Janet Napolitano Avoids Howard Dean

Does this woman stand for ANYTHING? I'm repeatedly disappointed by her statements and her actions. I guess she has to tread lightly in a traditionally Republican state, but geez...

Democrats in Arizona have got to be frustrated with her.
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Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal
May 18, 2006

Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean was in Phoenix Wednesday but the state's top Democrat -- Gov. Janet Napolitano-- steered clear of the liberal bulldog during his Arizona visit.

Dean addressed a rally hosted by the Young Democrats of Arizona and attended by state Democratic Party chairman Jim Pederson. Pederson is a shopping mall developer and is considering a challenge next year to GOP U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl.

But the head of the Democratic ticket, Napolitano, was not at the Dean appearance and had no meetings scheduled with the former Vermont governor and vanquished 2004 presidential candidate.

More: http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2005/05/16/daily33.html

other things to do? This sounds like a typical republican frame. Is that paper slanted one way or the other?

According to them, she is booked solid months in advance. Literally, every hour of every day (including a lot of weekends). I honestly think she just couldn't make it to see him. That article seems really slanted.

I wrote to her after she gave the Texas Dems a place to go and have always thought she was OK for a Democrat in Republican land. She wrote a nice response back. That really has nothing to do with this. The article just looked really suspicious to me.

The Arizona Republic was so slanted when I was working on my doctorate at ASU that I took the Mesa paper instead. The family of that little wimp of a VP that Bush I had owns thew Arizona Republic. I don't know who owns the Business Journal but given that it is Arizona, I can guess.

to APPEAR more balanced.

Go figure.

when I avoided them while at IU - getting the Chicago Daily News instead (by mail) as a Freshman - until I discovered the library had many newspapers from around the world.

Liberals think the Arizona Republic is slanted to the right.

Conservatives think the Arizona Republic is slanted to the left.

big surprise.

The only time while I lived there that I saw anything close to impartial reporting was when there was that wacko Republican Morman governor back in the late 80s/early 90s. I can't remember his name but he was a real wrack job and even The Republic had to admit it.

that was the name of the wacko governor.

I work across the street from where it's published, work in the library where they do a LOT of research. Sometimes, I even assist the reprters with research.

somehow, I sincerely doubt that Howard Dean feels snubbed--he was a gov in a rather reddish state too, once...

What is the point of posting this article? It's divisive and debunked.

I think it's good to know what's being written about political figures, whether we agree with them or not.

outside downtown Phoenix.

It's readers are pretty much dyed in the wool cons who can't be swayed no matter what.

There is no reason whatsoever that DU should concern itself with a paper that reaches such a tiny area and small readership.

It's definitely slanted to the right. The right has gone so far over the edge that they think conservatively biased moderates are hard core liberals.

"liberal bulldog." They STILL don't get it/him.

This report seems to be a bit biased. Just a touch.

Plus, it makes me suspicious because Limaugh was using that exact phrasing today: "avoids".

She didn't meet with him or attend his event. That's avoiding?

Where does it say that she made a deliberate attempt to disassociate herself with him?

they've got going. I didn't read past the blurb in the original post. I think when I see this sorta crap I need to tune in to Galloway's testimony for a blistering dose of truth--just to remind me that it is out there...

If you haven't, do so--and be prepared to be shocked at the machinations of the Radical Right.

with disgust and realized I needed to take a break from these types of books. I'm living in a constant state of agitation and we're only in to 6 months of W's second term. Ugh.

For some reason they love to make him out to be this "angry" person which just isn't true from my watching of Mr. Dean. He seems to be a very happy person. They're scared of him plain and simple and are just trying to make trouble between democrats.

She literally allowed a software company and its Arizona shill to steal tens of millions in a K12 education Internet scam from the state. As attorney general, she refused to look into it.

Many of my democratic friends in Arizona were hesitant to vote for her but they felt that any Democrat was better than a Republican. We can only hope that this will be the last that we see of her and that Arizona, which is becoming bluer, will get some better Democratic candidates in the future.

Arizona Democrats were some of the most loyal Deanites I came across. This is political suicide for Napolitano.

She vetoes the Repukes all the time. We have some of the most insane fundie crackpot legislators here in AZ that you have ever seen. Maybe she's not as liberal as some would like, but you have to be realistic about the make-up of this state. She is pragmatic and it has resulted in a 70% approval rating.

the Republican controlled budget proposal--which they promptly backed WAY down on.

