Annise Parker Ad: The Man Who Wasn’t There [Video]

A few minutes ago, Mayor Annise Parker announced that there WILL be a Thanksgiving Parade, thanks to the good folks at HEB and other private donors. Soon after press questions regarding the parade, Parker answered some campaign questions.

Regarding ad buys, Parker stated that her opponent Ben Hall’s recent ad buy was about him trying to introduce himself to Houston, and that she intended to help him get known.

I guess this is how it’s done.

Update:  In a Facebook post announcing the ad, the Mayor had this to say:

Friends, I’m never going to stop working to keep Houston the best city in America – and I’m never going to let my multimillionaire opponent and his right-wing consultants Swift Boat us. Here’s our response.

Update #2:  The Parker campaign released an official statement, too.

HOUSTON, TX – Houston Mayor Annise Parker has released a campaign television ad that begins running on broadcast television today. The ad is titled, “The Man Who Wasn’t There.”

“Ben Hall says that voters deserve the truth. We agree,” campaign spokesperson Sue Davis said.  “Hall can start by answering the simple question, ‘Where have you been?’

“Hall rhapsodizes about how much he loves Houston and says he has a vision for the city. But his vision didn’t include living in Houston, voting in Houston or paying Houston property taxes on his home. His vision didn’t include solving any of the city’s problems, either. When Houston was hurting in the recession, Hall offered no vision, no ideas and no leadership.

“Under Mayor Parker’s leadership, on the other hand, Houstonians came together to change the way we do business – and we’ve made real progress creating jobs, fighting crime and cutting government waste.”

In 2011, Houston Chronicle columnist Rick Casey pointed out that Hall “lived in an 8,000-square-foot house in suburban Piney Point Village with a tax appraisal of $2.9 million. With Piney Point’s tax rate at a third of the city of Houston’s, had Hall’s house been in Houston last year our deficit would have been about $12,000 less.” Houston Chronicle, March 24, 2011.