Democrats Pick Texas Woman to Be Keynoter

Texas state Treasurer Ann Richards, who earlier this month brought delegates at her state’s Democratic convention to their feet with a blistering attack on Reagan Administration policies, will have a chance to do a repeat performance on the national stage next month as the Democratic convention’s keynote speaker, party chairman Paul G. Kirk Jr. announced Monday.

For the Democrats, Richards brings several pluses as a woman and a Texan--both groups whose support the party will need this fall--and as an accomplished and witty speaker with a talent for George Bush-bashing, a skill that was much in evidence in her June 18 Texas convention speech.

While announcing Richards’ appointment, Kirk also distributed prominent positions to representatives of four other groups which have been loyal parts of the Democratic base, naming two men--one Asian-American and one Latino--and two women--one black and one Jewish--as co-chairs of the convention.

‘Politics of Inclusion’

The four are Rep. Norman Y. Mineta (D-San Jose), former New Mexico Gov. Toney Anaya, Mayor Lottie L. Shackelford of Little Rock, Ark., and Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin of Vermont. The announcements, Kirk said, display the party’s “diversity” and its commitment to “the politics of inclusion.”

Richards’ Houston speech was centered around an invitation to Vice President Bush, the prospective GOP nominee, to “take a tour” with her of Texas, visiting workers hard-hit by a declining economy, women anxious about the future of their children and middle-class families troubled by the cost of housing. She is expected to use similar themes at the Atlanta convention next month.

‘Family Issues’

An appeal to those “family issues” will be a central theme for the Democrats this year, one which they hope will solidify their large edge over Republicans in support from women. In addition, the Democrats hope that by undermining Bush’s claim to the loyalty of Texans they might win the state and its 29 electoral votes or, at least, force Bush to spend large amounts of his time and money there during the fall election.

Prospective Democratic nominee Michael S. Dukakis, who discussed the choice of a keynote speaker with Kirk late last month, “was very hopeful that we might make the selection of a woman” to keynote the convention, Kirk said.

Richards will be the second woman to keynote a Democratic convention, following Barbara Jordan, also of Texas, who gave the speech in 1976.

As one of the televised highlights of the convention, the keynote speech can at times propel the speaker to national prominence, as it did with Jordan and with New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo in 1984. Richards, who is hoping to run for governor in 1990, may be in a good position to capitalize on the exposure. Her state convention speech, delivered shortly before Dukakis spoke to the same group, received enthusiastic cheers and compliments from Dukakis aides.

Share Podium

The four co-chairs, meanwhile, will share the convention podium with House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.), who has been named the convention chairman. To the extent that they chair the parts of the convention that will be televised, they will minimize the exposure of Wright, who is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which is looking into several allegations about his finances.

Kirk dismissed suggestions that party leaders might try to ease Wright out of his role as chairman. “There’s no hesitation on my part or the part of the party” in supporting Wright, he said.