Hillary tries to claim a Texas endorsement from the other side. (Part 4: good friends Molly Ivins and Ann Richards)

I have spent some time checking out comments about the ad in various other locations in the wide world interweb, and most of those from Hillary supporters are specious and feeble at best. One theme in those responses is a new Hillogism:

• Hillary and Ann were friends.
• Ann would have loved to see a woman as President.
• Therefore, Ann Richards would have endorsed her friend Hillary.

There are many reasons why this Hillogism fails, but here I will focus on one. The major premise is that friendship is the main reason Ann would have endorsed Hillary. In other words, friendship would have clearly influenced Ann's decision. Ah, but Ann Richards had a friend to whom she was much closer than Hillary Clinton, and that friend did not care for Hillary.

That friend was Molly Ivins.

Read "Remembering Ann Richards" and "A-men. A-women. A-Ann." These were written by Ivins shortly after Ann Richards died. In those remembrances you will find a warmth and knowledge that can come only from years of close friendship.

Also, take note of something Ann said about Molly at an event. The occasion was the 50th Anniversary party for the Texas Observer. Molly had just introduced Ann, and here is what Ann said about Molly:

I know it’s been a shock to all of us, but over the last ten or fifteen years our girl Molly Ivins has learned to dress, run a comb through her hair now and then, and give a fairly decent speech. The Observer was never better than when Molly and Kay were writing it. But then, we were all easier to please back then. A truly remarkable woman who goes around America making speeches and telling lies about me. And I welcome her attentions any time. May God bless this woman who has more survivor blood in her veins than anyone I have ever known.

You can also see the video of these remarks at the link provided above.

I'd say that is a bit more significant than the one link between Hillary and Ann shown in Hillary's ad, namely Hillary telling about Ann's advice on hair.

Now let's get back to the Hillogism. Hillary and her supporters tell us that there was such a deep bond between Hillary and Ann that it is a foregone conclusion that Ann would have endorsed Hillary. Well, let's look at that in the context of a longer, closer friendship--that between Ann and Molly. Here's how that logical construct might go:

• Molly Ivins had a much longer and closer friendship with Ann Richards than did Hillary.
• Molly Ivins was strongly opposed to Hillary being President.
• Therefore, Ann would have sided with her closer friend and would not have endorsed Hillary.

Now before you Hillary supporters start getting bent out of shape, I will say that this "reasoning" is specious at worst and highly speculative at best for the very simple reason that it cannot be proved because Ann Richards died before Hillary declared her candidacy. But that same criticism applies to the Hillogism that Hillary's friendship with Ann means that Ann would have endorsed Hillary. So quit trying to use Hillary's friendship with Ann to justify Hillary's bullshit and in extremely bad taste ad claiming that Ann Richards is endorsing Hillary from beyond the grave.

Coming in Part 5--Hillary's actions likely would not be condoned by Ann.