While many think of Texas as a red state, parts of Houston are true-blue. President Obama narrowly won Harris County in the last presidential election and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow received a hero's welcome Sunday night at the Wortham Theater Center.
Maddow, who was in Houston to speak to a sold-out crowd at an event sponsored by the The Progressive Forum, received several standing ovations during her appearance, where she discussed her book, Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power, and answered questions afterwards during a 45-minute session with Progressive Forum founder Randall Morton.
Maddow, who at 5 feet, 11 inches tall, towers above Parker, invited the mayor to appear on a future show and they traded phone numbers.
"And yes she charmed," a clearly smitten Morton explained in an email. "We discussed her book on the military as well as her typical day at the office putting together a news cast, how she found her career, advice to gay young people coming out, her reasons for optimism."
Maddow, who was accompanied by her partner Susan Mikula, wasn't in Houston for long. She arrived directly from Austin, where she spoke earlier in the day at SXSW Interactive, and she left Houston early Monday morning.
But she found time to talk with Mayor Annise Parker backstage after the appearance. Maddow, who at 5 feet, 11 inches tall, towers above Parker, invited the mayor to appear on a future show and they traded phone numbers.
Also in the small crowd of Houstonians backstage were first lady Kathy Hubbard, Bob and Gracie Cavnar (Bob has appeared on Maddow's show numerous times to talk about energy issues), and Morton and his wife, Suzanne Longley.
Rachel Maddow, left, with Mayor Annise Parker and Kathy Hubbard
