Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Too Sick to Complete a Second Term?

Last week, the Twitter account for John Dougherty's Senate race sent out a tweet that Governor Jan Brewer was rumored to be seriously ill -- too ill to finish a four-year term. Now you could dismiss this as "silly season" rumor-mongering, because Dougherty ran as a Democrat and Brewer is a Republican. Or because it came out first on Twitter, and not from a reputable journalistic source like the Arizona Republic. I don't dismiss it as a rumor. I predict that it will turn out to be true. More importantly, it matters so much to the future of Arizona that voters deserve to know!

I have lived in Arizona for 40 years. During that time, there have been many instances where, because something happened to the Governor (death, impeachment, political appointment to Washington, appointment to an ambassadorship) and we wound up with an ill-equipped person as our Governor in mid stream. The last time was, well, last time -- when President Obama appointed Janet Napolitano to Homeland Security, and she bailed on us, leaving the state in fiscal disarray (no blame, just observation). Governor Brewer was Secretary of State, and was elevated to Governor because Arizona doesn't have a Lieutenant Governor.

We can't afford to let this to happen again. The state is already known for poor governance, and the citizens are being buffeted by budget cuts while the businesses are buffeted by the immigration positions Brewer has taken.

I don't really have a dog in this hunt, as I am a registered Independent. I am usually far away from the rumor mill. But I am very close to Twitter, and to trusted sources on Twitter.

John Dougherty isn't a politician. He is an investigative journalist, and God knows why he even ran for office. In the 25 years I have followed his work, he has broken story after story for Village Voice Media, which is known for award-winning investigative journalism. I know those guys as well. For forty years. Dougherty has reasons to be tweeting this, I believe, that are more journalistic than political.

Why hasn't the "lamestream media" reported this yet? Because they have to worry about future access to the politicians they cover, and they've got to dot every I and cross every t before they go to print. I have also heard that the story will break this week.

I am a student of new journalism: I support collaborative and citizen journalism, I read bloggers, I listen to Jay Rosen and Dave Winer's podcast "Rebooting the News," I heard @ryantate talking about GawkerMedia's decision to stop worrying about "access" to sources, and now I feel willing to tell my friends where to look. I feel comfortable talking about this as a rumor, but one in which I personally believe.

 

 

 

Follow Francine Hardaway on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hardaway

Comments

[judesuper]

04:19 PM on 10/14/2010

OK, now I feel bad about calling her the AZ hag. If she's sick, then I apologize.

As an Arizonan and voter, I do want to know just how sick she is. I suspect it's true too. She came out to say her doctor says she'd be OK for the next four years. WHAT???

Either you're healthy or your not. Your doc doesn't say, you'll be OK for about four years.

On the same topic, if she can't make it through the next four years, then how can mc drool? If anyone looks like they're going to keel over it's mc drool. That cancer thing on his face looks very angry indeed. I mean even angrier than he looks all the time!

So how can he, the 74 year old angry cancer guy, survive until he's 80? Why should he win re-election? Why is he running? And why isn't the media asking him about his health?

[jezzabella]

04:05 PM on 10/12/2010

Jan Brewer looks like a serious smoker. That would make her one of those people who are costly to our healthcare system while she has prevented thousands of children from receiving any healthcare at all.

[whitneymuse]

06:53 PM on 10/11/2010

For a state that will elect Yosemite Sam as Senator, anything can happen. And, I don't mean Jon Kyl (sic), either. formerly of Jennings, et al.

[SAnn]

10:36 PM on 10/10/2010

To the powers that be, please post my comments. I am a single mom, who lives in Arizona and is frustrated by a Governor who will not come out and debate!

[Francine Hardaway]

11:03 AM on 10/11/2010

Your comments are posted and heard. I feel as you do about early childhood education and kids. But the problem is deeper; it's tax policy. When the tax revenues aren't there, the programs can't be funded, and Brewer really did inherit that mess. Unfortunately, no one in Arizona wants to pay taxes for any services, although they want the services.

[judesuper]

04:23 PM on 10/14/2010

Yeah, that's why we're paying almost 10% in sales tax. After the repubs gave away our raining day fund as tax cuts to the rich.

Just who does the sales tax hurt? The poor and middle classes that get taxed disproportionately via sales tax.