In Arizona, Dems are hard to come by. She has NOT backed away from the R controlled legislature.

the 'guns in bars' bill sponsored by the NRA which passed both houses and would have allowed patrons to bring a gun into a bar 'as long as they aren't served alcohol'.

She partnered up with "Sheriff Joe" for her first campaign for Governor - a disgusting act, in my opinion.

The other day she said, "I am absolutely against same-sex marriage". Couldn't she at least follow that up with a statement in support of civil unions, or even domestic partnerships, for cryin' out loud?

She's against a statewide ban on smoking in the workplace, arguing that "local jurisdictions should make those rules". Thanks for protecting the health of Arizonans, Janet.

I could go on...

Over 20 years ago, Arizona was a leader in banning smoking in public places. It isn't as though it is too cold and rainy to smoke outside most of the year there in most of the state and the reservations, which are over half the state and in the worst palces for climate, make their own rules anyway.

Janet has proven she can WIN. Who do you want as Governor? Can you imagine the trouble we would be in if she WASN'T Governor? You are quick to criticize but you offer nothing constructive .The Republicans can't even find anyone to run against her for god's sake.
And she didn't "partner up" with Sheriff Joe. Please do some research.Joe just didn't oppose her. So what?

I'll give you the Sheriff Joe thing with a caveat--HE partnered with her, not the other way around.

If you could go on, please do--but CITE A SOURCE. You've already cited a RW rag, let's try something different this time...

"Like I've said, I've been a longtime opponent of gay marriage," Napolitano said Monday.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0517same-sex17.html

Governor...the most recent that comes to mind is vetoing a bill that would have allowed pharmacists to not dispense birth control due to "moral objections". She ain't great...but considering that this is the State where Evan Mecham was elected, and Fife Symington was apparently mulling over ANOTHER shot at the Governorship (he has since apparently "reconsidered" lol!)in 2006, Janet's doing okay, imho.

"I'm going to go over to DU and see if anyone has spun it to mean Dean was snubbed by Napolitano."

Well, what do ya' know!

It does seem like it would be a bad idea for her to piss off
the DNC, but this story sounds like crap.

This is just his way of spreading division among Dems and avoiding reporting on what Dean said:

THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE WHOLE SENTENCE QUOTED FROM DEAN IN THIS ARTICLE

I live in Mesa AZ and there not a paper in the state that not pro republican . So take anything written out here with a grain of salt.

I know that Janet could meet with Howard any time they could arrange it. The article sounds like this was a deliberate snub and (I don't know for certain but) I doubt very much that this was the case.

Scheduling conflicts could very well be the issue here. Dean has VERY little time to spare on these swings through the states.

it must be a snub, right?

That's what I am thinking now.

There are some people here who seem intent on spreading divisive smears.

I wonder why. :eyes:

:sarcasm:

This is only the beginning of the attacks on Janet Napolitano. Expect them to get much more vicious as Marilyn Quail throws her hat into the ring.

Anyone who says Arizona Dems are angry/disappointed/upset etc., etc., etc., with GOV Napolitano is no Democrat nor from Arizona. Even the majority of AZ Republicans have given approval of Napolitano's abilities and record.

The Republicans can choose Marilyn Quail, who has done little if anything with her law degree. Former Republican Gov Slimington, who borrowed funds from a pension fund and then immediately went bankrupt. One off Clinton's final pardons was to this creep?

Janet Napolitano, whose resume was US Federal Prosecutor in Arizona, AZ Attorney General, Governor of Arizona. She knows her constiutents from North, South, East, West and the speciific cultures, problems of them all.

Give it a rest. If you knew what we have been dealing with the last several weeks with our budget and the Republican legislature you might understand why it was important for her to keep her regularly scheduled radio Appointment with NPR. None of us, including Janet knew Dean was coming until the day before.Here in Arizona most Dems are on their knees thanking God we have Janet , a Democratic Governor who knows how to weld a veto pen, in office. She is the only thing that stands between us and total disaster. I would suggest that no one pay any attention to these scurrilous rumors. Janet WAS NOT DISSING DEAN. And we are "NOT" frustrated with her.We are grateful.
The last minute notice provided by the DNC made it difficult for anyone to attend this event let alone the Governor.And the event was supposed to be organized by the young Dems for the young Dems and they didn't do a wonderful job. Nuff said.Don't blame the best Governor Arizona has ever had!

the RW.

Thank you saracat for the first hand info.

I think Napolitano is fantastic. I expect her to be on a presidential ticket sometime in the next decade and I would love to vote for her.

