Governor Ann Richards, 1933-2006

Former Texas Governor Ann Richards died yesterday from cancer. She was a remarkable woman, as is obvious if she climbed to the top of the heap in Texas politics. She was quick witted, and what are probably her two biggest lines came in her keynote address to the 1988 Democratic Convention:

"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."

"Poor George, he can't help it — he was born with a silver foot in his mouth."

Unfortunately, her political career came to an end when she ran for reelection to the governor's office but became the first in a long line of Democrats to misunderstimate George W. Bush. There are remembrances for her around the Web, but you can read some from The Houston Chronicle here and here (a number of other Texas papers are subscription only). Her good friend Molly Ivins is certain to weigh in before too long, and I'll provide a link when she does. Via houstonist, Capitol Annex has a round up of reaction from Texas blogs.

If you're near Austin, Texas, Richards will be lying in state in the Capitol rotunda over the weekend. The funeral will take place on Monday.