.
As governor, Richards reformed the Texas prison system, established a substance abuse program for inmates, reduced the number of violent offenders released, and increased prison space to deal with an ever-increasing prison population (from less than 60,000 in 1992 to more than 80,000 in 1994). He endorsed a proposal to reduce the sale of semi-automatic firearms and "police killer" bullets in the state.
He signed an amendment law on the Texas Financial Responsibility Act where renewal of motor vehicle registration (also includes initial registration of motor vehicle), safety check sticker, driver's license, and/or obtaining a new license plate require the driver to have a valid car insurance policy. The law, adopted on September 1, 1991, extends the 1982 law in which a police officer will request a driver's license and insurance proof during a traffic stop.
He then appointed Lena Guerrero Country Representative from Austin for vacancy at the Texas Railroad Commission. The Hispanic Guerrero (1957-2008) was the first non-Anglo to serve on commission in history. However, the issue of counterfeiting his resume led to his resignation from the commission and defeat by Republican Barry Williamson in the 1992 election.
The Texas Lottery was also instituted during its governor - advocated as a means to supplement school finances; Richards bought the first lottery ticket on May 29, 1992, at Oak Hill, near Austin.
School finance remains one of the key issues of governor Richards and the people who succeed him; Robin Hood's famous plan was launched in 1992-1993 and seeks to make school funding more equitable throughout the school district. Richards also seeks to decentralize the control of education policies to the district and each campus; he instituted "site-based management" for this purpose.
In 1993, Richards signed the re-codified Criminal Code of the Penal Code which includes anti-homosexual Section 21.06, "The State's Law of Homosexual Behavior" which states: "(a) A person commits an offense if he commits a sexual perversion with another. the same sex, (b) The offense under this section is a Class C. violation. " In 1990, Richards campaigned in Houston to revoke the law. But, as governor, his signature criminalizes same-sex sex in Texas.
Despite outpacing the Bush campaign by 23%, he was defeated in 1994 by George W. Bush, with 45.88% of the vote for Bush 53.48% while Libertarian Keary Ehlers receiving 0.64%. Richards's campaign had been hoping for a misstep from a relatively inexperienced Republican candidate, but nothing came up, while Richards created many of himself, including summoning Bush "some asshole", "bush" and "young Bush boy".
Post-government
Richards was defeated in a 1994 Republican landslide that also thwarted New York Governor Mario Cuomo and brought the Republican majority to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. Richards and Cuomo appeared in a series of funny television commercials for the Doritos snack shortly afterward, where they discussed the "sweeping changes" that occurred. The changes they discussed were the new Doritos packaging.
Starting in 2001, Richards is a senior adviser to communications company Public Strategies, Inc. in Austin and New York. From 1995 to 2001, Richards was also a senior adviser with Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand, an international law firm headquartered in Washington, DC. Richards sits on the board at the Aspen Institute, J.C. Penney, and T.I.G. Stock.
One of his daughters, Cecile Richards, became president of Planned Parenthood in 2006. Ann Richards showed interest in social causes such as equality, abortion, and women's rights.
He is a tireless campaigner for Democratic candidates throughout the United States. In the 2004 presidential election, Richards supported Howard Dean for the Democratic nomination, and campaigned on his behalf. Richards was later puzzled for Democratic candidate John Kerry, highlighting issues of health care and women's rights. Some political experts call him a potential partner for Kerry; However, he did not make a list of top finalists, and he chose North Carolina Senator John Edwards. Richards said he was "not interested" in his political return.
Teach
Richards has taught social science and history at Fulmore Junior High in Austin (1954-1957). He continued to teach in the following years.
Richards served at Brandeis University as Fred and Rita Richman Distinguished Visiting Professor of Politics from 1997 to 1998. In 1998 he was elected guardian of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, he was re-elected in 2004, and continued to hold the position until his death.
He was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 1996, after a high loss of 3 / 4 inches and broken his hands and ankles. She changed her diet and lifestyle, and then her bone density was stable. She often talks about this experience, teaches or advocates a healthier lifestyle for women at risk for illness. In 2004, he wrote I Did not Slow , with gynecologist Richard U. Levine, describing his own battle with osteoporosis and offering guidance to others with this disease.
