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Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer points at President Barack Obama after he arrived at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Wednesday. Brewer greeted Obama and what she got was a book critique.
Updated at 10:35a.m. ET:
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and President Barack Obama engaged in an apparently tense exchange on an airport tarmac shortly after Air Force One touched down outside Phoenix on Wednesday.
The two leaders could be seen talking intently at the base of Air Force One's steps. Both could be seen smiling, but speaking at the same time.
Obama appeared to walk away from the Republican governor while they were still talking, according to a White House pool reporter. Brewer confirmed that by saying she didn't finish her sentence.
Asked moments later what the conversation was about, Brewer said: "He was a little disturbed about my book."
On a Phoenix radio talk show after their meeting, Brewer said Obama was "tense."
Brewer recently published a book, "Scorpions for Breakfast," something of a memoir of her years growing up. The book also defends her signing of Arizona's controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants, which Obama opposes.
Obama was objecting to Brewer's description of a meeting he and Brewer had at the White House, where she described Obama as lecturing her. In an interview in November Brewer described two tense meetings. The first took place before his commencement address at Arizona State University. "He did blow me off at ASU," she said in the television interview in November.
She also described meeting the president at the White House in 2010 to talk about immigration. "I felt a little bit like I was being lectured to, and I was a little kid in a classroom, if you will, and he was this wise professor and I was this little kid, and this little kid knows what the problem is and I felt minimized to say the least."
President Obama and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer faced off in an apparently testy exchange on at an airport outside Phoenix. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
In a statement after the meeting, Brewer didn't mention the airport conversation, and would only say that she discussed economic issues with Obama in a brief meeting.
"Don't be mistaken, I'm bullish on our nation's future," Brewer said in a statement issued later. "But I'm convinced the path the president has pursued is the wrong one. I hope he takes some of the lessons of Arizona back with him to Washington."
On the tarmac Wednesday, Brewer handed Obama an envelope with a handwritten invitation to return to Arizona to meet her for lunch and to join her for a visit to the border.
"I said to him, you know, I have always respected the office of the president and that the book is what the book is," she told reporters Wednesday. She said Obama complained that she described him as not treating her cordially.
"I felt a little bit threatened, if you will, and the attitutude that he had because I was there to welcome him," Brewer told reporters following the exchange.
A White House official said Brewer handed Obama a letter and said she was inviting him to meet with her. The official said Obama told her he would be glad to meet with her again. The official said Obama told her that in her book, she inaccurately described their last meeting, which the official described as a cordial discussion in the Oval Office. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation between the president and the governor.
NBC News, The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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I am a registered Arizona Liberal Democrat, but I strongly support Governor Jan Brewers attempt to bring law and order to Arizona. Illegal Aliens are welcomed in California, and unwanted in Arizona.
Solution simple; Tell the Illegals to go to California before Jan Brewer can round Illegals up and send them back South. Most everybody knows that the Illegals contribute NOTHING to society but BURDEN it at the Taxpayers Expense. Statistics show that Illegals commit 65% of reported crimes in Arizona.
You are not a liberal Dem in Arizona - you are a liar
I see her as a disturbed person pointing a finger at our president. Sad to see and hear crazy things and gestures from some of the current leaders supported by the Republican party. I would like to vote Republican but how can I vote for crazies like this woman and Newt Gingerich?
You vote for anything except a candidate that has record deficit spending (and wants to spend more) record unemployment, and no real vision as a leader.
Obama has had 1/5th the deficit spending of Bush. Fact check my friend.
There is more corruption in politics and it Makes
American Government no better Than any other
corrupted government. At least with Newt, we
have a start of Cleaning up the Debt that the Obama
Administration has created. Hat's Off To the Governor
of AZ. God Bless Her.
Our DIVISIVE;, DISRESPECTFUL, and incompetent President is suing the very states he swore to defend with the oath of his office, for having the gall to want to enforce immigration laws the Fed is refusing to do. on top of that he has even invited FOREIGN COUNTRIES to join him in suing his own states.
and you want respect for this scumbag??
I believe all people deserve respect and common courtesy. He has the right, same as you....
When the majority of the laws Obama has passed and tried to pass are unconstitutional, i.e. Obama Care, among others, and the lies he has passed onto the public, i.e. in January when he stated that there was a Pay freeze on ALL government pay yet he and all our government staff received a 6.5% raise, Fact,.. Obama lost all respect. Respect is earned and lost.
