November 20, 2001

Molly Ivins

Despite the fact that the world of journalism makes up a large part of my life, the name "Molly Ivins" meant nothing to me when someone mentioned that she would be at Sacramento State. I quickly caught up to speed and learned that she was the one who gave President Bush the nickname of "Dubya." Yes, I needed to see this award-winning political columnist.

A group of co-workers arranged to meet before the speech started, and many of us just stayed on campus that day. An hour before Ivins was scheduled to appear, I discovered that no photographer or reporter had been assigned to the event. The dilemma solved, we all filed down the stairs into the University Ballroom in the Union. The speech was supposed to begin at 7 p.m., but got off to a late start because Union officials had to open up more seating. I had no idea Ivins would attract a crowd of over 1,000. She greeted us with a Texas drawl and started by poking fun at Rush Limbaugh, and the jokes didn't stop there.. The next hour proved to be entertaining, even though I wasn't one of the 20-year fans who had come to see columnist.

I didn't laugh at all of her jokes, but I enjoyed listening to Ivins, who did not hesitate to give her own opinions on Bush, Governor Gray Davis, Osama bin Laden (or "Osama bin," as she said Texans refer to him), and the media. The audience burst into applause numerous times, and I lost track after about 20 rounds.

Over all, I thought the event was very interesting, and it gave me insight into the mind of a nationally syndicated columnist. Despite her fame, it didn't appear to go to her head, and she graciously signed books for an hour afterward. Unlike some speakers at Sac State, such as Bill Maher, Ivins did not degrade Sacramento, even though Texas played an interesting role in the California energy crisis. It was nice to see someone with enough perspective and objectivity.

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