In a review of Steve Labinski's I'm Not Slowing Down , the book is portrayed as an inspiration for women against disease with a variety of tactics, such as:
- identify factors that may increase susceptibility to osteoporosis including lack of estrogen, menopause, and use of drugs related to caffeine, tobacco and alcohol;
- emphasizes the impact of bone density testing and explains the process of using Ann Richard's own bone test as an example;
- provides an extensive list of fortified calcium-fortified foods, plus note some foods to avoid;
- includes daily tips to improve muscle condition and prevent bone injury.
Reviewer Labinski also noted that in a mission to help women deal with osteoporosis, Ann Richards has created a useful, and often funny, book that will inspire people.
In the fall of 2005, Ann Richards taught a class called "Women and Leadership" at the University of Texas at Austin: twenty-one female students were selected for the class.
Art and movies
One of his first legislative requests was to move the Texas Music Office (created in 1990 during the reign of Governor Bill Clements) and the Texas Film Commission (created in 1971 during the Governor of Preston Smith) from the Texas Department of Commerce to the Governor's Office.
His longstanding personal interests in Texas film and music greatly raised the public profile of the two industries and brought the two programs into the Governor's Office. As a result, these industries are instituted as an important part of Texas's future economic growth plan. Other of his musical milestones include the publication of the first Texas Music Industry Directory (1991) and his "Welcome to Texas" speech to the opening day of the South South Southwest Music and Media Conference in 1993. He was involved with the Texas Film Hall of Fame from scratch. At the first ceremony, he inaugurated Liz Smith. She became the host every year but had to cancel at the last minute in 2006 because of her diagnosis with cancer.
Richards said, "I've been a friend in Texas since the number of people concerned about Texas films might fit in the phone booth." He is an advocate for the Texas film industry and travels to Los Angeles to market his country. Gary Bond, director of the Austin Film Commission, noted, "He is far from being the first governor to appoint a film commissioner, I think he is the first to really bring Hollywood's focus to Texas."
He is also a mentor to other women. He suggested Rebecca Campbell, executive director of the Austin Film Society, "Every time you speak in public, you should tell them what you need from them." He puts the spotlight on film as an indigenous industry, bringing more focus to Texas, and has an amazing network of people in the entertainment industry. She gives more focus to film as a business than ever before.
Evan Smith, editor of the Texas Monthly magazine and president of the Austin Film Society board of directors, commented on Ann Richards and the film industry:
I got to know Ann first as a movie goer. I would walk to various theaters and see white hair on the stadium seats. That's how you know he's there. People do everything to pay attention to in politics, but Ann does not exist for anyone but Ann. He is someone who likes movies, likes a touch experience in cinema, likes to talk about movies, likes to meet filmmakers - I think he is more eager to meet filmmakers than foreign officials. At the Texas Film Hall of Fame , he is a celebrity on the show as a respected person. People pay money to see it just like everyone else there. He often rides to Austin on a New York plane with a respected celebrity. One year with Ethan Hawke. What he wanted to talk about, in the pre-party, was that "Ethan Hawke is so cute." He loves her. This is not something that can be faked. She had starstruck. He loves these guys... (Watching a clip from Terrence Malick "Days of Heaven" at the Hall of Fame ceremony), he's fascinated by this picture. I mean, her eyes were fixed on the screen. Again this is not something you can imitate. And he looked at me and he said "I like movies" with this childish voice, this passion. Standing next to me was not a former governor, a political warrior... he was just like all of us, just someone who loved movies. This is a big loss for Texas in many ways, but for the cultural community to have an advocate in that position, you do not have it but once a generation, if you're lucky.
Richards lent his distinctive voice and command language to the screen. He narrated the popular and funny documentary "Barbecue: A Texas Love Story" to Austin's young director Chris Elley, going as far as holding a large BBQ rib in front of his face for a publicity photo. During the voice session, he even helped revise his script. In the audio booth, he shows a phrase in the original manuscript that is too vague in his opinion by joking "What does that mean? It does not mean anything.Sounds like something George Bush would say." He was interviewed in Ken Burns's 1996 documentary series The West on the history of Texas and the United States in the 1800s and appeared in the 2009 documentary Sam Houston: American Statesman, Warrior, and Pioneer .
It is believed that his final appearance in the film is a short public announcement used in Drafthouse Alamo asking visitors not to interrupt during the movie. The Alamo Drafthouse still uses it today, with the addition at the end in honor of Ann Richards.
Richards is active at the Austin City Limits Festival, and the SXSW festival: interactive festivals, music and movies, held annually in Austin.
