Mayor Parker praises Houston?s economy and tolerance on The Colbert Report

Mayor Annise Parker made an appearance on The Colbert Report tonight, as you might have heard, and she spent most of her time singing the praises of our home city to a curious and often incredulous Stephen Colbert.

Colbert began the interview by noting that during her time in office, while the rest of the country suffered economically, Houston not only salvaged firefighter and police jobs, but also balanced two city budgets without raising taxes and added 125,000 jobs. Colbert jokingly asked Mayor Parker if she was ?The Batman.??Mayor Parker explained that Houston was a cosmopolitan city that is both livable and affordable with a love for food, the arts and sports. Mayor Parker then explained that oil and gas, the medical center, the Johnson Space Center and the port are all major sources for our continued job growth.

Colbert then addressed the fact that Mayor Parker is the first openly gay mayor of a major city in a state that outlaws gay marriage. ?Mayor Parker noted that Houston had elected her into city positions 6 different times before electing her mayor, adding, ?Houston is very tolerant of a lot of things. They want to know what you can do, not who you are, where you?re from.? Mayor Parker admitted that while she would like to be able to marry Kathy Hubbard, her partner of 21 years, she remained hopeful that things are looking up for homosexual couples, thanks to changing attitudes among other politicians, including fellow mayors and President Obama.

Finally, when Colbert asked if Mayor Parker walks down the street ?in a ten-gallon hat with your thumbs in your pockets and six shooters,? Mayor Parker conceded that once a year during rodeo she does, indeed, put on her hat and boots and join the rodeo parade as part of her mayoral duties. ?It?s one of the skills a Houston mayor must have. You have to be in the rodeo parade.?

?Oh, I thought you meant lesbians,? Colbert joked in response.

Video will be posted as soon as it is available.

Source: http://blog.chron.com/tubular/2012/07/mayor-parker-praises-houstons-economy-and-tolerance-on-the-colbert-report/

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