Nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, political reporter, and beloved Austinite Molly Ivins passed away in her home yesterday at the age of 62.
In a remarkable career that spanned nearly four decades, Ivins commanded the respect and admiration of a devoted national readership, who rallied around her unapologetically liberal, often satirical, and always insightful coverage of the Texas "Lege" and our leaders in Washington.
Among various and sundry positions held, Ivins served as co-editor of the The Texas Observer, was the Rocky Mountain Bureau Chief for The New York Times, and freelanced for a variety of publications that included Esquire, NPR, and The Nation. She published six best-selling books, including BUSHWHACKED: Life in George W. Bush's America, Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?, and Nothin' But Good Times Ahead. She was, reportedly, a fan of beer.
An advocate of progressive reform and a staunch opponent of the Iraqi war to the very end, Ivins railed against the president's recent decision to send additional troops into battle, in an editorial published on January 12th.
"We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders," she wrote, co-opting the famous Bushism. "And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell."
If you ask us, no one could've said it better.
Related:
AP Breaking News, Molly Ivins Dies of Cancer at 62
Molly Ivins Bio on The Free Press
Molly Ivins, "Stand Up Against the 'Surge'" -- January 12, 2007
Molly Ivins Tribute by Creators Syndicate Editor Anthony Zurcher
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thanks for this, i miss her already!
Molly Ivins was a guest at my book club one evening about a year and a half ago. We ate dinner, we commiserated about the current state of affairs, we plotted the return of liberalism. Mostly we laughed. I wasn't sure what to say to Molly at the end of the evening, an evening of stories and merriment and empty wine bottles. I was trying to think of something witty so that she would remember me for being witty, and I was trying to think of something gracious so that she would know how acutely I appreciated her coming, and I was trying to think of something vivifying, something that says keep raising hell... and now, again, I don't know what to say except for the only thing that came to mind that evening: Goodbye Molly. Thank you for coming.
Er, I'm pretty sure that she didn't "demand respect" from anyone outside of her ideology. This isn't like the death of, say, Milton Friedman.