I bet the Secret Service was just waiting for that bat @!$%# crazy bitch to cross the line, and take her to the ground.
I'm not a fan of a lot of Obama's policies, but I have to say... Who does she think she is?!!!
On the ground in Arizona THAT would have been a bad choice! As she has the state police and the Arizona guard. LOL (And then he would have been late for his fundraisers.)
Still, I would stand in line to see that... the AZ state police would have had to stand down, and watch as the Men in Black take her stupid ass away in cuffs. That's a fact jack.
Take her to guantanamo Barack. That level of disobedience to the office needs waterboarded so we can further investigate what she knew about the Giffords shooting
Let's simplify this. The failed leader doesn't like the Arizona Governor's stance on keeping ILLEGAL aliens out. He wants them left alone, why?? He lectured her?? Exactly what experience does he have with illegals?? Exactly what experience with anything does he have??
@deport -
Educate yourself idiot. The immigration crisis does not exist! I know facts are hard to swallow but here are just a few:
* Obama has more agents guarding the border than in any other time in our history
* The border states have their lowest crime rate in over 30 years
* We have the lowest number of people attempting to cross the border illegally than in any other time in our history
* We are have deported more illegals under the Obama administration than any other time in the history of this county.
Jan Brewer is a drunk, a liar, corrupt, and a media whore who made this entire crisis up to scare the old and senile voters of Arizona. I live in Arizona so I live with this embarrassment of a twit every single day
Deport...he has plenty of experience with illegals - in fact, he has familial experience. Both his aunt and an uncle are enjoying life in the US illegally.
A governor does not need to lecture President Obama about our southern border! He knows it VERY well... because that's where he instructed the ATF to ship AR-15s (basically a police version of the M-16) to be sold to the Mexican drug cartels -- to be used to kill Mexicans and Americans alike. And Obama sure does not want to visit this border... because it's not safe there since everyone has guns.
Obama's Watch has been the most pee poorest in presidential
History, Supporting illegal's goes to show how out of touch with
"We The People" he really is. Clean up your own back yead before
You start on AZ.
Educate yourself idiot. The immigration crisis does not exist! I know facts are hard to swallow but here are just a few:
* Obama has more agents guarding the border than in any other time in our history
* The border states have their lowest crime rate in over 30 years
* We have the lowest number of people attempting to cross the border illegally than in any other time in our history
* We are have deported more illegals under the Obama administration than any other time in the history of this county.
Jan Brewer is a drunk, a liar, corrupt, and a media whore who made this entire crisis up to scare the old and senile voters of Arizona. I live in Arizona so I live with this embarrassment of a twit every single day
Thanks for sharing some Arizona facts rather than the racist blather that seems to be coming hard from the state. Dont know Ms. Brewer but am sure I never want to
Jan who? I'm surprised she remembered who Obama was! Jan is well on her way to a serious case of dementia. The people of Arizona who voted for Brewer should be ashamed to have her representing their state. She and Michelle Bachman would make a perfect couple. Maybe they should consider running for "Mad" Magazine's political comics of the year. Jan's problem comes down to sitting in the sun too long to tan. Needless to say her opinions aren't worth the paper they are written on.
She is a idiot racist teabagger and just compare how her state under her leadership is doing! Just about at the complete bottom of all 50 for unemployment, house values, and foreclosures! Moron in, moron out!
lol go cry jim; obama is a failure and nobody is afraid of him
Frankly, if punches were thrown, my money would have been on her. Obama is Urkel in a nice suit.
Why does her State under HER leadership rank number 48?
As a 21 yr Arizona resident I have to say since Brewer took office I haven't been impressed with what she's doing. I don't see any leadership in any of her qualities. She gets lampooned alot in the local press and hasn't done anything of significants execpt sign 1070 to much consternation of illegals. Our housing crisis is as bad as any area in the nation (Phoenix) and I have lost half of my homes value from 2006. I'm upside down on my mortgage and keep hearing I won't see that 06 value till maybe 2023. I'm lucky that I have a good paying job but like most Americans am pretty much living paycheck to paycheck. I will not be voting for her or Obama in the next elections.
Who really cares that the GOP can't come up with one candidate that has ethics, morals and vision? Based on most of the posts here we're a nation that demands to survive on bigotry and ignorance. Why are so many afraid of truth? Or is it that we're more concerned about Demi Moore and the Klume/Seal joke? Maybe we deserve waht we get and the last four dancing bears in the GOP primaries are all we deserve.