I'll be working my ass off to make sure she keeps her seat. And out-of-staters who think we should get rid of her can go piss up a rope. She may not be the perfect liberal but the mere thought of "Gov. J.D. Hayworth" should be enough to scare anyone away from screwing with what we've got. Yeah, I know he said he's not running but that's only because he can't beat Janet.

I'd love for those outsiders who bitch about Napolitano to come observe our glorious State Legislature in session.

They'd run screaming from the Capitol...

I'm so sick of these Governor's pandering to the middle/right when Dean rolls thru town.

important than an impromptu visit by Gov.Dean to the young Dems that no one knew about till the last minute. We had ONE days notice.Janet is in the middle of a special session with a repuke legislature. She isn't pandering to any RW. It was hard for many people to make that meeting.Maybe Dean and the DNC could give some advance notice when he "rolls through town!" Do you expect a sitting Governor to cancell all events for him? Grow up.No one attacked Dean.

I think alot of people are taking the bait on this article. There's a right wing spin on this that's meant to cause division in the Democratic ranks.

Obviously if this was a last minute speaking engagement by Dean and the governor had another appointment they weren't going to be able to make a joint appearance.

And take a cue from us locals, as well.

Being a former Governor himself I think he knows that a Governors schedule can be pretty full.

I'll thank you to not do our thinking for us.

And look what your state did before you rank on us and ours. You've got just LOADS to be proud of in California...

Imagine that. Not just kinda republican, not just a scootch-a-bit left of Chimpy, but the war drum banging Bush is GOD types.

Guess he can't find Democrats in Arizona that could do it.

I love Janet, the state loves her, but boy she should at least meet him.

This "news" report is a bunch of right-wing crapola. Napolitano is single-handedly protecting Arizona from the most insane, idiotic legislature possible. She even had to veto a bill that would have allowed people to carry guns in bars.

There is not one Democratic in the land who I agree with ALL the time. But Janet is a God-send to our state. She and Jim Pederson have built the Democratic Party into an actual organization. She has supported numerous progressive initiatives. You can bet that when she and Dean next meet they will share a laugh over this.

Methinks the Californians are just jealous. After all, they got rid of their less-than-stellar Democratic governor and replaced him with what's his name.

We can live in peace :) I must say any criticism of Napolitano on this is BEYOND idiotic and she's certainly incomparable to the moron we have in Sacramento right now.

to be governor, she's darn good.

We had Mecham, with his rays from the city park burrowing into his brain and all.

He makes Arnie look like FDR (well, almost).

You do indeed have my sympathies, however. We survived Ev Mecham. You'll manage as well--unless Arnie keeps pissing off the nurses!

I'm gonna put in a lot of effort to get rid of his ass. Thank God for the nurses!

for sure!!

Kerry, Barney Frank, Carl Levin....

you're in pretty good company, Janet...

:eyes:

:sarcasm:

you forgot what she has done for this 'red' state. She is standing up for those who live and work here. The legislature here is all red with a blue Gov. The battles she chooses to fight are the ones that count for the 'little' guy. So what if she doesn't fight each and every one. When she does, it makes a differance.

I hope you aren't suggesting that I "forgot" my brain.

that's uncalled for...

in many years. Who else would have taken the stands she has on many Repug issues and retained popularity with many voters, both left and right. Go Janet!

Every other sentence was peppered with neoconisms...the article appeared to desparately want to make a story out of nothing.

People do have other schedules that conflict. It looked like Napolitano had previous engagements.

And besides...SO WHAT!

Howard Dean's job right now is to help raise money for the Democrats and work on grassroots efforts. Neither he nor anyone else expect him to be greeted like some royalty or otherwise get some special service. Dean should be in Arizona at least a few dozen times this year doing his job as DNC Chair...and do fundraising ...not be greeted as some hero or whatever.

This reporter seems to want to divide us with making Napolitano and Dean be somehow at odds with each other. That sounds and smells like the usual shit you hear from Rush, O'Reilly, Coulter and Hannity...

Eat shit, Mike Sunnucks. Stick your whore ass back in the barn. Those mule-boinking Repug friends of yours have some treats to give you.

you made very clear why the article was written in the first place. The Repugs are all about dividing...nothing else, when articles such as this are published.

what the whack job Pukes wanted instead.

I think Janet is super sharp and we're lucky to have her.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=139&topic_id=1910&mesg_id=1910

Be wary every time you see Dean cast as "liberal" from a business publication.