Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer seems to be replacing Sarah Palin as Fox News’ right-wing darling du jour. Brewer was just interviewed -- again -- for Fox News, making this at least the 5th time Fox has pitched softball questions at Brewer since she signed SB1070.
Maybe it was inevitable. After all, Brewer and Palin have a lot in common, and not just the faux border security website they launched together in May that features singing sock puppets. Brewer and Palin also share a knack for extreme rhetoric. And a gift for ignoring the facts.
Case in point: On June 16, Brewer told interviewer Greta Van Susteren that SB1070 is "another tool for us to be able to use in order to get our borders under control." (Fact check: In April, Brewer admitted on TV that SB1070 "has nothing to do with securing the border." See for yourself.)
Fortunately for Brewer, her interviews are a cake walk on Fox. Van Susteren sounds less like an interviewer and more like a practice buddy to help Brewer deliver talking points. Check out these "fair and balanced" comments from Van Susteren to Brewer:
- June 2: "You seem pretty tough. You don't seem -- you seem pretty tough. You don't seem very afraid."
- June 3: "You sound like you're pretty tough."
- June 16: "You're tough!"
Toughness fixation aside, Van Susteren is also cozy enough with Brewer to share a laugh or inside joke. Here’s an exchange on June 3:
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, you understand, from my perspective, here we have the two principals, we have the governor of the state and we have the president of the United States sitting across from each other in the Oval Office, and the president says, ‘We're going to send a staff to do all the talking to your staff,’ instead of the two of you talking together.
BREWER: That's correct.
VAN SUSTEREN: OK. So you must -- I take it by your silence or your pause that you have sort of a little of the same thought of mine, ‘Why not do it now?’
BREWER: Right.
VAN SUSTEREN: OK.
BREWER: And you know -- yes, I'll leave it at that.
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: OK, leave it at that.
And so will we.
Help us fight back this November by electing Arizona Democrats. Visit arizonafightsback.com to sign our petition and learn more.