So you think record failures and illegals lowering education standards, over-crowding prisons and over-burdening our healthcare system is a good thing?? The welfare/deficit Prez is not the way to go. He is an incompetent fool just like those that support him.
Obama, by walking away from the Governor mid sentence proved her assertions are true. He treated her the same on the tarmac as he did in the Oval Office.
Chicken Crap!!!!
All you monstrous, disgusting, racist, hating repugnobot sheeple have zero respect for America.
There is no excuse for the constant bashing of this intelligent, family loving, elegant, man.
You should all lick his boots.
Vote for the repugnicrites. Take every normal American into poverty including yourselves. Be proud of the party with no soul.
anyone who votes republican needs to have there head examined
said the lib loon rocking back and forth
usa,
Anyone that listens to a putz like you has to have "THEIR" head examined.
I'm laughing........I'm laughing some more....................
They have the right, same as you....
obama has earned the comtempt of a nation.
only the nation of idiots, which you are no doubt king of...
How people can be fooled by one " stupid " photo taken by a stupid pthotographer and a more idiot publisher who both failed to bring real new into the media...
She looks hot in a pant suit, just like Hilary. Only Hilary is gaining weight.
Who's doing the lecturing?
Not only should we not crack down on immigration, but we should also make it legal to use someone else's social security number. I think maybe it should be ok to drive without a driver's license too, or registration or auto insurance. We don't want illegal immigrants to feel like criminals. They're just normal law-abiding citizens.
Jan Brewer is a remarkably ugly, dog faced crone....the Prez should expect what he saw from this really sad woman who wants to hype her "book" to make a few extra dollars.
I am sure that the KOCH BROTHERS will now pay huge sums to pick up an entire edition or two from Brewers publisher in order to hand out at official Conservative functions around the country.
lol the pathetic left needs to slur her appearance; cuz they cant defend obama's record of failure
Can you repeat again for us what Obama failed at? And can you stick to facts instead of what you heard Rush or Sean say? Never mind... I already know the answer.
Ah, you don't approve of her looks. Good point. Now I definitely oppose her.
You got to feel sorry for the Preisdent. He gets away from Michelle becuase she has PMS and runs into another woman with the same condition.
she just has bigger balls
I never seem Governor Brewer (or the President) naked and I doubt you have. What you mean is "she has balls"
It is all about respecting America. You may not like the man serving as president, but never the less he is the President of the United States of America. If you can't respect that, you don't respect America. I am no G. W. Bush fan, but I remember when Hugo Chavez appeared at the U.N. right after president Bush and said that the Devil was here and I can smell the sulfur. I was personally offended. George Bush was the president of MY country. You disrespect him, you disrespect me, for I am an AMERICAN.
obama is as piece of trash and we dont bow down to our leaders
leftard: So you're okay with the GOTP alleged "leadership" acting like a bunch of spoiled rotten preschool children?!? I can only imagine your outrage, feigned or otherwise, if this had happened to Bush ....
This shows a blatant disregard and disrespect to the Office of the President. The duly elected leader of the country. It's a disgusting, childish display.
Obama will quietly put these GOP morons to rest when election time comes .The Republicans are looking like the KKK and they cannot deny they are racist.This is no longer the 50s and 60s .Deal with it junkies.Your party is falling apart and nothing will bring it back.Thats just the way it is.
what kind of idiot thinks obama deserves reelection?
Exactly leftard. I guess a few woke up today nibbling free cheese and checking the mail for their welfare checks. obama sucks.
Obama will go down in history are one of the best Presidents. He has class and is highly educated. The world respects us. Look at his record. The people who don't like him are the people who are not educated or read the facts or know history. They don't even know how the government works. When you defund education you get people like Brewer. She has not class or education. An education at a community college for a trade does not make you qualified to run a state. She got elected because of the bigots in Arizona. Obama for President in 2012
Brewer SHOULD be lectured by someone smarter than her. She couldn't even cut it at the community college she attended, leaving without a degree. And she is an "accidental" governor. She is more in it for herself than for Arizona. The sooner AZ gets rid of this self-aggrandizing prune the better. Take a lesson from Wisconsin and take out the trash, Arizona.
So ,tell me again how signing away your and your childrens freedoms is a good thing? Obama signed the NDAA bill...A bill that put's you under Martial Law...a bill that was originally constructed by Adolf Hitler..FACT!....redesigned by John McCain and signed into law by Obama...How can you leftys defend that? The bill was originally designed by Adolf Hitler...AND OBAMA SIGNED IT!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!