from austinchronicle.com
Texas lost another of its giants yesterday, as syndicated columnist Molly Ivins lost her battle with cancer and died at the age of 62. Ivins, who took leave from her column in December for chemotherapy, returned in January with two columns before returning to the hospital last week. A strong liberal voice out of Texas like her pal, the late Gov. Ann Richards, Ivin's coined the nickname "Shrub" for President Bush and wrote her final column opposing the surge: "We are the deciders," she wrote. "And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war." Ivins, too, knew her way around a pithy and skewering bon mot; in September 1992, she had this to say about Pat Buchanan's speech to the Republican National Convention: "Many people did not care for Pat Buchanan's speech; it probably sounded better in the original German." Ivins, whose column was syndicated in over 350 outlets (including the Huffington Post, where the comments gives a sense of how well-regarded she was), was a voice of wit and reason, populist without pandering, equal parts smart and funny and always, always with warmth. She and her voice will be missed.
Molly Ivins, Populist Texas Columnist, Dies at 62 [NYT]
Treasuring the Wit and Wisdom of Molly Ivins [NPR]
Quotes & Quips from Molly Ivins [Houston Chronicle]
Stand Up Against The Surge [Molly Ivins]
