The Great Molly Ivins

Columnist Molly Ivins died January 31. She will be missed by legions of readers whose lives she touched with her wonderful and insightful writing which could be funny, truthful and politically provocative all at the same time.

If you've ever called President Bush "Dubya", it's because Ivins, who knew Bush in high school but still managed to grow up normal, called him "Dubya" first in her column in The Texas Observer. If you haven't yet read "Bushwacked" do yourself a favor and go find a copy.

Here are some of "Molly Ivins Greatest Hits":

On Ronald Reagan when he was President: "If he gets even more sedate, we will have to water him twice a week."

On a speech by right-wing commentator Pat Buchanan: "It probably sounded better in the original German."

Here's one from years ago that applies to today's foreign policy: "The first rule of holes; when you're in one, stop digging."

She could really go to town on Dubya: "Everyone knows the man has no clue, but no one there has the courage to say it. I mean, good gawd, the man is as he always has been; barely adequate."

Or, "Next time I tell you someone from Texas should not be president of the United States, please pay attention.”

And, "What stuns me most about contemporary politics is not even that the system has been so badly corrupted by money. It is that so few people get the connection between their lives and what the bozos do in Washington and our state capitols."

This is from her last column, written 3 weeks before she died: "We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there."

Take a look at that last quote again: "Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous" - I'm not sure if Molly Ivins ever read Assimilated Press. But, I bet she would have liked it.

Written by pinko