[SAnn]

10:34 PM on 10/10/2010

I don't understand why anyone is voting for Brewer. She's a train wreck. She has taken a hatchet to our education programs and anything that helps Arizona children in need. She won't debate because she can't defend her policies and she would have to explain why she claims to be for early education, yet her policies don't match her words. Goddard had a complete plan on his website to help education in our state and to bring jobs here. Brewer's attempts to balance her budget have actually cost Arizona jobs and thanks to her, we now have a 9% sales tax. Anyone who is thinking of voting for her needs to check out both candidates plans. Our Arizona State Legislature is in the control of the republicans and they are cramming bad laws through as quickly as they can. While our state is on the verge of going bankrupt our lawmakers were working on "Birther" legislation. Brewer also needs to come out of hiding and explain her relationship with the private prison industry and campaign contributions. SB1070 if allowed to stand would have increased Arizona's prison population significantly.

[judesuper]

04:27 PM on 10/14/2010

I'm with you sister.

Also look at the ballot. She wants to cut out first comes first for the kids, yet keep the taxes generated for that and spend them any way she wants.

She almost wants to be able to sell state trust land (school money) to anyone she wants and keep that money as well.

She has NOT balanced the state budget as she says she has.

[AZjbc]

12:14 PM on 10/15/2010

Maybe you should look as to where the State when into crisis.....the year Janet Napo took OFF and basicaly fleft the STATE ( to Campaign for Obama) the Budget was bloated , She had overspent and she left the state in a MESS. she put into to many positions, too many perks, Spent Rainy Day fund....and left the "Bill to the next person" Jan Brewer..to pick up the Tab . It's like throwing a Big Party and handing off someone the Bill! oh thanks !!! SB1070 is the enforcement of the same laws that the FEDS are suppose to uphold. Is it wrong not to want to become CAlifornia? They (CA) have sunk so low that they are Billions in the Hole... any lower and it will become part of Mexico. I don't care what party you are with - Facts are Facts . CAlifornia gave away there place as the Richest State in the Union to the First FAiled state..by issuing IOUS ..It is called a Nanny State for a reason. You can't have it both ways . We have laws to protect our Citizens. Why are you for the ones who Violate them?

[frank day]

10:26 PM on 10/10/2010

Real elections are so lower middle class.
Be glad Meg Whitman doesn't live in Arizona.

[Francine Hardaway]

11:01 AM on 10/11/2010

I know. I live part of the year in California. I see the problems there, and Arizona gets all California's problems sooner or later.

[SAnn]

10:19 PM on 10/10/2010

Here is a partial list of the budget damage Jan Brewer has done to children and families:

* Tens of thousands of children removed from the AHCCCS KidsCare program.
* New enrollment in KidsCare remains frozen.
* State support for community health care centers has been wiped out, cutting off programs for the very poor.
* 4,200 children have lost behavioral health services.
* 20,000 poor children removed from the list for child-care subsidies.
* Severe cuts to in-home services, forcing more children into foster care.
* 300 developmentally disabled children have been cut off from state service.
* 850 severely ill children removed from Children's Rehabilitative Services.
* Substance abuse treatment denied to parents, putting a large number of children at further risk.
* Support for grandparents caring for grandchildren has been eliminated.
* CPS is no longer required to investigate all cases of child abuse.

In November, if voters pass Proposition 302, they will destroy the voter-approved program that funds early education in Arizona (First Things First).

[AZjbc]

12:20 PM on 10/15/2010

Thank Janet Napoltino who drove the wheels off the Rainy Day fund, Bloated the size of GOVT. Emassed a Huge of Decifiet ........Maybe if she would have been running the STATE instead of Campaigning for a Newe Positon, she might have left thing s in better shape, OR not. If you didn't see her speech when she announced "leaving" you should have......she practically apologized for the mess she left.......As se should she was ineffictive at balancing the Budget, and only less than capable at being in a Position Clearly Over her head and above her pay grade.

[WaSkiva]

07:43 PM on 10/10/2010

I hear ya. A lot of the noise was to cover up a lot of the issues there. I find that one in her position that does not understand how things get changed is not suitable to be able to serve the many. IF she wanted to do her immigration thing, bring attention to the arena where that power exists. Have to change the constitution.

[Francine Hardaway]

08:08 PM on 10/10/2010

I think changing the constitution to give us a Lieutenant Governor is on the ballot now, but even if it wins, it won't cover this election.

[SAnn]

10:38 PM on 10/10/2010

We need it changed anyway, so that the we don't get stuck with an appointed governor ever again.

[barney123]

07:10 PM on 10/10/2010

Now that's a very interesting story.

[Francine Hardaway]

08:05 PM on 10/10/2010

If I hadn't lived here so long and didn't know the back stories on some of these players I wouldn't say anything. But I am tired of having governors I didn't elect.

[SAnn]

10:41 PM on 10/10/2010

Amen! I am tired of Governors, with the exception of Janet Napolitano, that make us look like a bunch of Red Necks.