Arizona governor criticizes birther 'distraction'
April 25th, 2011
09:21 PM ET
12 years ago

Arizona governor criticizes birther 'distraction'

Washington (CNN) - Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who vetoed a bill in April that would have required presidential candidates to prove they were American citizens born in the United States, thinks the so-called birther movement is a "huge distraction."

"It's just something that I think is leading our country down a path of destruction and it just is not serving any good purpose," Brewer said Monday on CNN's "John King, USA."


Brewer's move effectively stopped the bill unless state House and Senate lawmakers garner a two-thirds majority needed to override Brewer's veto.

The former Arizona attorney general said she does not regret her action on Arizona's "birther bill," which she said was a veiled attack on President Barack Obama.

"In Arizona, you know, it was pretty well known it was directed, I believe, at the president of the United States," Brewer told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. "Our bill was crafted poorly and it would not serve the people of Arizona. It was a distraction. I don't feel any regrets about vetoing the bill."

Brewer received national attention when she signed the controversial immigration bill into law in 2010 that gave law enforcement officials greater authority to arrest illegal immigrants. Since then, federal courts have struck down many of its major provisions, but she vowed Monday to keep fighting.

"I certainly will not drop our lawsuit," Brewer said. "I feel very, very strongly about moving forward and I intend to get it all of the way to the Supreme Court."


Filed under: Arizona • Birthers • Jan Brewer • TV-John King U.S.A.
soundoff (34 Responses)
  1. Ed Gauthier

    As usual, Brewer's nuts – "...would have required presidential candidates to prove they were American citizens born in the United States"??? Get a clue, lady – it already IS the law that they must be citizens! It just needs to be ENFORCED correctly! Duh! That's why former California governor Arnold (from Austria) can't ever be president.

    April 26, 2011 03:51 am at 3:51 am |
  2. LogicDictates

    Watching that video, my respect for Jan Brewer just went through the roof... comparatively, anyway. Good on her....

    April 26, 2011 05:13 am at 5:13 am |
  3. Ron

    What a wonderful republican govenor for the state of Arizona. LOL! You voted for her. Now, start the recall and stop letting her make AZ look like a bunch of bafoons. How republicans managed to screw up their wins last Nov will go down as the greatest political failure of all time!

    April 26, 2011 05:22 am at 5:22 am |
  4. welfare prez retoric

    simple to prove, produce it, thats all it take. a certificate of live birth only says one thing, you were born alive, mine gives addresses, doctors, county, hospital and is a long form, oh I have both but only one can be used in the United States for certain items and the certificate of live birth is not the one that can be used, so obama PRODUCE IT socialist scammer.

    April 26, 2011 06:08 am at 6:08 am |
  5. john

    Good for Brewer. But it seems as though the Governors of Louisiana and Oklahoma will not take this view.

    April 26, 2011 07:02 am at 7:02 am |
  6. matt

    Regardless if Obama is a natural born American citizen or not, I think that it's more newsworthy that this govenor is not enforcing federal laws.

    April 26, 2011 07:09 am at 7:09 am |
  7. mary

    "Birtherism" is only racism,bigotry and hatred in disguise directed at President Obama..I am proud of our president and the way he has withstood these attacks of hatred because he dares to be different. People who can't take critism show their insecurity to the world–example-Sarah Palin and Donald Trump-always quick to defend themselves even if they have to lie–can you just imagine them as president over the long haul. They would be a disaster and a disgrace to our country. This issue is getting embarasing! ..At least our natural born President Obama can hold his head high-Hail to the Chief!

    April 26, 2011 07:15 am at 7:15 am |
  8. diridi

    please do not ridicule the nation, I do not care darn hoot as to where is he born....He is a great president of all time in USA!!!
    He is the one who passed Health Care, and Financial Regulation Reform. Because of these, very needed reforms in the nation, our nation is not yet collapsed. Economy is going on a right direction. Do not be stupid. Listen to this very highly educated one. It is truth.

    April 26, 2011 07:21 am at 7:21 am |
  9. matt

    "It's just something that I think is leading our country down a path of destruction and it just is not serving any good purpose," Brewer said Monday on CNN's "John King, USA." Since when is enforcing the laws of our land self destructive?

    April 26, 2011 07:47 am at 7:47 am |
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