Arizona Governor Doug Ducey is at the center of simultaneous Mainstream media scorn and grassroots appreciation tonight.
“Gov. Doug Ducey softened his stance on a possible U.S.-Mexico border closure after meeting with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying he would support Trump if he opted for a shutdown but hoped any closure would be ‘as short as possible.'”
Ducey’s reversal followed an April 1st report from the Arizona Republic that Ducey “said Monday that he does not support closing the U.S.-Mexico border, as President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to do in recent days.”
Gov. Ducey spoke to the press today after meeting with President Trump with a ‘new’ perspective:
“I think our trade with Mexico is extremely important, but border security comes first,”
The required blow back from the Gannett owned Arizona Republic was as sudden as it was predictable:
.@DougDucey's flip on closing the border is stunning. (And yeah, a little scary.) https://t.co/sKPld2cnDs via @azcentral
— Laurie Roberts (@LaurieRoberts) April 3, 2019
BUT TWO DAYS AGO @dougducey said this about shutting down border: "Of course I don't want to see the border closed." It was widely reported as Ducey opposing a shutdown. (more) pic.twitter.com/BQeutiA3s6
— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) April 3, 2019
But there are two interesting points here…
First, Ducey didn’t seem to completely rule out a border closure on 4/1 despite the Republic’s report he was quoted as saying this:
“I’ve said a thousand times or more, Mexico is our No. 1 trading partner, times four,” Ducey told reporters. “So, I want to see us continue to be able to trade.”
The Republican governor said he believes “the border does need attention,” but it’s a “humanitarian crisis, and Congress needs to act.”
None of this would seem to exclude a border shutdown, rather stating that it isn’t desirable, which the President (and any other logical person) would certainly agree with.
Second, this was on April Fool’s Day!
Is that something we can really ignore?
We’re talking about the one day of the year when even the most naive among us don’t take any ‘news stories’ for granted!
So what is this? A flip-flop as the media and open border liberals want us to believe? A clarification of a nuanced and cautious policy position from a Republican border Governor delicately balancing between McCain moderates and a large, vocal community of conservative activists?
Or did Governor Ducey just troll the ever-loving daylights out of everyone on April Fool’s Day? You decide.
At least the conservative outlets had some positive notes:
https://twitter.com/ChrisSalcedoTX/status/1113557035654598656
"Why doesn't Congress just act and we can solve the whole issue?"
Arizona Gov. @DougDucey sides with Trump against Democrats, saying he supports a "short as possible" border closure to force immigration reform. https://t.co/GZLYPyMJbS
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 4, 2019
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