Friday, September 15, 2006

Ann Richards

Ann Richards, the former governor of Texas, and a woman always willing to say just what was on her mind, passed away this week. It was that outspokenness that made her interesting to cover.
Back in 1998, during the Clinton-Monica frenzy, Richards was one of the featured speakers at a conference on women and leadership sponsored by the Simmons Graduate School of Management Alumnae Association.

Lesley Stahl, the CBS newswoman, was another. In her speech to the group, Stahl contended that the public had indicated by their viewing choices that they wanted more Bill and Monica. And she seemed to revel in the fact that media was hounding Clinton so about the sex scandal that it was difficult for the president even to hold a press conference without getting bombarded by questions about Monica.

That didn't sit well with Richards -- and when she took the podium, she aimed a rebuke Stahl's way.

"When I hear that the president won't be able to get his message across because half the questions are about matters I don't give a damn about, I am not going to blame him, I am going to blame the people asking the questions," she said.

Posted by at 02:47 PM

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