The Sorry State of
Gov. Brewer
Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona in her official photo. Image manipulated by Modern Times Magazine.
By John Guzzon
Modern Times Magazine
Jan. 27, 2012 — She just had to go and do it, didn’t she.
Gov. Jan ‘Brew-ha-ha’ Brewer, Arizona’s illustrious governor, embarrassed every one who lives, has lived, ever lived, or knew anybody who might have any connection to the Grand Canyon state Wednesday when she met President Barack Obama at Mesa Gateway Airport and caused an international controversy.
The ‘handshake photo-op’ when governors welcome a president by cordially smiling and shaking hands for the cameras and waiting public was underway. Gov. Brew-ha-ha, unlike countless others that preceded her, decided it was the best time to wag a finger at the president.
It turned into a story that was covered all day and all night by media all over the world.
When asked by the press corps that follows Obama everywhere what the conversation entailed, Brewer answered that she had a letter for him and that he ended the conversation.
It was typical Gov. Brewer gobbledy gook.
Gobbledy gook — the best way to describe how Gov. Brewer speaks. One can never be sure what she is going to say. And it is typically awkward, laced with a smile and usually accompanied by a wagging finger.
Think back to the gubernatorial debate where she completely — and that was about one minute of completely awkward ‘completely’ — forgot her opening remarks. Sometimes thoughts check in, but they don’t check out from Gov. Brewer’s abyss.
Instead of diffusing the incident when the press asked her what had been said on Wednesday, she egged the confrontation on by telling the Associated Press, “ ... he chose to walk away from me.” The truth is she is just an awkward and stubborn republican party lifer who lucked into the governorship.
She is truly an embarrassment. Everyone in the state should be sorry that she bumbled her way to the governorship.
But there is another man, a former Chicagoan who now lives in Washington, D.C., who might be more directly responsible for the state having to suffer through six years of Jan Brewer.
Yes, that man is President Barack Obama.
After all, the state was humming along virtually scandal-free when Obama went out and plucked the first educated, tactful governor in Arizona since Bruce Babbitt from the state. For six years the state had Janet Napolitano to soothe the disgrace the governorship had heaped upon the state for 20 years.
Come to think of it, Napolitano deserves a bit of the blame as well. She knew full well how inept then Secretary of State Brewer was. But she left the state in Brewer's hands to become Secretary of Homeland Security.
Arizona Republicans might also deserve a share of the blame for being so caught up in ideology that they could not see that Brewer was not fit to be governor. The SB1070 debate and her defense of it sealed her fate, though, as partisanship reigned supreme in 2010 — especially in Arizona.
The Grand Canyon state’s democrats, though, also deserve a bit of the blame. Terry Goddard may have “deserved” another shot at the seat, but he had regressed since his last gubernatorial primary loss to Eddie Basha. There was no way he was going to sway swing republicans in 2010.
Sure, someone who wants to “point fingers” could find blame anywhere — even with the person who was “wronged.”
But when it comes down to it, the only one who can really be blamed for wagging a finger at the president is the one who did the wagging.
Sorry, Jan, but no matter how lucky you got in securing the governorship, all the blame belongs on your shoulders.
Do the right thing and save the state’s residents a bit of shame.
Apologize.
Otherwise, history will wag its immortal finger at you.
John Guzzon is editor of Modern Times Magazine.
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