Awards and acknowledgments
During his career, Ann Richards received numerous awards and awards including: Baylor Distinguished Alumna, NAACP Texas Presidential Award for Exceptional Contribution to Civil Rights, Award for Conservation of the National Wildlife Status, Orden del Aguila Azteca (The Eagle of Aztec Order) presented by the Mexican government, Guides Maurice N. Eisendrath of the American Congregation of Hebrew Union, and Texas Women's Honor Hall of Fame for Public Service.
Past year and death
While the 9/11 events motivated many New Yorkers to leave the city, Liz Smith wrote that it pushed the former governor into the city where he would spend the last five years of his life.
In March 2006, Richards revealed that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and received treatment at MD Anderson University Cancer Center in Texas. Exposure to alcohol and tobacco is a major risk factor for certain types of esophageal cancer; Richards "admits drinking heavily and smoking at a younger age, saying he smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish."
He died of cancer on the night of September 13, 2006, at his home in Austin, surrounded by his family. His remains were buried at Texas State Cemetery in Austin. He survived by his four children, their spouse, and eight grandchildren. Three funeral ceremonies were held.
Legacy
On November 16, 2006, the City of Austin changed the official name of Congress Avenue Bridge (which opened in 1910) to "Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge".
His 1988 DNC speech record was listed as # 38 in 100 American Topographic Speeches of the 20th Century (listed by rank).
Ann Richards's School for Young Women in Austin, Texas, assisted by Ann Richards, was named for her. The Ann Richards School, college prep school for girls in grades 6-12, opened in the fall of 2007 in Austin, and continues to celebrate the life and legacy of Governor Richards.
An award for Richards was featured during the "HerStory" video awards for prominent women on the U2 tour in 2017 for the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree during the "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" performance of the band's 1991 album Achtung Baby .
In popular culture
In 2001, Richards guest starred himself in the fifth episode of the animated TV series based in Texas King of the Hill . In the episode titled "Hank and the Great Glass Elevator", he was hailed by Hank Hill and later entered into a brief relationship with Bill Dauterive. He is also seen in the closing credits of King of the Hill Season 1 Episode 4, playing the tie ball with Roadie Willie Nelson.
Richards made a cameo sound in the Disney animated movie 2004 Home on the Range , where he voiced the owner of the saloon named Annie.
Richards is a topic in the film Bush's Brain (by Joseph Mealey and Michael Shoob), in a long segment of his defeat in the 1994 election for the Governor of Texas. The film presents the case that Richards's defeat involves a whispered campaign that the governor (mother of four children) is a lesbian because he allegedly hired many gays and lesbians to work on his reelection campaign.
In Oliver Stone's 2008 W. , Richards was mentioned in the George Bush campaign as "Big Big Mouth, Big Hair".
Richards is one of the characters portrayed by Anna Deavere Smith in her game, Let Me Down Easy exploring the meaning of the word "grace." The event opened in 2008, screened in cities across the country, and was featured as part of the Big Show Show on January 13, 2012.
In 2010, actress Holland Taylor debuted in a one-woman event called "Ann: An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards" at the Charline McCombs Empire Theater in San Antonio, Texas. The show was later performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center New York City in 2013. Taylor said of his subject, "He is brave, strong, and funny - Bill Clinton says the wittiest person he has ever met!.. He ran as a liberal in conservative Texas, so I had to write a drama about four incredible years in Austin.... He was in front of Obama about 10 years like in the 'inclusive' leader. "
In 2012 a documentary about her political life Ann Richards Texas was released. On April 28, 2014, HBO released a documentary, All About Ann: Governor of Richards from Lone Star Country.
Electoral history
Note
References
External links
- State Library of Texas: Governor of Texas
- Ann Richards' 1988 Convention on the Convention of the Right of Address
- 1995 Opening speech, Mount Holyoke College
- 2002-2003 Fiscal Size (PDF) by Texas Legislative Budget Council
- [4]
- Ann Richards on IMDb
- Remember Ann Richards by Molly Ivins
- "Ann Richards". Find Grave . Retrieved August 9, 2010 .
- Texas State Funeral List
- TX Governor Race-8 November 1994
- Gov. TX Race-6 November 1990
- TX Governor Racing Democrats Primer - 10 April 1990
- TX Governor Democratic Primary Race-13 March 1990
- TX State Treasurer Race-November 4, 1986
- TX State Treasurer Race-November 2, 1982
- Conversation with Ann Richards - January 22, 2003, Texas Political Project, University of Texas at Austin.
- Appearance in C-SPAN
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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