She changed Texas politics. Ann Richards was one of a kind.

"Welcome to the first day of the new Texas!" Ann Richards growled into a microphone as she began her 1991 inaugural address. Ann Richards ushered tremendous change into Texas government. For the first time in the state's history, blacks, Hispanics, gays and lesbians found themselves included and part of state government. Sadly, the early politics of hate and division perfected by George Bush and Carl Rove limited this Grand Lady to one term in office. Her ability to leave an indelible impression on Texas government in just one term as Governor speaks to her level of influence.

It was Rove who brought defeat to Richards in the 1994 gubernatorial election. Though she outspent Bush and started the campaign far ahead of him, Rove turned her new Texas against her, using a standard "God, guns and gays" campaign to bring her down. Richards had vetoed a statute in support of concealed handguns, aware that it would be used against her in the next race, precisely as Rove and Bush did use it.

The politics of division and hate are not new. Perhaps 2006 and 2008 will see an electorate that has had enough. Enough of Republicans using wedge issues (gays and abortion) to coax voters into marking their ballots based on fear or worse, based on hate. We have so many things to unite us, so many issues that deserve our undivided attention. It in unconscionable that politicians would use the smokescreen of wedge issues simply to keep power.

American democracy is relatively young in comparison to the rest of the world's governments. Are we seeing the start of political power plays that will continue to divide Americans to the point of civil war? Sounds crazy, I know. But when you harness the power of hate to motivate an electorate, sometimes the fire gets out of control. You don't have to look very far these days to see "mainstream" right wing constituents and candidates openly saying that if you aren't with us -- meaning the Bush/right-wing agenda for the world -- then you are against us and you should find another country to call your home. Is that really what America stands for? What happened to freedom of speech, freedom of belief?

We need more leaders like Ann Richards. Inclusive, open-minded, smart and funny. More leaders who can inspire the very best in Americans rather than leverage the very worst for their own gain.

In her keynote address at the 1988 Democratic Convention her now legendary speech included such brilliant one-liners as "Poor George, he can't help it,” speaking about the current president's father, former President George Bush. “He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”

The speech transformed her, then the Texas treasurer, into a national figure. And it made her, a mother of four, an admired champion of feminism. “Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did,” she told the national audience. “She just did it backwards and in high heels.”

Ann Richards died Wednesday at her home in Austin. She was 73. The cause was complications of esophageal cancer. She will be missed.