She was a real credit to her craft.

Sharp, funny, and quick. And could cuss Republicans better than Metulj.

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Recursive blogwhore.

As if this day wasn't already bad enough......
I hate hearing this.
Damn

Vintage Molly:

(link...)

(NSFW! The sale of "sexual aids" in Texas... wait until the end. The punchline is priceless.)

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Recursive blogwhore.

Ivins tribute page at the TX Observer...

(link...)

And from her last column:

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. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on Jan. 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!"

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Recursive blogwhore.

How sad. I greatly admired her.

Let's take the earlier post's quote from Ivins' column and apply it/its relevance to today's local government:

"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... Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous... We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, "Stop it, now!'"

If we can't (won't) affect change at a local level, how do we expect to influence what happens at the national level?

My heart is aching and my eyes are welling, just thinking about my friend Molly Ivins. We met when I was running to be Lubbock County's Democratic Party chair. I told her that Lubbock had gotten so Republican, that even though I was running unopposed, I might have to switch parties to get elected. She let loose with a great belly laugh and nearly spilled her beer.
That was Molly. She was a great broad in the nicest old-school-journalism use of that word. She could remember every back-story detail, tell stories so true and funny your sides would split, and charm even the most repugnant Texas "sumbitches" that she'd just mocked in her column.
My friends in TV news would read aloud "Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?," taking frequent breaks to avoid hyperventilating. She signed my copy of the book, "For Mark Harmon who stands tall among the tens of liberals to be found in Lubbock. Raise more hell! And keep laughin' too. With many thanks for your help and all best wishes in your frontline freedom fightin'."
Sometime I hope you read Molly's touching farewell to her friend, the great Texas storyteller and antiblacklisting crusader John Henry Faulk. Our first long conversation was about him. I had only met him once and for just a brief time, but she appreciated every detail. A lot of people don't know how often Molly would drop everything to fight some infringement on the First Amendment. She had no patience for how the powerful would abuse the downtrodden. She would hold up a mirror to show their shameless actions, outrages so grand it almost looked like a funhouse mirror was before you.
Goodbye Molly. Your faithful friend and former Lubbock correspondent.

Mark Harmon

Molly was the sane voice of reason in an age of insanity. On a five-hour drive from Knoxville to Roanoke, I listened to her voice reading "You gotta dance with them what brung ya" and laughed all the way. I searched alternet.org for her voice. She was the only one that made sense to me in this crazy world of Bushes and power. We've had a rough day in Knoxville, TN, where the white men in power rolled over any public forum to continue their power and Molly was needed to comment on it. I just survived breast cancer this year and I am beyond sad to lose another friend. This world has lost a thundering voice and we are all the poorer for it. I am sad but hopeful that some how her work will continue. Please let the young people understand and know what it means to do this work.

Damn, I hate this. I've always said the best present anybody could give me is dinner with Molly Ivins and Katha Pollit.

My favorite Ivins quote - about Pat Buchanan's infamous "cultural warfare" speech at the 1992 Republican convention: "It probably sounded better in the original German."