The View From Out There

» NYT: Tight Race for Houston Mayor, With History on Line (James McKinley, Jr)

It's an overview for the foreign folk, so there's nothing terribly new here. But still, the article has a way of capturing two different aspects in a perhaps unintended funny way.

1. Peter's age ...

Mr. Brown, a spry 72-year-old, has emphasized the need for more city planning in Houston, a city notorious for its lack of zoning. "I don't think we can assume there is an invisible hand that is going to realize the potential of our city," he said in an interview.

Ah yes, because what's needed in the calm steering hand of a shaky 72-year-old.

2. Annise's ... well ... ya know ...

But it has escaped no one's notice here in the nation's fourth-largest city that Ms. Parker, the current city controller known for her low-key manner, stands an even chance of becoming the first openly gay woman to be elected mayor of a major American metropolis.

...

Despite all the attacks, no one in the race has raised questions about Ms. Parker's sexuality, not even through proxies.

Believe me, if it had truly "escaped no one's notice," there would most certainly have been attacks. By proxies, even!

UPDATE: I should have added a third item ... a comparison to Mike Snyder's writeup of Annise in the Chronicle from two weeks prior:

Chron: For Parker, it's all about the details

Throughout her career, Parker has managed to embrace her importance to the gay community without being pigeonholed as the "gay candidate."

NYT: Tight Race for Houston Mayor, With History on Line

Throughout her career, she has managed to embrace her roots in the gay community without being labeled a gay candidate.