WHITE HOUSE

Obama, Arizona Gov. Brewer Have Tense Exchange in Phoenix

Updated: January 25, 2012 | 7:00 p.m.
January 25, 2012 | 6:39 p.m.
AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer clashes with President Obama after he arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Wednesday.

President Obama and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer had a tense exchange over the governor's book when the president touched down in Phoenix on Wednesday, according to pool reports. 

It began when Obama stepped off Air Force One and greeted Brewer, a Republican. Brewer handed Obama an envelope that, the White House said, contained an invitation to meet. During their conversation, according to a pool report, Brewer pointed her finger at the president. 

"He was a little disturbed about my book, Scorpions for Breakfast. I said to him that I have all the respect in the world for the office of the president. The book is what the book is. I asked him if he read the book. He said he read the excerpt. So," Brewer said, according to the report. 

The governor said that Obama disagreed with the way the book treated him. 

"I said I was sorry he felt that way, but I didn't get my sentence finished. Anyway, we're glad he's here. I'll regroup," she said, according to the report.

A White House official said that Obama felt that Brewer had inaccurately described their Oval Office meeting in her book. 

 

 

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