Barack, Molly, and Me of Little Faith
November 5th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Photo by Dave McNeely
“You know,” she said after we met him. “That young man could be President some day.”
“What?” I said. “Are you crazy? Not in our lifetimes.” We both knew what I meant. After all, that young man was black. And she and I had both grown up white and liberal in a segregated Houston with “Colored” restrooms, “Whites Only” water fountains, and lily-white lunch counters. In the mid-1960s we had both worked on The Houston Chronicle, where there were a grand total of two black faces in the newsroom, and where we had to plead with and cajole our editors to let us do a long story on poverty in the city. There wasn’t much coverage of the black community back then that didn’t involve crime.
She was Molly Ivins, my dear friend of 45 years before she died in 2007, having had an illustrious career as a reporter, editor of The Texas Observer, and widely syndicated columnist.
“That young man” was Barack Obama. The occasion was the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, where Obama had given the keynote address.
“Oh, ye of little faith,” Molly should have said to me.
We both saw stardom in that young man. But Molly saw more. Molly saw a time when the United States of America could put aside racial division and elect a black person President.
I fear I still saw those “Colored” and “Whites Only” signs, the fire hoses and police dogs, and Nixon’s “Southern strategy.”
Well, it did happen in my lifetime. Sadly, not in Molly’s.
Looking at this picture taken by our old friend Dave McNeely (the veteran reporter who was there with us in those Houston Chronicle days), I thought about that night in Boston a little over four years ago. I thought about Molly’s hopeful words.
How she would have loved last night. How she would have loved to hear: “President-Elect Barack Obama.”
Ken Bunting, another old friend who’s now associate publisher of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, said of Molly by email this morning, “I’m not much of a believer, but I think our friend is looking down and smiling right along with Barack’s grandma.”
You know, I think he is right.
November 6th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Yes, how good it is to be reminded of the Great Molly and her revelations on a great day for all of us in America!
November 6th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Sweet thoughts, Carlton. Thanks.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Thanks for the wonderful photo and story, Carlton. Her prescience is proven once again.
Before Obama decided to run, Chicago Magazine asked a number of folks if they thought he should. Molly’s reply was the shortest and most to the point. You can see the article at this URL or just see her comment below.
And, then last year i came upon the wonderful photoshopped item at the second URL below.
And, I’m sure that you and Ken Bunting were right about her watching. I’ve felt her with us, pushing and guiding throughout this entire process.
http://chicago.godengo.com/Chicago-Magazine/December-2006/Should-He-Run/
Molly Ivins
Syndicated columnist and author of Who Let the Dogs In?
“Yes, he should run. He’s the only Democrat with any ‘Elvis’ to him.”
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/barackobama/ig/Barack-Obama-Pictures/Obama-As-Elvis.htm
November 6th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Great photo, great story…we missed her voice during this wild election. Wonderful to be reminded of how perceptive she was and that she she sure knew how to pick ‘em! Thanks for posting.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Thank you for that post and picture. I miss Molly every day. She would have loved this election outcome.
Yes we did Molly!
November 17th, 2008 at 11:12 am
That wonderful moment when Barack Obama’s victory was projected, I pictured Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards doing high fives…